The Enid Blyton Society

Thought others might enjoy this short quiz on children's books provided by the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28804596" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm wondering, though, about the question concerning the Famous Five and ginger beer. I know the phrase "lashings of ginger beer" is never used in the books (hence I got the answer correct). But is it true that the Famous Five "don't actually have any ginger beer in the books" at all?

I know it definitely features in a good number of Blyton books, or "tinned tongue and ginger beer" wouldn't have become a running joke in my family since childhood... but is it really something that her most famous group of characters somehow avoided altogether?

I have had a quick look, and so far haven't found a scene where they actually drink ginger beer. But I did find Julian saying this, on P34 of Hike:

"We're going through a little village soon, where we'll stop for a drink. I could do with a ginger-beer ..."

Later on (P97) Julian buys a bottle of orangeade, which he says he will dilute with spring water, so maybe it was orange squash. They also drink orangeade in Billycock Hill. I have spent some time flicking through the books. Drink is rarely mentioned, but apart from the reference above, have been unable to find them drinking any.

Yes indeed they do. Five Run Away Together, chapter 9, they find some small bottle of ginger-beer which they take with them to the Island. They then drink some in Chapter 10 when they have their breakfast. It then goes on to say that Timmy is thirsty but doesn't like ginger-beer so goes and finds a puddle of water instead.

Well done, Katharine. You should contact the BBC (contact us link is at the bottom of the page) and put them straight!

There, I knew I wasn't going crazy!!

I really think we ought to write in to the BBC and politely let them know their footnote to the quiz is incorrect. Would it be better coming from Tony or Anita under the official auspices of the Enid Blyton Society, do you think - to give it some weight (and the Society some promotion!) - or just from one of us?

I would pretend that I have such a wonderful memory that I could conjure up such information, but it so happens that I'm currently reading that book at the moment, and had read that chapter only a day or so ago.

Courtenay, it’s a typo. They should have included the word “lashings” in the answer. The question is about the phrase, not about actually drinking it. Ginger-beer is enjoyed in 10 of the FF books.

11. None - they don't actually have any [lashings of] ginger beer in the books. The famous phrase came from the film parody Five Go Mad in Dorset.

01Tre6:26 They all felt better when they were eating the sandwiches and drinking the ginger-beer.
05Car16:24 They finished their ginger-beer and then Julian got up. 'And now,' he said, 'we will do a little exploring and find out where those men went, shall we?'
07Cam2:20 They drank ginger-beer and then ate some ripe plums. Timmy wouldn't have any plums, but he licked up some spilt ginger-beer. Then he snuffled up a few odd crumbs and went to drink at a little stream nearby.

I suspect someone told them that the Famous Five never had "lashings of ginger beer" - meaning that phrase isn't used in the books - and whoever wrote the quiz misinterpreted it as meaning they never had ginger beer at all...

Even if it is just a typo I agree with Courtenay's suggestion of issuing a polite correction from a senior member of the Society.