A New Adventure (The Magic Faraway Tree)

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Because we also like to listen to audiobooks while doing other things we also bought the audiobook version when it was released. We hoped that Miriam Margolyes (who is usually a wonderful narrator) would make the book more engaging, but she was unfortunately an -awful- choice of narrator for this story, particularly in comparison to the vibrancy and spark of Kate Winslet’s reading of the originals. The voices for Silky and Mia were both bad, Pippin was grating in the extreme. Just.. disappointment all round, really. The Enchanted Wood (1939), The Magic Faraway Tree (1943) and The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946) are the original Faraway Tree books written by Enid Blyton. In 1952 she altered an earlier book, originally called The Yellow Fairy Book (1936), to make it part of the Faraway Tree world. It is now published as The Magic Faraway Tree: Adventure of the Goblin Dog. The text of all these books was reviewed and minor editorial amendments were made where necessary (to correct errors, and to bring the text in line with our editorial standards as described above) when the books were first published by Hodder Children’s Books in 2020-21. The first title of the main trilogy, The Enchanted Wood, was published in 1939, although the Faraway Tree and Moon-Face had already made a brief appearance in 1936 in The Yellow Fairy Book. A picture-strip book, Up the Faraway Tree, was published in 1951. Over the years, the Faraway Tree stories have been illustrated by various artists including Dorothy M. Wheeler (first editions), Rene Cloke, Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone, and Georgina Hargreaves. [1] The Enchanted Wood [ edit ] First edition, 1939 First edition, 1943 First edition, 1946 Hachette, the publisher with the rights to the Blyton estate, commissioned an updating of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven series in 2019. However, this is the first Magic Faraway Tree book in 75 years and the first by an author other than Enid Blyton. Unlike the first three books in the series, this work is not a novel, but a series of illustrations with short text underneath. The plot follows two new children, Robin and Joy, who have read The Enchanted Wood and want to join in the adventures. They go to the wood to meet Jo, Bessie and Fanny and meet some of the wood's residents, including Silky and Moon Face.

We loved the characters of the new children. They were developed well and were each very relatable. It felt like the book took a little while to get going. It took a good few chapters before they were up in the land at the top of the tree. (And that’s what we were waiting for!!) Jacqueline is an established and beloved author and this selection has always been a treasured favourite so according to her it was honour to write this book. I am glad that some areas of the book were more progressive, such as Mia and how her character is portrayed. Mia's character is so brave and kind. She doesn't care what's meant for boys and girls, she does what she enjoys but she's still always there to make sure her siblings and the friends she has are safe and happy. Milo, Mia and Birdy are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to many remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Little Birdy is only too happy to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface's magic work in time to save the children?So yeah, its understandable if you've seen this book and felt a bit apprehensive, as though you're cheating on Enid Blyton's original, but please don't despair. It is worth the read and then some. I loved it! Once again I didn't want to leave Silky and Moonface, so I was gutted when it had to end. The supporting character Dame Slap has also become Dame Snap, and no longer practises corporal punishment but instead reprimands her students by shouting at them. [2] My proof copy didn't include the art, but knowing Mark Beech's style, I can't wait to see it in person - it's going to look great.

The Saucepan Man's mother, who lives with Dame Washalot after The Folk of the Faraway Tree. She runs a cake shop; In October 2014, it was announced that the books will be adapted for the cinema for the first time and are being developed for a live action film version by Sam Mendes' production company, Neal Street Productions. [5] As of 2021 [update], the film was still listed as being "in development". [6] Television [ edit ] One of my two favourite books as a child (the other being The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe), this retelling by Jacqueline Wilson captures all the charm and wonder of the original, while hinting everything is happening in our time. With very little mention of technology and good-old-fashioned adventure the key, this story holds in fact, many adventures for the siblings.Mr. Watzisname cannot remember his name. He sleeps and snores all the time. During a particular story at the Land of Secrets, Mr. Watzisname discovers his name, Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo, then forgets it almost immediately as it is so long; Mrs Wilson has retained the idea of magical lands at the top of the tree, but included some of her own: the Land of Dragons and the Land of Unicorns. Enid Blyton is one of the most-loved authors in children's publishing. With over 700 titles published, Enid Blyton's stories remain timeless classics, adored by children throughout the world.

