Magic Faraway Tree Pb [Paperback]

Enid Blyton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 6, 1992

Dick thought it would be dull in the country with Jo, Bessie and Fanny. But that was before he found the magic Faraway Tree. The four children have extraordinary adventures with Silky, Moon-Face and the Saucepan man, climbing through the cloud at the top of the tree to the Land of Spells.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Returning to the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree, where acorns and chestnuts and cherries and apples grow side by side and you never know where you might end up if you climb to the top, it doesnt take long for siblings Joe, Beth and Frannie to find themselves knee-deep in wonder. Helping them to do so in this tale is Cousin Rick who comes to stay when his mother falls ill. Before long, they have hooked their cousin with stories of Birthday Land, Toy Land, and the weird and wonderful characters who live in and around the Faraway Tree. Theres Moon-Face, who always seems to know what awaits, Silky the Fairy and Saucepan Man, whos both deaf as a post and accident-prone, and provides some great comic moments. Magic lingers on every page, from the endless feasts and picnics to the huge market place known as the Land of Spells. Theres even a giant slide that snakes its way around and down the inside of the tree, to save the bother of climbing down when exhausted by adventuring. Things can - and do - go wrong for the young heroes of the story, theres always the possibility of ending up somewhere dangerous from where they cannot escape, and this gives the story the hint of menace thats so essential in childrens fiction. One scrape has them deciding theyve had enough adventures and they make a conscious decision to stay away. Of course, its not for long and they soon find themselves in the Land of Dreams, where muffins turn into kittens and surreal events conspire to frighten them away until theyre tempted back by the obvious attractions of the Land of Do-As-You-Please. A charming read, guaranteed to fill childrens heads with a generous dollop of good old-fashioned magic. (Kirkus UK)

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Mammoth (August 6, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749707593
• ISBN-13: 978-0749707590
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,846,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Shame the Publishers Couldn't Leave Well Alone, December 15, 2004

By 

Angry Tree Dweller (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Faraway Tree (Paperback)

One of my favourite books of my childhood. I flicked through this new edition in the bookshop the other day and was disappointed to note not only that the original charming illustrations been replaced by awful characterless rubbish, but 'Cousin Dick' has been renamed throughout as 'Cousin Rick', presumably because a'modern' publisher would be ashamed to let a child read the word 'Dick' for fear that they'd undergo a paroxysm of giggling from which they'd never recover, or perhaps through fear of not appearing sufficiently streetwise.... Senseless, pointless meddling by marketing idiots with nothing better to do; lamentable pre-emptive cowardice; total lack of respect for an author who has served the publishing industry well for more than half a century; and insulting condescension to her audience (would they do this to an author whose books are bought by any other section of the reading public? "Moby Rick", perhaps? I don't think so).

It's a great book anyway, but boycott these idiots and find a secondhand copy of the older edition if you can.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The new publications of this book are disgraceful, September 6, 2006

By 

Justine (Cape Town, SA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Faraway Tree (Paperback)

I agree completely with "Angry Tree Dweller" who articulated my fury perfectly. I too will continue to search the second-hand bookshops for this favourite from my childhood.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic, July 15, 2003

By 

Ceri (Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Faraway Tree (Paperback)

As a child I adored The Magic Faraway Tree book. I have fond memories of the book and the adventures they took me on. I am 27 and when I when I remember back to the books I used to read, this book sticks in my mind most of all. My advice to any child is to read it, you will not be disappointed.