The growth of a grand plant as wood climbs to most tallest of heights is quite remarkable. Trees are an intrinsic part of our surroundings and can appeal to anyone, young and old. I always enjoyed celebrating the different, wild, iconic characters hidden within the tree who accompanied the children when they had escaped from reality. The four books in the series follow Jo, Fanny and Bessie’s explorations of the faraway tree. Children in particular are always curious, looking just beyond our immediate vision to explore what was hidden out of sight. That instinct of rebellion and exploration appeals to the most basic of human instincts, with anyone wishing to explore nature beyond the naked eye. The tales written by Enid Blyton relating to that most iconic of trees were so brilliant because of their simplicity: a group of children climbed up a tree and explored a different world. My love for the books came from the level of variety stemming from this simple idea of climbing a tree That was the perfect path into fictional stories and appreciating fantasy adventures for all to enjoy. First read when I was around seven or eight, it quite literally took me to another world. As a young child, Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree series did just that. It ensured that, whatever direction my life took, it would always be spent with a book in hand. However, I eventually managed to find a book that perfectly appealed to me.

It is because of this that I can emphasise with individuals who struggle to wholly embrace the wonders of the literary world. My relationship with English, words and enjoying books was strained in my early years of primary education. Partially, my reasons for doing this are because I wasn’t a natural reader. There is nothing wrong with looking back into our history and exploring how an appreciation for words and language first developed. While I am a now proud bookworm, I think it is important to remember where my love for reading began. In order to achieve my yearly Goodreads goal of working through 60 books, I feel an obligation to always be focusing on a new book.

The magic faraway tree book