In praise of Enid Blyton

One of the things you are encouraged to do is read to your children. For years I have struggled and failed. I put the reason down to the disappointment of having an audience that doesn’t listen and regularly walks out of the room or starts making noises while holding Playmobil figures in their hands.

However at last I managed it and with a book coming in a 248 pages, The Mystery of the Notes, it has taken a fair few weeks. But finishing it off felt like a triumph and my eldest loved it.

Oddly enough there was a piece about Enid Blyton in The Times the other week and the point was made that despite how unfashionable she has been and the apparent limitations of her style she does manage to turn so many children onto reading.

I am hoping for the same and am about to start a Secret Seven adventure next. The idea of a mystery, secret agents and friendship really appeals to my children and for that I have to take my hat off to Blyton. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger and reading it out loud is a joy.