Good Old Secret Seven - Enid Blyton Enid Blyton There are no items in your shopping cart. ~ $ 8.95 Shipping within Australia ~ Good Old Secret Seven - Enid Blyton Good Old Secret Seven Book 12 in the Secret Seven Series Condition: Used. Library stamp on several pages and ticks next to a book list. Dimensions : 13cm x 19cm x 1.5cm About the Secret Seven Series All the books are about the same seven children and their dog, Scamper, and each book is complete in itself. About Enid Blyton How Did Enid Blyton Become a Writer?

In her autobiography, The Story of My Life (1952), Enid Blyton says that, from an early age, she "liked making up stories better than I liked doing anything else." As a child she would go to bed at night and stories would flood into her mind "all mixed-up, rather like dreams are, but yet each story had its own definite thread—its beginning and middle and ending." Enid Blyton did not realise at the time that that was unusual, remarking in a letter to psychologist Peter McKellar on 15th February 1953: "I thought all children had the same 'night stories' and was amazed when one day I found they hadn't." She described her "night stories" as "all kinds of imaginings in story form," saying: "Because of this imagining I wanted to write—to put down what I had seen and felt and heard in my imagination." The young Enid was keen to develop her writing and story-telling skills.

She told stories to her brothers, made up her own rhymes based on the rhythm and rhyme-scheme of popular nursery-rhymes, kept a diary, wrote letters to real and imaginary recipients, entered literary competitions and paid great attention in English lessons at school. She also read widely. As well as fiction and poetry, she read biographies of famous authors and borrowed books from the library on the Art of Writing. The advice Enid Blyton gives in The Story of My Life to children who want to write is: "Fill your mind with all kinds of interesting things—the more you have in it, the more will come out of it. Nothing ever comes out of your mind that hasn't already been put into it in some form or other. It may come out changed, re-arranged, polished, shining, almost unrecognizable—but nevertheless it was you who put it there first of all. Your thoughts, your actions, your reading, your sense of humour, everything gets packed into your mind, and if you have an imagination, what a wonderful assortment it will have to choose from!" Enid began submitting her work to publishers when she was in her teens, but at that stage she received countless rejection slips.

However, that only made her all the more determined to persevere with her writing: "It is partly the struggle that helps you so much, that gives you determination, character, self-reliance—all things that help in any profession or trade, and most certainly in writing." As we know, Enid Blyton went on to achieve phenomenal success, beginning with the publication of magazine articles and poetry when she was in her twenties. From Where Did Enid Blyton Get Her Ideas For Her Stories? Enid Blyton maintained that the gates of her imagination were always ready to swing open at the slightest touch. All the things she had experienced in her life provided her with material for her stories. These life experiences: "... sank down into my 'under-mind' and simmered there, waiting for the time to come when they would be needed again for a book—changed, transmuted, made perfect, finely-wrought—quite different from when they were packed away. And yet the essence of them was exactly the same.

Something had been at work, adapting, altering, deleting here and there, polishing brightly—but still the heart, the essence of the original thing was there, and I could almost always recognize it." In a letter to Peter McKellar on 26th February 1953 she elaborated on this, saying that things she had seen on holidays, such as islands, castles and caves, would pop up frequently in her stories as she wrote: "These things come up time and again in my stories, changed, sometimes almost unrecognisable—and then I see a detail that makes me say—yes—that's one of the Cheddar Caves, surely! Characters also remind me of people I have met—I think my imagination contains all the things I have ever seen or heard, things my conscious mind has long forgotten—and they have all been jumbled about till a light penetrates into the mass, and a happening here or an object there is taken out, transmuted, or formed into something that takes a natural and rightful place in the story—or I may recognise it—or I may not—I don't think that I use anything I have not seen or experienced—I don't think I could.

I don't think one can take out of one's mind more than one puts in... Our books are facets of ourselves." Other Books in the Series The Secret Seven Secret Seven on the Trail Go Ahead Secret Seven Puzzle for the Secret Seven Secret Seven Fireworks The Secret Seven: Enid Blyton: Amazon.com: Books The Secret Seven click to open popover Special Offers and Product Promotions Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here , or download a FREE Kindle Reading App . Ignite your imagination with these editor's picks from Kindle books. See more Product Details Publisher: Brockhampton Press; Reprint edition (1954) ASIN: B0013JB790 Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,709,869 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) Customer Reviews TOP 500 REVIEWER on August 27, 2012 Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase 'Secret Seven' is the first in the series of 15 books comprising The Secret Seven Series written by children's story writer Enid Blyton during the period 1949 to 1963.

