SQJ Taipei

Have you ever heard of Enid Blyton? How about her book series for kids called The Five Found-Outers?

Bethanie told me there was a book that she started reading but quit because it was kinda boring and because she didn’t understand some of it.

I was really curious about this because she LOVES to read and even reads stuff that I know she doesn’t really like all that much just to be reading. I picked up the book and noticed right away why it didn’t appeal to her.

Enid Blyton was a popular British writer from the middle of the 20th century. She wrote for all ages but it seems that her best loved stories were those she wrote for children. I’m really surprised that I was not previously aware of her writing.

I am sure that some of the vocabulary was new for Bethanie but it would have seemed normal to UK readers. It also included an account of a trip to an equestrian event using words that even I was not familiar with. It wasn’t difficult reading… just set in a different time and culture. I read a couple chapters and liked the book. I suggested that Bethanie give it another try and I explained some of the vocabulary and themes to her.

She gave it another try and really liked the book and would like to find the other books in the series and read them too. Perhaps we’ll find them somewhere.

In this book… the Five Find-Outers (Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip, & Bets) try to figure out who is behind some recent robberies where the most obvious solution is that the thief is invisible… of course that can’t be… so… they try to piece the clues together to discover who is cooking up trouble. The kids have a lot of fun as they try to solve the mystery before the local police officer does.

This book is a good read for kids from 8-12 or so… and I bet the rest of the series would be good too, if this one book is any indication of the rest of the series.

If you actually want to read a well written review… you can find one here.