The Adventure Series facts for kids
Book 1 of the series
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The Island of Adventure The Castle of Adventure The Valley of Adventure The Sea of Adventure The Mountain of Adventure The Ship of Adventure The Circus of Adventure The River of Adventure |
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| Author | Enid Blyton |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, mystery |
| Published | 1944–1955 |
| No. of books | 8 |
The Adventure Series is a popular set of eight children's books. They were written by Enid Blyton, a very famous English author. These exciting stories follow four brave children: Philip, Jack, Dinah, and Lucy-Ann. They are always joined by Jack's clever pet parrot, Kiki.
The books show the four friends solving mysteries on their own. They do not need much help from adults. Enid Blyton wrote all eight books very quickly. She reportedly finished each one in less than a week. The colorful covers and drawings inside the books were made by Stuart Tresilian.
Contents
Meet the Characters
(Family names are given when they first appear)
- Philip Mannering: Philip has hair that sticks up. This earned him the nickname "Tufty" from Jack. Like his dad, Philip is great at making friends with animals. He often carries small creatures in his pockets. He likes to tease his sister Dinah about being scared of creepy crawlies. Philip is Jack's best friend. He is also kind to Lucy-Ann.
- Jack Trent: Jack has red hair, green eyes, and lots of freckles. Philip calls him "Freckles." Jack and his sister Lucy-Ann are orphans. They used to live with an unkind uncle. Later, Mrs. Mannering adopted them. Jack loves birds and wants to be an ornithologist (a bird expert). He cares deeply for Mrs. Mannering and Lucy-Ann. After his first adventure, Jack always carries a rope and binoculars.
- Dinah Mannering: Dinah is Philip's younger sister. She is about twelve at the start of the series. Like Philip, she has a tuft of hair. But she does not like animals, especially small ones like mice or snakes. She can be a bit moody. Philip often teases her. Still, Dinah is smart, tough, and sensible for her age.
- Lucy-Ann Trent: Lucy-Ann is Jack's little sister. She is the youngest of the group, about eleven at the start. She is also the most shy. Lucy-Ann has red hair, green eyes, and freckles. She is described as very pretty. She loves her brother Jack very much. Sometimes she feels a little jealous that Jack loves birds so much. She also loves her adopted parents, Bill and Mrs. Mannering. Lucy-Ann is Dinah's best friend. She is also very fond of Philip.
- Kiki: Kiki is Jack's pet parrot. She is a cockatoo with a crest. Kiki can say many words and make funny noises. She learns them very quickly. She learned her first words from Jack and Lucy-Ann's old, strict uncle. Kiki often provides funny moments in the stories. Sometimes, her voice even helps save the children from trouble.
- Bill Cunningham: Bill is an important inspector in a secret service. He has a half-bald head. He first meets the children on their first adventure. After that, he appears often in the series. The children often get involved in adventures linked to Bill's work. They usually end up solving the mysteries for him. Later, Bill marries Mrs. Mannering. He adopts all the children. The children call him Bill Smugs. This is because he used that name when they first met him.
- Mrs Alison Mannering (later Cunningham, also known as "Aunt Allie"): Mrs. Mannering is Philip and Dinah's mother. She is a widow. Her late husband also had a special way with animals, like Philip. She first adopts Jack and Lucy-Ann. She gives them a loving home. Later, she marries Bill. They all become a new family. Jack and Lucy-Ann lovingly call her "Aunt Allie."
The Adventure Books
- The Island of Adventure (1944) Also known as Mystery Island (US, 1945)
- The Castle of Adventure (1946)
- The Valley of Adventure (1947)
- The Sea of Adventure (1948)
- The Mountain of Adventure (1949)
- The Ship of Adventure (1950)
The series was originally planned to end after The Ship of Adventure. But fans loved the books so much. So, Enid Blyton wrote two more adventures:
- The Circus of Adventure (1952)
- The River of Adventure (1955)
All these books are still available today. Original editions are very valuable to collectors.
Exciting Plot Summaries
The Island of Adventure
Philip meets Jack, Lucy-Ann, and Kiki the parrot. They sneak home with Philip. Soon, they move in with Philip, his sister Dinah, and their Aunt Polly and Uncle Jocelyn. They live in an old mansion by the sea. Strange lights appear on a nearby island. This leads the four friends to their first adventure. They explore an old copper mine and secret tunnels under the sea.
The Castle of Adventure
Philip and Dinah's mother takes the four children on a summer trip. They go to a valley in the countryside. An old, scary castle overlooks the valley. The children go looking for eagles. They soon find out the castle is not empty at all. They investigate and get caught up with dangerous spies.
The Valley of Adventure
Bill buys a plane. He decides to take the four children on holiday. But at the airport, the children get on the wrong plane! When the plane lands, they are in a strange valley. It looks like a war-torn place. Again, the children find themselves in an adventure. It involves a lost treasure. A group of bad guys is also looking for it.
The Sea of Adventure
Bill takes the four friends to a Scottish island. This trip is to help them recover from measles. But among the islands, they discover a secret plot. Bill disappears! The children are left alone. They must find out where he is. They also need to figure out what is happening and how to escape.
The Mountain of Adventure
The children, Kiki, Mrs. Mannering, and Bill hope for a quiet holiday. They go to a mountain farm in Wales. They plan to explore. But while searching for the Vale of Butterflies, the children get lost. They find themselves near a mysterious mountain. Strange rumblings come from the ground. Wolves roam the area. A mysterious person is on the run. Philip also disappears. These are some of the puzzles the children must solve about the mountain.
The Ship of Adventure
All the children go on a quiet cruise around the Greek islands. But Philip's new pet, a baby monkey, breaks Jack's birthday present. This throws all the children into an exciting search. They look for the lost treasure of the Andra. Some ruthless villains are also chasing the treasure.
The Circus of Adventure
A strange foreign boy named Gustavus Barmilevo visits the children's home. Bill invited him for the holidays. The children soon learn he is Prince Aloysius Gramondie. He has enemies trying to overthrow his uncle. They want to make the prince a puppet ruler (someone controlled by others). Jack and Kiki find themselves following the others. The others are kidnapped and taken to a strange country called Tauri Hessia. Jack finds help from a circus. Can Jack rescue his friends with the help of the circus? Can he decide the fate of a whole nation?
The River of Adventure
The four children and their family are recovering from a bad flu. They take a river trip in the Middle East. But there is another reason for this trip. Bill has been asked to watch a crook named Raya Uma. The children soon find another adventure. It is about a magnificent buried city. This city is filled with incredible treasure.
TV and Film Versions
In the 1990s, The Adventure Series was made into a TV show. It was filmed in New Zealand television. The main characters were the same as in the books. But the stories were set in modern times. This did not change the plots much. Jack even had a pocket computer. It was important in a few adventures, especially in "The Ship of Adventure." "The Mountain of Adventure" was set in the German Alps, not the Welsh mountains.
Some TV versions also had funny, clumsy bad guys. Ray Uma's henchman, Taj, in "The River of Adventure" was one example. He seemed smarter than his boss. He played a big part in the episode. The TV series also added a new character. This was Sir George Houghton. He was Bill Cunningham's rich boss. Sir George appeared in almost every episode. He often called Bill with urgent tasks just when the family planned a holiday. In "The Ship of Adventure," Bill even had to delay his wedding because of him! Sir George seemed to be a man of leisure. He was rarely shown doing real work.
The Island of Adventure was also made into a British film in 1982. It was directed by Anthony Squire. It starred Norman Bowler as Bill, along with Wilfrid Brambell and Eleanor Summerfield.
See also
In Spanish: Serie Aventura para niños