In this, the Seven's first adventure together, Jack returns to the secret headquarters to collect his forgotten Secret Seven SS badge and falls headlong into adventure on a snowy night. A car towing a strange van into an old house followed by a series of squeals sets the stage for quite a thrilling first mystery for the Secret Seven. This Kindle edition (2011) is updated in today's language - farewell to 'jolly japes', 'golly gosh', 'mercy me' and 'cripes'. The stories though, remain the same. The kindle edition also includes a note from Enid Blyton's eldest daughter , Gillian about the 'Secret Seven Books' ... this is a really nice touch. ABOUT THE SECRET SEVEN: The Secret Seven are led by Peter, his sister Janet, and their friends Jack, Colin, George, Pam and Barbara and of course, their golden retriever, Scamper. The Secret Seven have a secret password, a badge, and a secret headquarters. The group investigates mysteries by shadowing, interviewing and, looking for clues. Always a fun read as The Secret Seven comes out on top every time!

NOTE: If you like reading in chronological order, I would recommend you read this prequel - Secret Seven Short Story Collection before you start the 15 book Secret Seven Series. Hope my review was helpful ... Jeffrey A. (Jeff) Secret Seven: The Secret Seven: Book 1 eBook: Enid Blyton: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store THE âSECRET SEVENâ SERIES THEY ARE THE BEST FOR A FIRST READ! Enidâs early works include the âSecret Seven Societyâ books featuring Peter (the society's leader), Janet (Peter's sister), Jack, Barbara, George, Pam and Colin. They were the catalyst which encouraged me to start reading more than 50 years ago. Thank you, Enid. The BBC, many public libraries, local authorities and alleged educational experts have been completely wrong about the worth of the Blyton works. I can remember having substantial difficulty obtaining the original versions of the books. Quite a few shops would not stock them then but they were wonderful stories for teenagers! The tales are great to read for their simplicity and straightforwardness. When one did find copies of the book they were quite expensive all those years ago but great to own.

I loved the physical appearance of the books as well which I treasured as a youngster with the way in which the books were produced then making them somehow much easier to read. Itâs a delight to read these stories of adventure again in middle age although recent editing has diminished some of the memories I have of the original editions and words used then (but I am now getting old). Never mindâ¦ these books remain one of my best friends for life: they began my own reading adventure so do read these special adventures of the Secret Seven Society for yourselves. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again Enid Blyton (England, 1897-1968) Enid Blyton (England, 1897-1968) Figure 1.--Most of Enid Blyton's stories were set in England, but a few were also set in Scotland. Notice the patterns on the top of the boys kneesocks, a style that was last seen in the 1940s. This story was set during World War II. he illustrator was C. Holland.

Enid Blyton is probably the most successful children's author of all time--although not the most famous. She published an amazing number of children's or juvenile books, 600 by one account. She certainly was the most prolific author of all time, and with over 700 books and 10,000 short stories to her name, she is likely to remain so for years to come. Her importance is that she wrote books that children loved to read and attracted them to books--much like J.D. Rowlings. Blyton's most famous series was The Famous Five. Blyton's works painted an idyllic vision of rural England and hearty Englishness and in recent years she has been criticized for this. It is interesting that Rowlings who also attracts children to books has been criticized for just the opposite--a dangerous forbidding world of wizardry. Family Enid's father, Thomas Blyton, was a very talented man. He painted in water colors, wrote poetry, and dabbled with photography. After working as a salesman he joined his two older brothers in the family "mantle warehousing" business of Fisher and Nephew.

She and her father were very close and was devastated when her mother and fathers relationship deteriorated and he left for another women. This happened when she was thirteen and highly sensitive. She felt her father rejected her as well (he continued to pay for her music lessons and private school education at St. Christopher's). Enid's mother, Theresa Mary Hamilton, did not share many of her husband's interests. As a result, when Enid was quite young, her parents decided to separate. Childhood Enid Blyton was born in London during 1897. After separating from her husband, Theresa moved with the children to the suburb of Beckenham. It was here Enid spent her childhood. Education Enid's father set up a successful wholesale clothing business in the City of London. He was thus able to support his family and Enid received a traditional English private school education. She had an outstanding career at school. From her earliest childhood, Blyton had been schooled in the belief that she would eventually be a musician. She indeed was an accomplished young pianist.

