Five Get Into Trouble by Enid Blyton
The Famous Five Face Danger When They are Trapped at Owl's Dene
It's the Easter holidays and the Famous Five are reunited once again. When Aunt Fanny announces that she is going to accompany Uncle Quentin to a science conference, Julian, Dick, George and Anne are delighted at the prospect of planning a cycling tour. Having had so much fun in Five Go Off to Camp, the children are sure of a good time!
The Famous Five Have Fun
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog have great fun preparing for their cycling trip. Anne is excited, 'The days stretched before her, sunny, full of strange places, unknown woods, big and little hills, chattering streams, wayside picnics, biking in the moonlight'. It is descriptions like these that continue to make the Famous Five adventure stories so irresistible to generations of young readers.
The image of the five children on the first day of their holiday, sitting outside a village store drinking cold ginger beer in the sunshine is idyllic. The children make their first camp next to Green Pool and it is here they meet a strange boy, Richard. His outrageous boasting amuses Julian and Dick but George is irritated and almost gets into a fight.
Dick is Kidnapped
Richard is keen to join the Famous Five on their adventure and weaves a web of lies that leads all of them into danger. When Dick mysteriously vanishes, the children must act quickly. A mysterious Black Bentley and a clue from Richard leads them to Owl's Dene on Owl's Hill where they soon learn that Dick is being held prisoner.
The children are horrified when they too become trapped inside the grim old house. This is a dangerous situation for Julian, George, Anne and Richard but they use their wits to try to outsmart the crooks. Julian's sense of humour and quick intelligence see the children through a tense time as they come face to face with the terrifying Rooky.
Bravery and Cowardice in The Famous Five
A particularly interesting aspect of this story is the way in which Richard is given the opportunity to redeem himself. As happens often in the Famous Five adventures, children who have 'gone wrong' are allowed a turning point. Richard, who has already shown himself to be a liar and a coward, is instrumental in bringing about a positive outcome to the story. He puts himself in a position of danger to prove his bravery and to show the other children that he is worthy of their respect.
This is the eighth story in the children's adventure series, The Famous Five.
Five Get into Trouble by Enid Blyton, first published 1949. Hodder Children's Books ISBN 0340681136
Five Get Into Trouble
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