Good Enid Blyton Winter/Christmas Reads

[IceMaiden]

We used to borrow videos from the local shop but also the library. I think we always took the same ones from the library - I remember borrowing one of the Little Mermaid sequels quite a few times which was a bone of contention because my younger sister was scared of the evil ray creature in it. She was scared of just about everything though so there were always arguments about what to rent/borrow.

A scratched DVD is no better than a dodgy video sometimes!

I drove my mum mad by constantly borrowing a film called "Benjy" about a lost dog taking care of some puma kittens. She was so fed up of it!

I'd say it's worse, at least you could try and mend a duff video, you can't do anything with a dvd that skips in places.

I've been surprised in some of my other re-readings that there doesn't seem to be a particularly Christmas story for many, which is funny when she wrote a couple of Bonfire Night stories for the SS. You'd think almost every one of her popular series might have a Christmas story.

I'm surprised at that too, and also why all of the short stories centered around Christmas weren't put together in one edition in the same style as the Bedside or Holiday books. An "Enid Blyton's first/second/third Christmas Book" type of thing. Maybe Christmas specials of things weren't done then? A pity if so as that would be so enjoyable to read from mid November onwards and I imagine would have sold well.

[pete9012S]

There are many books where christmas is featured and more again where it is mentioned. Some off the top of my head would be:

Five get into a fix
The Mystery of the Secret Room
Six Bad Boys
The Secret Island
Santa Claus and the Wishing Chair
The Children of Cherry-Tree Farm
The Children of Willow Farm
And at the end of The Twins At St Clares they're looking forward to being at home for the christmas holidays.

I'm sure there are many others too.

A great list. I am looking for something Christmassy to read in these dark nights and I had never considered The Children of Cherry-Tree Farm and The Children of Willow Farm.
I must dig them out!

[John Pickup]

Any book with snow reminds me of Christmas and whilst it isn't my favourite Barney book, The Rat-A-Tat Mystery must surely suit the occasion.

[Chrissie777]

It's a lovely book. I just read it.

[Katharine]

I could swear I once read a crime novel by Agatha Christie which took place in a train stuck in a snow storm. It's not "Murder on the Orient Express" though.

I'm not sure if anyone answered this Chrissie, but could it be The Mystery of The Blue Train?

I don't think it gets stuck in snow, but I think it mentions people walking up and down on that platform in the cold.

[Chrissie777]

Katharine, you've made my day!!!
I just looked up "The Mystery of The Blue Train" and that's the one indeed. Will get it from our local library.
Thank you!

[Katharine]

Glad to help Chrissie - I hope you enjoy (re)reading it.

[Chrissie777]

I requested it from our local library and look forward to reading it.
Right now I'm still busy reading 3 Daphne DuMaurier mysteries by Joanna Challis which I'll have to drop off by 20th of November...a kingdom for MORE time!

[Nair Snehalatha]

The Christmas Book comes.first in Enid blyton's Christmas reads--A lovely book about a family who enjoy Chrustmas-- with mistletoe and holly.-- and the old traditions.Birds Of Our Gardens is another good christmas read--.And ofcourse.our usual Famous Fives FFO- and so on -- CountryWalks With Uncle Merry is a lovely Christmas time book--.and.the list.goes on--- ---.---

[pete9012S]

For some strange reason I've only read this book about twice - so this will be my first Blyton Winter/Christmas read this year I think.

[Wolfgang]

Maybe for some good reason...

[Anita Bensoussane]

That's an attractive cover, and the vignette on the back is a nice touch. Brr - I never played out in the snow with bare legs when I was a child. I always wore either trousers or tights in the winter.

Sadly, my 1980 copy of The Rat-a-Tat Mystery has a different design, featuring Snubby wearing a bearskin. It's not bad but the cover is glossy and I much prefer paperback covers without a sheen. I'm not keen on the red border or the red rectangle for Enid Blyton's signature either. They spoil the dark, creepy atmosphere of the scene.

[Bertie]

Yes, I've got that copy, Anita. Or what's left of it.
A few years ago, I had to replace a number of my very well read Find-Outers books that all seemed to reach that point at a similar time. And the same is currently happening with my Barney R's. I recently had to get new copies - I tried to get the same editions - of the first two books (Rockingdown was quite tricky to get in that respect). And I'm probably going to have to get new copies of the last two books in the series as both Rat-A-Tat and, especially, Ragamuffin, are really showing their age.
Barney R's is probably the one series that I don't omit at least one book each time I read the set nowadays. I guess it helps that there were only six, rather than the 15 or 21 you get with the 'bigger' series. And that they were finished (just) before the 60's.

[Boodi 2]

That is also the version I have and mine is in fairly good condition, unlike my copies of "The Mystery of the Invisible Thief" and "Five on a Hike Together", both of which are literally falling to bits due to wear and tear.

[Lucky Star]

That's the edition I had as a child. I've got another copy of it now plus I've got the hardback with dustwrapper. The Armada edition above is an updating of the original artwork and yes, it's a very attractive snowy scene. The book itself is not the greatest but it does have a deliciously dark atmosphere and some hints of genuine danger even if it turns out to be a bit of a damp squib in the end. I've always liked it as one of Enid's few really wintry book settings.