Having grown up loving the original Faraway Tree series, I was slightly concerned upon seeing this revamp that some of the original magic would have been lost (ok, I was worried they'd do an "And Just Like That" on it) but thankfully, this is as magical and engaging as the original . Soon the siblings learn that Moonface is muddled and messy, The Sauceman Man loves singing jingles to go with his sales of saucepans as everyone shops online these days, and Dame Washalot is often tossing washing water down the tree on any unsuspecting climbers. Silky makes magical treats that can change flavour depending on the recipient. She even has golden syrup that dances itself into shapes before you eat it! I hope that any children reading this will love it as much as I did as a child. I certainly enjoyed this version but it won't take the place in my heart of Enid Blyton's original. It will keep the original, magical inhabitants of the Faraway Tree, including Moon-Face, Silky the Fairy and the Saucepan Man. Jacqueline Wilson is writing a new version of the story, updated for the 21st century, in which three siblings named Milo, Mia and Birdy discover the enchanted wood.Entire passages of the original have been rewritten to remove references to fighting. For instance, when the tree is taken over by Goblins in The Enchanted Wood, the Goblins were originally fought off, with descriptions of Mr. Watzisname 'pummelling them as if he were beating carpets' and the Saucepan Man throwing his saucepans at them. These have been replaced with cursory references to 'chasing'. I was a Faraway tree obsessed child, revisiting the series with my Faraway Tree obsessed 5yo, so this was extremely anticipated.. and a huge disappointment. The timeline may have moved into modern day, but the cast of magical characters largely remains the same. This was pretty much fine, though both my daughter and I found the stories less magical, less imaginative, and more long winded than the originals. There weren’t many new magical elements introduced, the lands were fairly uninspired, being themes explored a lot in contemporary children’s fiction (unicorns, dragons, princes and princesses), and the pace of the story was much slower. Another thing I found jarring was the reinforcement of gender roles throughout the book. Silky was essentially written as Moonface’s housekeeper, with Moonface being too lazy / incompetent at keeping his house clean and relying on Silky to come to clean for him. It was then elaborated on in her story that girls aren’t allowed into magic school because the Magical folk are too old fashioned. So girls can only do magic as household chores instead. This was a completely unnecessary character point to make, given there’s little in the original stories to suggest that Silky and Moonface had that kind of relationship. And then to make matters worse the plot then basically drives them into a tentative romance after Moonface becomes jealous after becoming engaged to a prince, and then essentially challenging that prince to a duel. As a 30-something mother of a 5yo girl, both of us became annoyed with the book at this point and stopped reading (basically a chapter from the end). She’s shown no interest in continuing the book since. That is not the only change. When Blyton wrote The Enchanted Wood (1939), The Magic Faraway Tree (1943) and The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946), she allowed her young characters to roam free. The Magic Faraway Tree by Jacqueline Wilson, to be published in May. Photograph: Hodder Children's Books

The stories take place in an enchanted wood in which a gigantic magical tree grows – the eponymous 'Faraway Tree'. The tree is so tall that its topmost branches reach into the clouds and it is wide enough to contain small houses carved into its trunk. The wood and the tree are discovered by three children who move into a house nearby. They befriend many of the residents and have adventures in magical lands that visit the top of the tree.The main characters are Jo, Bessie and Fanny (updated in recent revisions to Joe, Beth and Frannie), who are three siblings. Fanny is the youngest, Bessie is next in age and Jo is their big brother. They live near the Enchanted Wood and are friends of the residents of the Faraway Tree. Other characters include: I grew up with this book series and it holds a very special place in my heart, which is why I was so eager to see it continued and adapted for a new generation of readers. I enjoyed my return to the whimsy of Blyton's original creations but found the overall story arc a little less exciting than I had predicted. This is The Magic Faraway Tree, filled with wonderful characters called Moonface, Mr Whatzisname, Dame Washalot, The Saucepan Man and The Angry Pixie. The fairy Birdy saw also lives in The Magic Faraway Tree – called Silky.