Enid when she was 14 years old, however, won a children's poetry competition and encouraged by this success began to submit articles, stories and poems to various magazine. Her first published poem, entitled Have You-? appeared in Nash's Magazine in 1917. Her first book, Child Whispers, a collection of verse, appeared in 1922. This twenty-four-page work was followed by Real Fairies: Poems (1923), Responsive Singing Games (1923), The Enid Blyton Book of Fairies (1924), Songs of Gladness (1924), The Zoo Book (1924), and other books published by J. Saville and Newnes. Blyton decided to train as a teacher so that she could support herself while she continued writing in her spare time. She studied to be a kindergarten teacher at Ipswich High School. She did Froebel teacher's training. Teaching Blyton taught school for 5 years in teaching. Even which still in school, she had both poems and articles for adults accepted by various magazines. She experienced more and more success with her writing. She also opened her own infants' school.

Writing Career Begins Blyton greatly enjoying her work with children and decided to become a children's writer. When the literary commitments increased, Blyton devoted herself entirely to writing. In 1926 Blyton took on the editing a new magazine for children, Sunny Stories. Her stories, plays, and songs for Teachers' World gained popularity among teachers, who used them for their lessons. She also compiled a children's encyclopedia, but it was not until in the 1930s, when her stories started to attract a wider audience. Personal Life Blyton in 1924 married Hugh Pollock, an editor of the book department of George Newnes. They moved soon to Elfin Cottage, a newly built house in Shortlands Road, Beckenhame, which Blyton eventually called her first 'real home'. In 1929 they moved to 'Old Thatch', a large 16th-century cottage, close to the River Thames at Bourne End in Buckinghamshire.

The house, that was to be associated with Blyton for the rest of her life, was Green Hedges, built of red brick with black and white half-timbered gables, in Beaconsfield, a small town about 25 miles from London. Blyton in the mid-1930s Blyton experienced a spiritual crisis, but she decided not to convert to Roman Catholicism because she had felt it was "too constricting". Although she rarely attended church services, she saw that her two daughters were baptized into the Anglican faith and went to the local Sunday School. Full-Length Adventure Stories Blyton published her first FullLength children's adventure story for older children, The Secret Island, in 1934. The idea of a fast-moving story, woven around familiar characters, proved to be so successful. Over the next six years, almost all of her major series were begun. The most popular became The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, the Adventure series, The Mystery Series, and the Barney' Mystery books. It was during this period that her career as a top children's author was established. They soon became childhood favorites amongst children nationwide.

The times as Britain moved toward World War II seemed ideally suited for her shift in focus. During World War II, when publishing was restricted, Blyton managed to get her works printed and ruled then in the field of juvenile literature. In 1940 eleven books were published under her name, including "The Secret of Spiggy Holes", which had appeared earlier in serial form in Sunny Stories, Twenty-Minute Tales and Tales of Betsy May, both collections of short stories, The Children of Cherry Tree Farm, and a story book annual for the News Chronicle. The remainder were brought out by George Newnes, who continued as Blyton's main publishers. Under the pseudonym Mary Pollock she wrote Three Boys and a Circus and Children of Kidillin. New Marriage Blyton's marriage ended in 1942 and next year she married Kenneth Darrell Waters, a middle-aged surgeon. An exploding shell at the Battle of Jutland during World War I had permanently impaired his hearing, but helped with his hearing aid he could pick up her speech. He was also genially interested in her work and they shared many interests in common, including gardening.

Enid Blyton Magazine Blyton in 1945 decided to end her column for Teachers' World. She withdrew from Sunny Stories in 1952 and conceived of her own magazine. She published the first edition of Enid Blyton Magazine in 1953. Regular news was given for sponsored clubs. The Famous Five Club originated through a series of book about the Famous Five. The first story was published in 1942 and was followed by a new title each year. The main object of the magazine was to help the young spastic children and the special center in London. Noddy Blyton in 1949 published perhaps her most controversial book, Little Noddy Goes to Toyland. It was a seemingly innocuous story of a little toy man who always ends up in trouble and had to seek help from his Toyland friends. Its sales exceeded expectations. Other Noddy books of various sizes and types followed in rapid succession. The stories were illustrated by Van Der Beek who died suddenly in Holland in 1953. The series also produced a play and a film. "Noddy" enchanted younger children and became a household name in England.

As a result it became the subject of music hall jokes and sketches. Figure 2.-- 'Playtime' was originally titled 'Sports and Games' before it's title changed. It seems to be published around 1932. The boy is wearing white strapshoes. This seems to be unusual for boyswear (whilst playing sport - in full school uniform) but it could just be artistic license of the illustrator. It also appears that Enid Blyton also liked the colours red and blue, here the red school blazers and blue pants. New Readers Enid Blyton books ar of course for primary school children. Many were suitable for older primary school children, but some were especially written for new readers in the early primary school years. Here both the vocabulary and gentle storu lines were tailored or these children. Unfortunately these children are so young, that it is hard to collect useful testimonials as to how effectibe these books were. The Blyton boks were not the highly imaginative books that might imprent on young minds. Still they may have been enjoyavle reads that were useful to young readrs.

