Customer Reviews

Five Run Away Together (Famous Five)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
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I remember reading this book as a child and loving it. Recently while stuck at home with the chicken-pox I decided to dust off and reread my old famous fives. This one is still one of my favourites. I particularly loved the scene where the children decide to scare the Sticks with animal noises echoing through the tunnels. Even as an adult that still cracks me up! And does anyone else love reading about the food the kids eat? The scene where Julian barged into the kitchen and removed the roast chicken and treacle tart still makes my mouth water - and I've never tasted treacle tart!

This was one of my favorites books in a serries that was a hall mark of my childhood. The children in Blyton's books have adventures that include burried treasure and secret rooms. They are gripping with nary a hint of magic wands or video games. In our world of internet and cell phones some of their problems will seem no challenge to modern children, but for those who can see these in the world in which they were set, they are wonderous.

In this adventure the children are forced to fend for themselves as their aunt is suddenly taken ill and forced to hospital, leaving them under the thumb of a venomus servant who has other plans herself.

"Five Run Away Together" was my favorite in Enid Blyton's "Famous Five" series, which I first read in the 1950s. How I envied George, Julian, Dick and Anne for their adventures! They were always pretty much adult-free, with lots of delicious meals and, best of all, Timmy the Dog. Julian sometimes got off a smart remark at an adult, and George wore boy's clothes. I'm pretty sure the thrill-factor of all these things would be lost on today's kids, unfortunately.

What won't be lost on them is the singular excitement of running away to George's very own island, the mysterious wreck which has been cast up on the rocks at Kirrin Island, the secret cave where the children hide and set up housekeeping, and the way they (yet again) outsmart the Bad Guys. Highly recommended.

The Famous Five is perhaps my favorite children's adventure series! Enid Blyton was a remarkably talented author, and this series goes to prove it. The Famous Five books tell the tales of George (Georgina), her cousins Julian, Dick, Anne, and her dog, Timothy, and the many adventures that they simply seem to fall into.

Five Run Away Together ties for my all-time favorite Famous Five book. In it, the children are back at George's home of Kirrin Cottage. Joanna the cook has fallen ill and in her place, George's mother has hired Mrs. Stick, a very unpleasant character, who brings along her husband, son, and pest of a dog. Aunt Fanny soon falls ill and she and her husband rush off to the hospital, leaving the children under the rule of the Sticks. Life becomes unbearable and they make their escape to their very own place, Kirrin Island. Glorious meals are had (and they always make my mouth water), a cave is discovered, and much bathing takes place. However, the children's good time is spoilt when they discover that someone is trespassing on their island! Everything seems to point to smugglers when a cry is heard one dark night...

If you haven't read the Famous Five before, and it sounds like it may be to your liking, read one of the books already!

Five run away together is fabulous! My friends told me it was the best book they had read in the famous five series but i liked Five fall into adventure the most! You simply must read it!!!

Someone has been on George's island! The guys discover a locked trunk on a ship wreck and find the strangest thing in their. Just when they think smugglers are to blame a chilling scream throws them of the scent. Get this book and find out more!!!

The book was so entertaining I could not put it down I got in trouble for reading late at night its that entertaining

Many reviewers of these wonderful childrens stories comment on the endless references to food. The earlier books were written during World War Two when food was strictly rationed so the descriptions of tasty meals that were mere memories of pre-war Britain probably had great appeal for the children of the time (not to mention Enid Blyton who was fantasizing)
Reading these books in the early sixties, often by torchlight under the bed clothes after my mother had ordered lights out, I was often tempted to creep down to the pantry for a snack.
Needless to say, these books had a huge impact on my childhood and, judging by the many references to the "Famous Five" in British newspapers and magazines every year, I was not alone. If anyone wants to know more about Enid Blyton try gingerpop dot com (the official web site) or, even better, visit Corf Castle in Dorset, the real Kirrin Castle, on your next visit to England.

Anyone with an interest in childrens books of this type might also enjoy the Lone Pine books by Malcolm Saville, available from amazon.com. For slightly older children they were/are the natural progression from the "Five".

I think it's true that if you love the famous five, you're not so fond of the secret seven. This is certainly true for me. Like others I avidly read the famous five, the enchanted wood and the adventure stories and still have fond memories of the children's adventures, holidays and those feasts.

This was my favourite famous five book as a child and I have a strong affection for it since. The children return to Kirrin Cottage for the summer to find that George's mother is ill and they are left in the care of a new cook and her awful son. After several days of being treated dreadfully by the newcomers, the five decide to take off to Kirrin Island and camp out there. Whilst on the island they discover nefarious goings on and as usual, save the day.

In answer to the reviewer below who wonders why the kids don't put on weight, the children in these books never spend more than ten minutes inside, there's no tv, no computer games, they never sit still. They are far too active to put on weight.

This must be a typical adventure classic from Enid Blighton. It follows a well trodden by novellists path but still manages to keep the readers attention. There is good character development and you can often identifiy with the problems that the encounter at some point. The characters aren't sterotypical, they are more interesting. The plot develops well and there are some intersting twists and as with all Enid Blyton books there is a nice and happy ending.

Another great Famous Five Thriller. What often puzzled and still puzzles me is the appetitie these kids have. It borders on gluttony (yet they do not appear to put on weight), for when they "escape" to Kirrin Island, I am fearful that their boat will capsize in light of the amount of food they bring on board. Again Blyton displays her ability to build up a very interesting climax where "goodness" triumphs over "evil" in the end.