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Playing with words - or fire?

Wed 18 Aug 2010

A couple of weeks ago I read an interesting and insightful article by Lucy Mangan in The Guardian, where I discovered that Hodder Children's Books are in the process of 'subtly' updating the language of the Enid Blyton Famous Five adventures. This is apparently being done to prevent our children from being put off from reading the Blyton stories.

I was saddened to read this news on a number of levels.

From personal experience, my 6-year old reads the 'original' Enid Blyton books very happily. She enjoys their narrative drive, and if she's not sure what something means, she asks! Surely we have to give our children the opportunity to think for themselves? Isn't the learning and discovery aspect of reading part of the fun?

These stories are clearly not going to be for everyone, but there is a vast choice out there for children. As Mangan points out, there are commercial reasons for Hodder's decision to update these books. However, I'm not sure that making 'subtle' language updates is going to make much of a difference if a child is reluctant to read this style of writing (I'm pretty sure they will never be my son's cup of tea, language updates or not). 

Finally - as Mangan comments at the end of the article - where will the updating end? These stories surely need to be read in context. As she says, if you 'root out all the oddities... you'll be left with an awfully queer set of books indeed'.

The full article is at http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/31/enid-blyton-lucy-mangan

I'd be interested to hear what other people think.

Have a good week.

Tracey

 

Comments:


I saw the article too! A second hand bookshop has recently opened just along the road from us - making a change from the charity shops and tanning salons that dominate the rest of the local high street. I finally made it in there last week and noticed a copy of Mrs Pepperpot a puffin book with an original price of £0.99 on the back cover!! It was an old favourite of mine - I don't know if you remember it? Today I met my best friend from Primary School on a flying visit to the UK from the Philippines! She remembered Mrs Pepperpot and numerous other books from our childhood the Faraway tree, Famous Five etc and I was telling her I can't wait to share them with my kids soon. I hope that when our kids look back on their childhood they don't just remember computer games and tv programmes but some of the bedtime stories that we have shared together and that maybe they will go on to share them with their children one day too!
-- Louise Connor August 18th, 2010 8:00pm

I totally agree with you Louise. Ah, Mrs Pepperpot, that's really bought back memories! Must try and find a copy. So important, I think, to give our children the opportunity to enjoy and interpret these kinds of books as they were written.
-- Tracey August 18th, 2010 11:01pm

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