Critics Critics began to attack Blyton in the 1950s and more so the 1960s. Librarians in Britain imposed sanctions on her writings owing to the books' limited vocabulary. The main target for anti-Blytons was Noddy, "the most egocentric, joyless, sniveling and pious anti-hero in the history of British fiction". Rumors were spread that she did not write all her stories. The "banning", which probably has been exaggerated, did not last long. The books continued to be stocked in book stores and sold well despite their increasing age. In recent years Blyton's ability to encourage children to read has been recognized generally. At the end of the 1990s, well over 300 Blyton titles were still in print--an amazing statistic. This included editions of the Famous Five stories linked to the popular television serialization (1995) and modern adventure games, also based on the Famous Five series. Later Years Blyton after reaching 60 decided in 1959 to cease publishing her Enid Blyton Magazine, primarily to reduce her work load.

In the early 60s, she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on writing. Her husband passed away in 1967. During the months that followed, her own illness grew progressively worse. Blyton passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 28, 1968, at a Hampsted nursing home. The Books Enid Blyton books are about children in jeopardy, children empowered, children winning through. Enid Blyton is still the world's greatest storyteller for children. Adventure Stories I'm not sure just what was included in this series. One of the charming stories was the The Children of Kidillin set in Scotland during World War II. Another story was Mischief at St. Rollo's where a brother and sister are sent to a coed boarding school. Famous Five Another famous English literary character was really a group of five--four children and a dog. The central characters are Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and the dog Timmy. This was a children's series created by famed children's writer Enid Blyton, one of Britain's best-loved children's authors. It was one of the most popular series of children's books in England and America.

The series began in 1942 and were translated into many languages. The boys were commonly costumed in period clothes, jumpers, short trousers, and sandals. Blyton published 21 volumes in the series. The first was published in 1942. I'm not sure when the last one was published. Secret Seven The Secret Seven is another group of English children created by Enid Blyton. The books are about a secret club with official meetings and everything. The club members were Peter, Jack, Barbara, George, Pam, Colin, Janet and of course Scamper (the dog). These books are not great literature, in fact, English teachers one discouraged children from reading them. HBC has, however, included them because of the huge number of children who read them and Blyton's enormous ability to interest children in books and reading. Other Books Blyton was amazingly prolific. There were many other charming books incliding some short series. Tanmayee Bhatwadekar mentions books from The Magic Faraway Tree " series. She has The Enchanted Wood which is a 1979 Dean edition, having beautiful illustrations.

Tanmayee was 12 "when I first read 'The Enchanted Wood, which had the most enchanting illustrations by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone." Figure 3.--Many Enid Blyton editions do not list the illustrator. This illustration is from "Mischief at St. Rollo's". These children are being taken to the store to buy uniforms for their new boarding school. The edition I have is 1976, but it was first printed much earlier. Illustrators Enid Blyton wrote so many stories and books over so long a period that it would have been virtually impossible for one person to have illustrated all of her works. There were in fact several illustrators that worked with her. It is probable that she worked with more illustrators than any other single writer. One wonders why there were so many. Did she not get on with illustrators or did they not like working on her books. Many of her books, unfortunately do not even credit the illustrator. HBC is uncertain as to the extent, if any, that the illustrations were updated for modern readers or if they were redone for specific countries like America.

Most of the illustrators used were not very well known as we have not yet succeeded in finding much information about them. Some illustrators did large numbers of books for Blyton while others had only a minor association with her. Book Reviews: Michael Edwards Enid Blyton enthusiast Michael Edwards has prepared some interesting reviews of her books. Readers interested in Enid Blyton might want to have a look at his reviews. It will give you a good idea of what some of her books were like. There are review of the Famous Five and Secret Seven series as well as other books. Children's Reactions Generations of children in Britain, America, and many other countries have grown reading Enid Blyton books. Primary school children of different ages loved them because they were fun and allowed them to practice and perfect their new reading slills. With the growing importance of the English language, some teachers have found that the Blyton books with the limited vocabulary are a wonderful vehicle for teaching English as a foreign language to younger children. HBC is used by hundreds of universities and schools in America and Britain as well as in many non-English speaking countries. It is interesting to see how someof these children view Enid Blyton.

