My favourite FF sequels are; Five go Adventuring Again - like Francis I love the cut-off feeling, and the wintry atmosphere, and in my opinion Mr Rowland is one of Enid's most subtle baddies. Five Run Away Together - as a child I thought Julian dealing with Pa Stick was just brilliant. Five go to Sm...

Neither my first name or my surname are particularly unusual, but they aren't spelt in the most usual way and even some members of my own family seem incapable of copying them down correctly - why is this??? Also my first name is Susanne and I have spent much of my life being called Susan, or Joanne...

Yes Katharine, I always tell my children (14, 17 and 20) that when they have their own homes they can do as they like but while in mine I am the boss 8) . As regards smacking, I think it is not the best way of disciplining anybody but I would be lying if I said I hadn't on a couple of occasions reso...

In the Chalet School books written in the 1920s and 30s the American characters have loud voices and use strange slang, so there was definitely stereotyping going on, and in many childrens' books around that time and into the 1940s and 50s there is a feel that American culture - films, comics etc - ...

I'm another one for whom George struck no personal chord. I was definitely more of an Anne, though I was - and sadly am- hopelessly untidy so I don't think I'd have been much of a one for scuttling around tidying the cave, tent etc. As many people have said George doesn't come across as much of a pi...

Hope you have a good time Deej - I'm going to Cornwall at the end of September so I'll be interested to hear how you get on. I put up a thread a while ago and people made lots of good suggestions which might be some help to you too.

39 Slugs and snails including some very large ones. That's a serious slug hunt! I do the same when I remember but I don't think I've ever got more than about 15 - though I only do the back garden. I put them in the brown recycling bin along with all the grass clippings and they spend the next two w...

I'm terrible at remembering names too, though I can remember the most tiny insignificant things the person has told me about their life, family, food preferences etc. The worst thing is when you meet the Nameless One when you're with someone else and they think you are dreadfully rude because you do...

I used to get this if there was anything in it about the Follyfoot TV series, which I loved.

The Tailor of Gloucester is a real Christmassy story. The books have some old-fashioned words but they're meant for very young children so I don't think you'd have any trouble reading them Soenke.

I was raised on Beatrix Potter - my granny used to take me to the library and let me choose a new one every week. I had two of my own - The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and The Tale of Tom Kitten and I read them till they fell to pieces. I then read them to my children, who also had the dvds. They cer...

Happy birthday Daisy - hope it's a good one

Thanks Anita

If I identified with any of the characters it would have been someone like Anne, who didn't particularly like adventures, and would much rather turn a hidden cave into a comfy home, or again someone like Gwendoline who hated swimming in cold water and any kind of sports. If I really thought about c...

Happy belated birthday Francis - glad you had a good day.