The Famous Five (novel series) facts for kids
First edition cover of the first book in the series Five on a Treasure Island
|
|
|
|
| Author | Enid Blyton |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre |
|
| Publisher | Hodder & Stoughton |
| Published | 1942—62 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| No. of books | 21 |
The Famous Five is a super popular series of adventure books for kids. It was written by an English author named Enid Blyton. The very first book, Five on a Treasure Island, came out in 1942.
These stories are all about the exciting adventures of four young friends: Julian, Dick, Anne, and Georgina. They also have a brave dog named Timmy.
The adventures usually happen when the children are on school holidays. They often visit George's family home, Kirrin Cottage, in Dorset, England. This area has a cool place called Kirrin Island, which George's family owns. Many of the houses they visit are very old. They sometimes have secret passages or hidden tunnels!
Sometimes the friends go camping in the countryside. Other times, they go on hikes or holidays in different places. The stories often take place in beautiful natural settings. This lets the children enjoy picnics, bike rides, swimming, and exploring the English and Welsh countryside.
Enid Blyton first planned to write only a few books in the series. But the books sold so well that she wrote 21 Famous Five novels! She also wrote other similar series. By 1953, over six million copies of The Famous Five books had been sold. Today, more than two million copies are sold every year. This makes it one of the best-selling children's series ever, with over one hundred million copies sold in total.
All the Famous Five books have been made into TV shows. Some have even been made into movies in different countries. Blyton's publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, started calling the series "The Famous Five" in 1951. Before that, people just called them The 'Fives' Books.
Contents
Meet the Famous Five Characters
The Five Friends
- Julian is the oldest of the group. He is George's cousin and the older brother of Dick and Anne. Julian is tall, strong, and smart. He is also very caring, responsible, and kind. He is the leader of the group. He always tries to protect Anne and sometimes George. Julian is the most grown-up of the friends. He is 13 years old at the start of the series.
- Dick has a funny sense of humor. He is also very reliable and kind. Dick is the same age as his cousin George. He is 11 years old when the series begins. He is two years younger than Julian and one year older than Anne. Dick likes to tease his sister sometimes, but he is very caring towards Anne. He tries to cheer her up when she is sad. Dick is very clever and often helps the group get out of trouble.
- Georgina is a real tomboy. She insists that everyone call her George. She has short hair and dresses like a boy. George is brave and strong-willed. Like her dad, Uncle Quentin, she can have a quick temper. She goes to boarding school with Anne, and even her teachers call her George. Enid Blyton said that George's character was based on herself. George has a very loyal dog named Timmy. She gets upset if anyone calls her by her real name or makes fun of Timmy. She loves it when people call her George or think she is a boy.
- Anne is the youngest in the group. She is 10 years old in the first book. Anne often helps with cooking and keeping things tidy when the Five are on holiday. She is sometimes scared during their adventures. She does not enjoy the dangerous parts as much as the others. But Anne is very brave and clever when it counts. She likes to plan meals and keep their camps clean. Sometimes she is afraid of small, closed spaces. But the adventures often lead them into tunnels or dungeons, showing how truly brave she is.
- Timmy is George's loyal dog. He is a big, brown mixed-breed dog with a long tail. George found him as a puppy and adopted him. Timmy is very friendly, smart, and loving. He is especially loyal to George. He often protects the children from danger. The children's parents often let them go on adventures because Timmy is with them. George loves Timmy very much and thinks he is the best dog ever. She gets very angry if anyone insults or threatens him. In the first book, George had to hide Timmy because her parents did not want her to keep him. But after their first adventure, her parents let her keep him at home and even take him to boarding school. The stories often describe what Timmy is thinking and feeling.
Close Friends of the Five
- Alf is a fisher boy who appears in many books set near Kirrin Cottage. In the first book, Alf helps George hide Timmy. Timmy really likes Alf. Alf also takes care of George's boat.
- Jo is a clever but wild girl who joins the Five on some adventures later in the series. She is about the same age as the children and is a tomboy, just like George. Jo's parents used to work in the circus. She looks up to Dick a lot.
- Joanna/Joan is the kind housekeeper at George's house. She often looks after the children when Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny are away. All the cousins are very fond of her.
The Famous Five's Family
- Aunt Fanny is George's mother. She is also the aunt of Dick, Julian, and Anne. She is married to Uncle Quentin. Aunt Fanny is a very kind and easy-going woman. She is very patient with her husband, even when he has a short temper.
- Uncle Quentin is George's father. He is a world-famous scientist. In some adventures, bad guys try to kidnap him or hold him hostage. He can get angry quickly and sometimes finds it hard to deal with the children on holiday. But he is a loving husband, father, and uncle. He is very proud of George. He can also be very forgetful because he thinks about his work all the time. Even though he is a famous scientist, his work does not make him a lot of money. He is the brother of Julian, Dick, and Anne's father.
- Julian, Dick and Anne's mother is a very nice woman. In Five Go Off In a Caravan, she convinces the children's father to let them travel in a caravan.
Famous Five on Screen and Stage
_Kinofilm_-_Schleswigpremiere.JPG)
The Famous Five books have been made into movies and TV shows.
Movies
Two movies were made by the Children's Film Foundation: Five on a Treasure Island (1957) and Five Have a Mystery to Solve (1964).
Danish director Katrine Hedman also made two Famous Five films. They were first released in Danish. These movies are De fem og spionerne (Five and the Spies) (1969) and De 5 i fedtefadet (Famous Five Get in Trouble) (1970).
In 2012, a movie called Fünf Freunde was released in Germany. More movies followed: Fünf Freunde 2, 3, and 4.
Television Series
The 1978–79 Series
A Famous Five TV series was made in the UK from 1978 to 1979. It had 26 episodes. The show starred Michele Gallagher as George, Marcus Harris as Julian, Jennifer Thanisch as Anne, and Gary Russell as Dick. Toddy Woodgate played Timmy. Most of the outdoor scenes were filmed in the New Forest and parts of Dorset and Devon. This series was set in modern times, which was different from the books.
The 1995 Series
Another TV series, The Famous Five, started in 1995. This series was a co-production with a German TV channel. Unlike the earlier series, this one was set in the 1950s, which is when the books were written. It covered all the original books. Jemima Rooper played George in this series. Julian was played by Marco Williamson, Dick by Paul Child, and Anne by Laura Petela. In this series, Aunt Fanny was called Aunt Frances.
Famous 5: On the Case
A new animated TV series called Famous 5: On the Case began in 2008. This show is set in modern times. It features the children of the original Famous Five! The characters are Max (Julian's son), Dylan (Dick's son), Jo (George's daughter, who is a tomboy like her mom), and Allie (Anne's daughter). It is not said if their dog is related to Timmy. This series keeps the mystery and adventure themes from the books.
Other Ways to Enjoy The Famous Five
Audio Dramas
You can listen to The Famous Five stories as audio dramas. All 21 original books have been made into audio versions. In Germany, there are also many new Famous Five audio dramas that are not based on Blyton's original books.
Theatre Shows
A musical called The Famous Five was made in 1997 to celebrate Enid Blyton's 100th birthday. It was later released on DVD as The Famous Five – Smuggler's Gold – The Musical. A new musical version also started in London in 2009.
Gamebooks
There are also Famous Five gamebooks. These are like "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. You read a part of the story, then you get to choose what happens next. Your choice sends you to a different page.
Comic Books
The Famous Five stories have also been turned into comic books. Six comic albums were released in France between 1982 and 1986. Some of these were also released in English. There was also a monthly comic magazine called Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine that featured Famous Five comic stories.
See also
In Spanish: Los Cinco (serie) para niños