Sources Stoney, Barbara. Enid Blyton: The Biography (Hodder & Stoughton, 1992). Includes photos of Blyton and her family, and a very detailed listing of the books to which she has written and contributed. William Ferguson The Secret Seven - Enid Blyton | Featured Books : Stella & Rose's Books Stella & Rose's Books Invalid email or password combination. Email View current stock of Secret Seven books The Secret Seven series of 15 books, by prolific author Enid Blyton , follows the adventures of a strictly secret society made up of 7 children, who like to solve mysteries that they happen upon, or actively go looking for! The History: Although many may think, like I did before doing this research, that The Secret Seven - the first title in this series - is the first time we are introduced to the seven, this is not the case. In 1947, At Seaside Cottage a small volume was published by Brockhampton Press and featured the main characters of Peter and Janet, with their golden spaniel, Scamper.

A year later in 1948, Secret of the Old Mill was published, in which Peter and Janet, after reading a book called The Secret Society, decide to create a secret society of their own, using the old mill on a hill near their home as a meeting place. They invite five of their friends to join them, and so The Secret Seven are born. The characters: Peter is the head and leader of the secret society. He is very strict with members and takes his responsibilities very seriously indeed! - So woe betide any member who may forget the current S.S. password or forgets their badge when it comes to meeting times. One of my favourite passages about Peter is in Secret Seven on the Trail, where Peter wants to disband the society and stop meetings until the Christmas holidays. '"Nothing ever turns up in term-time" repeated Peter, who liked getting his own way.' When the others disagree with him, and threaten to run the society without him, he backs down, but only slightly - still having the last word and compromising by agreeing to a meeting only if anything turns up, which he is certain won't happen.

To me, this shows his strong and stubborn nature but, without his natural abilities as a leader and his organization and delegation skills, the society would undoubtedly not run as smoothly! Janet is Peter's younger sister. She is a serious member of the Secret Seven, who takes direction from her brother Peter, for the most part very well. Of the girls, she arguably shows the most initiative when it comes to gathering clues, as in The Secret Seven, where tyre tracks have been left in the snow by a suspicious van. Janet decides to copy these tracks, as she realizes that they 'just might come in useful', as inevitably at the end of the story they do. Jack is often seen as second in command and possibly best friends with Peter and enjoys being a loyal friend and member of the society. He appears to play a more prominent role than Colin or George in the adventures. He is forgetful at times and sometimes gets into trouble with Peter for forgetting the password or for forgetting his badge. Jack has an annoying sister Susie, who is always trying to spy on Secret Seven meetings. In Secret Seven on the Trail, Jack actually gullibly believes something that he overhears Susie talking about and decides to take action.

However, Susie's annoying plan does backfire and the Seven have the last laugh with their adventure that starts at Tigger's Barn. Colin is not such a prominent member of the Seven as some of the others, but still gives a rounding to the group as a whole and has some 'highlights'. In Well Done Secret Seven, his slight forgetfulness in Windy Wood leads them all into adventure. George is also not a very prominent member of the society but still appears to take his role seriously and with a sense of humour. We have a glimpse of George out on his own in Go Ahead Secret Seven , doing some 'practice shadowing'. Here we see his boyish humour as he 'even blacked his face' and had taken 'a rubber truncheon' so that he could pretend to be a 'real policeman'. However, this shadowing gets him into real trouble and even results in his parents banning him from being a Society member for a time. Pam is portrayed as a very giggly girl, who doesn't appear to take things as seriously and solemnly as the others. Pam can also be quite jumpy and close to tears at the smallest of things.

An example of this can be seen in Well Done Secret Seven, when she inadvertently gives away the location of the Societies new HQ by squealing. However, there are some occasions when she doestake notice, like in Secret Seven Adventure, where she spots a pair of socks - a useful clue indeed! Barbara can nearly always be found with Pam, giggling about something as can be seen in Go Ahead Secret Seven, when they are supposed to be 'shadowing'. Janet comes across Barbara and Pam 'sitting on the bus-stop seat, looking rather giggly, with note-books in their hands'. The Secret Seven Series There are 15 titles in the series (or 16 if you want to include Secret of the Old Mill). Some of these titles were originally published as serializations in magazines, before appearing in book form, such as Go ahead Secret Seven in Sunny Stories and Secret Seven Win Through in the Enid Blyton Magazine. Most of the stories begin with a meeting of the Seven in their Headquarters - the shed at the bottom of Peter and Janet's garden. More often than not supplied with freshly baked cakes or biscuits and lemonade or hot cocoa, meetings are a serious affair, with no member being permitted without the password.

Peter takes charge of the meetings and is very good at delegating jobs to do and clues to follow to different members. Whenever a member says "Nothing ever happens", you know for sure that they are about to be dragged into the depths of a very exciting mystery. The society like to try to solve the mysteries on their own, without adult help, sometimes with disapproval from their long-suffering parents! They follow clues and gather information from many sources, in between all their normal school and homework! However, occasionally they do call in reinforcements (such as the police) to apprehend the villains. Scamper is Peter and Janet's beloved golden spaniel and often accompanies them to meetings to 'stand guard' against possible 'snoopers', like Susie, Jack's sister. Scamper is usually the 'extra' member of the Secret Seven, although he does take George's place in Go Ahead Secret Seven, after George is forced to resign for a short time. However, Scamper still helps them on their way, very often alerting them to danger or sniffing out vital clues!

The 'Seven' books do not appear to be the most popular series of Blyton's books, with ' The Famous Five ' and ' The Adventure Series ' being more popular with readers and collectors. Maybe this is because the stories are shorter and seem to be aimed at younger readers, with the characters not appearing to age as you progress in the series. Others feel that a couple of the plots are too 'recycled' from previous titles. However the 'Secret Seven' books do provide the reader with a good starting point for the different series of Blyton mystery books, progressing onto the 'Famous Five', 'Adventure' series and others. Why not try a Secret Seven book for yourself from the titles below and make up your own mind! The Titles: 1) The Secret Seven (1949) - The first title in the series. Set in the winter time, we see the Seven enjoying the snow. However, this leads Jack into making a shock discovery, which takes them on a mysterious adventure. What is really happening at the old house on the hill? Who does it belong to? And what are the strange noises that were heard there? Can the Secret Seven help to solve this mystery?

2) Secret Seven Adventure (1950) - In their second adventure, the Seven's game of Red Indians in Little Thicket, draws them into a thrilling search for a pearl thief. This search eventually leads them to the circus. Can all the clues be put together in time, before the circus moves on? 3) Well Done, Secret Seven (1951) - Being the third title in the series. Set in the summer time, the Seven decide that they need a more airy place for their summer meetings. What better place than a tree-house? Soon, though they realize that someone has been visiting their tree-house and eating their provisions! The visitor soon takes them on a trail of some thieves - but what do some of the clues REALLY mean? 4) Secret Seven on the Trail (1952) - The fourth title in the series. Susie (Jack's annoying sister), is really being at her most annoying, setting up her own secret society. However, what started out as a joke, really turns into a dangerous adventure starting at Tigger's Barn and ending at a foggy railyard. Are the Secret Seven clever enough to outwit the villains?

5) Go Ahead Secret Seven (1953) - In this fifth adventure, the Seven are having some shadowing practice. George shadows a sinister looking man, who gets him into trouble with the police and he has to resign from the Secret Seven. Certain that something is up, the rest of the gang spy on this man - what is he really up to? Can they solve the mystery, so that George is reinstated to their secret society. 6) Good Work, Secret Seven (1954) - The sixth book in the series. The Secret Seven are plunged into an adventure, when Peter and Janet's father has his car stolen - with them inside it! They realize they must take care though, when a dangerous gang appears to be involved... 7) Secret Seven Win Through (1955) - In the seventh title in the series, it's the Easter holiday but what a blow is in store, as the Secret Seven's shed (their meeting place) is being painted. Soon they find a new secret meeting place - a cave. A mystery begins however, when they realize that an intruder has also been using the cave at night. Determined to catch the intruder, the Seven set a trap...

8) Three Cheers Secret Seven (1956) - The eighth Secret Seven book. A search for a lost model aeroplane takes Jack and Peter to an abandoned old house - or is it? Why was there a lit fire in one of the rooms - who is living there and why? It's another case for the Secret Seven Society to solve! 9) Secret Seven Mystery (1957) - In the ninth title, the Secret Seven begin their search for a schoolgirl who has gone missing. Where is Elizabeth Sonning? Who stole the money from her school? Will the Seven be able to find out, even with Jack's sister Susie putting them off at every chance? 10) Puzzle for the Secret Seven (1958) - The tenth book in the series. After a trip to the fair, the Seven witness a terrible house fire and help the family as much as they can. Little do they know that a mystery is waiting just around the corner, with the theft of a valuable violin - could the two incidents be connected?

11) Secret Seven Fireworks (1959) - In the eleventh book in the series we can see Jack's sister Susie is up to her tricks again and forming another detective gang, to try and rival the Secret Seven. Then some money goes missing and Susie is chief suspect - but could there be another explanation? The Secret Seven are determined to find out! 12) Good Old Secret Seven (1960) - The twelfth mystery in the series, sees strange goings on at Torling Castle . Who was the face at the window? What are they doing there? Is there something sinister going on? Good old Secret Seven are on the case! 13) Shock for the Secret Seven (1961) - A highly charged thirteenth installment in the series! After a big fight between Jack and Peter, Jack resigns from the Secret Seven and says he's going to set up his own club with his sister Susie and their friend Bony. The now Secret Six are soon involved in a disturbing case - village dogs are going missing. When Scamper becomes the latest victim, the Secret Six want the case solved as soon as possible. Will they be able to do it on their own?

Or will Jack come to the rescue? 14) Look Out Secret Seven (1962) - In this fourteenth title, the Seven investigate the case of an old General's missing medals. Scamper is a real help - what would they do without him to help protect them from intruders and in Bramley Woods? But can the Seven really solve a mystery that the police can't seem to crack? Will they recover the missing medals? 15) Fun For The Secret Seven (1963) - The fifteenth and final title and mystery for the Seven to solve. Tolly and his horse Brownie are in trouble and need some help. The Seven need to help them find somewhere to hide out, so that the dangerous horse thieves will not be able to find them. Can they find the right hiding place? Will Janet and Peter's horse be safe? Can the thieves be caught in the nick of time?

Contributed by Joanne Hill ASTAKOS STATE PRIMARY SCHOOL - SCUOLA PRIMARIA STATALE DI ASTAKOS: Enid Blyton's books: the most famous short stories in the Greek '80s Sep 12, 2010 Enid Blyton's books: the most famous short stories in the Greek '80s Enid Blyton was an English writer of the 20th century also known as Mary Pollock. She became famous in Greece for her eminent three book series that all children who grew up in the '80s have read. She was a schoolteacher and her work is constituted by more than 800 short stories. In England she became famous for her books about 'Noddy' and the short stories 'Malory Towers', 'St. Claire' and 'Banery Mystery' but the short stories that made her famous worldwide were: 1. Secret Seven Society which is about a company of seven children who resolve police mysteries. In the 15 books of the english publication the names of the heroes are Peter, Janet, Jack, Barbara, George, Pam and Collin.

In the Greek translation however we meet Petros, Jenny, Yannis, Barbara, Giorgos, Pavlina and Nikolos. A special hero is Scamper the dog. The books were written between 1949 and 1963 and were published in Greece by Gutenberg in the the '80s. 2. The Five Sleuth-hounds (Five Found-Outers and Dog) are a company of five children (older than the 'Seven') who resolve police mysteries every time they meet during their school vacations. The heroes are Freiderikos Avgerinos (or “Chondroulis”), head of the company and an expert on disguises, Aris and Rita (siblings), Pipis and Betty (also siblings) and Buster, a dog. The real names of the children (in the english version) are: Frederick Algernon Trotteville (or Fatty) instead of Freiderikos Avgerinos, Larry-Daisy - instead of Aris and Rita, and Pip-Bets instead of Pipis and Betty. A special character is the police officer Gounis (Mr Goon).

Blyton wrote the 15 adventure stories of the Five Found-Outers between 1943 and 1961 and Gutenberg published them in Greece in the '80s. 3. The Five Friends (The Famous Five) are involved accidentally in adventures during their school vacations. This company is constituted by three siblings, Julian, Dick and Anna, their friend Georgina and their dog Timmy. Most of these adventures take place in Kerrin Cottage. The writer gave life to 21 adventure stories in 20 years (1942-1962) while the ITV made them a television series. Enid Blyton died when she was 71 years old afflicted by the Alzheimer disease. Her heritage however is these books which have been read by most kids worldwide. Αναρτήθηκε από Is It Okay: To Read Enid Blyton Books? | Featured | Lip Magazine Is it okay: to read Enid Blyton books? 12 June 2012 Tweet For a large percentage of my childhood I dreamed of being in the Secret Seven.

I’d imagine having meetings in my shed, call all bread “jammy buns” and look for evidence of nefarious crimes everywhere. Laughing neighbours were smugglers, the man driving down my street a painting thief, and any abandoned wrappers or cigarette butts were “clues”. In reality I was actually sitting in my book-fort reading by torchlight. I didn’t have a dog called Scamper – and I’m pretty sure my pet fish, Comet, would be about as useful as a Magikarp in any kind of criminal confrontation. No-one was painting on cats to cover up a kidnapping, and everyone around me was frustratingly law-abiding. The dream died, new obsessions came around, and all of a sudden I found myself at 22 revisiting my copy of Good Old Secret Seven. It was a bit of an awakening. On the surface of it, the series is about seven ordinary children who happen to be part of an exclusive crime solving club in the 1950s.

However, looking back over things with more mature eyes, it’s interesting to see the world that Peter, Janet, Pam, Barbara, Colin, Jack and George actually live in; one laced with tinges of racism, elitism, xenophobia and sexism. Of the seven main characters in the book, I’d argue that Enid Blyton has only bothered to give personalities to three of them; Peter, Janet and Jack. Peter is the boss of the Secret Seven, and, apparently also of Janet. Throughout the story he orders her to make invitations, prepare beverages, and stay at home in times of trouble. His attitude towards “the girls” seems to be a view of physical and mental inferiority; girls are there to serve and be protected. In this particular book, Janet is looking through a telescope and discovers someone lurking at an old abandoned castle at the top of a hill. Naturally, the Secret Seven decide to investigate. Peter decides that the girls should stay home as “the hill would be a bit steep for them”, however Janet has a rare fit of defending herself and insists that she, Pam and Barbara (who as characters are pretty much indistinguishable) be allowed to come along.

Peter gives in, and phones an unimpressed Jack. “What a nuisance!” said Jack. “It’s quite a way to the castle – and we’ll have to bike slowly or the girls won’t keep up with us.” Blyton doesn’t just put these kinds of words into the mouths of male characters either. When describing Jack’s ‘pest of a sister, Susie’ she writes “She’s more like a boy, really,” said Barbara, which made all the boys look scornfully at her. “Well you know what I mean,” she went on. “She’s brave – and bold, and don’t-care-ish – and she doesn’t cry if she hurts herself, and she’ll stick by her friends through thick and thin. If she were a boy I’d like her awfully – but as she’s a girl, she’s just a nuisance.” Outside of her work Enid Blyton herself doesn’t seem to have actually been the benevolent fairy godmother type character one would expect. If her own daughter’s account and the film Enid are to be believed, she was actually an emotionally immature, unpleasant woman who cheated and lied and ruined lives. Wow.

In a lot of her works, people are suspected of criminal activity on account of things such as “looking like a dirty old tramp”, wearing “unusual clothes” or simply “being a foreigner”. Almost all of Blyton’s books are infused with paranoia and fear of the unknown, and she was even criticised for this during her lifetime. In addition, her many hundreds of stories were commonly labelled as ‘boring’ and ‘lacking in literary value’ I don’t think any of that is a reason for children to stop reading her books though. Whether or not her work accurately reflects 1950s England, or just how she viewed things, it’s an interesting insight either way. In terms of the potentially racist and sexist attitudes she portrays, Blyton is definitely not alone. Looking at some of Agatha Christie’s work before censorship is enough to get the little grey cells ticking, and seeing some of the old cover art for adventure stories is almost enough to make you laugh out loud at how ‘Johnny Foreigner’ is illustrated. Her work is just a product of its time, and I think that gives it historical value.

The world that the Secret Seven live in is definitely outdated, but that doesn’t mean that the books are too. And so, to conclude in the grand tradition of Secret Seven novels, I’ll refer to Scamper (“Woof!”), and then choose the next password – ‘Nuisance!’ 12 thoughts on “Is it okay: to read Enid Blyton books?” Chris Shock for the Secret Seven: Amazon.co.uk: Enid Blyton: Books Shock for the Secret Seven Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Apple To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. or Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here , or download a FREE Kindle Reading App . Product details Publisher: Brockhampton Press; First Edition edition (Dec.

1961) Language: English Product Description Book Description Classics of adventure and mystery re-launched for 21st century readers --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. About the Author Enid Blyton's books have sold over 500 million copies and have been translated into other languages more often than any other children's author. She wrote over 600 books and hundreds of short stories, including favourites such as The Famous Five,The Secret Seven, The Magic Faraway Tree, Malory Towers and Noddy. Born in London in 1897, Enid lived much of her life in Buckinghamshire and adored dogs, gardening and the countryside. She died in 1968 but remains one of the world's best-loved storytellers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

Enid Blyton - The Secret Seven The Secret Seven Buy all the Secret Seven books with free worldwide shipping The Secret Seven are a secret society who hold regular meetings and organize things to do, whether it's helping the community in some way, solving mysteries that turn up, or just having fun playing Red Indians in the woods. The Seven have a secret password, a badge, and a secret headquarters in a garden shed. The Seven are led by Peter and include Peter's sister Janet, and their friends Jack, Colin, George, Pam and Barbara. They are joined by their golden spaniel, Scamper. The society was actually formed in a short story prior to the first book in this series. The first was At Seaside Cottage, featuring Peter and Janet, and the second was The Secret of Old Mill, which featured the entire gang in their first Society meeting. Peter enforces the rules and delegates tasks for the members. The Seven investigate mysteries by shadowing, interviewing and, most importantly, looking for clues. The Seven tackle all sorts of mysteries from missing dogs to mail robbery, and always come out on top.

Question: Scamper is a dog in which series of Enid Blyton stories ?
Answer: SECRET SEVEN