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The Faraway Tree #4
Up the Faraway Tree
If you climb to the top of the Faraway Tree, you come to a land of magic and wonder. Jo, Bessie and Fanny meet up with wicked Enchanter Red-Cloak and have a tea-party in the Land of Cakes.
95 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
148 people are currently reading
1389 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,146 books6,265 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 31, 2024
This book is simply a cash grab for the author.
This time, Joy and Robin join Joe, Bessie, and Frannie. Instead of the traditional format, the first half of the book is a series of illustrations with one sentence beneath.
The storylines aren’t original—merely recycling the old plot lines from the previous books in the series, replacing the character’s name with Joy and Robin.
Also, as someone who has a hard time visualizing anything, I was greatly looking forward to the illustrations.
But the illustrator is not the same one as in the previous books in the series! It felt like watching a TV program where the lead has been recast—it just doesn’t feel the same.
The last half of the book, Joy and Robin have magically disappeared, and the illustrator abruptly changes.
By far, this book is the weakest in the series, and Enid Blyton should have left the series well enough alone.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Softcover Text – $27.18 from eBay (as part of a 4-book boxed set)
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This time, Joy and Robin join Joe, Bessie, and Frannie. Instead of the traditional format, the first half of the book is a series of illustrations with one sentence beneath.
The storylines aren’t original—merely recycling the old plot lines from the previous books in the series, replacing the character’s name with Joy and Robin.
Also, as someone who has a hard time visualizing anything, I was greatly looking forward to the illustrations.
But the illustrator is not the same one as in the previous books in the series! It felt like watching a TV program where the lead has been recast—it just doesn’t feel the same.
The last half of the book, Joy and Robin have magically disappeared, and the illustrator abruptly changes.
By far, this book is the weakest in the series, and Enid Blyton should have left the series well enough alone.
The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Softcover Text – $27.18 from eBay (as part of a 4-book boxed set)
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
February 9, 2018
A strange addition to the much-loved series by Enid Blyton. This feels like it is written much later, by someone imitating her style. In addition, they have pointlessly changed the children's names. Dick becomes Rick, Bessie becomes Beth and Fanny Frannie. Overall lacks the sparkle of the 3 original books
July 10, 2017
I didn't know this book existed until quite recently and it's pretty unique - surely ahead of its time (text copyright 1951 and originally published in the Sunny Stories children's magazine) as it is told by comic strip and is so meta. Even Santa Claus was a little star struck when he met Moon Face, Saucepan Man and Silky because HE'D READ THE BOOKS! A quick read but not at all in the same league as the others.
October 17, 2015
we were not so pleased with this book. we liked that the children had visitors but didn't think the adventures were complete. those looking for more faraway tree adventures should not read this book. it is a disappointment
January 5, 2017
it's nice to meet my old pals again after so many years. i didn't know there is a 4th book in this series till i stimbled upon it today.
i would say this is targeted for younger children who just started reading.
story is in the form of comic with 1 or 2 short sentences accompanying the drawings. Most of the stories in it echos the repeat of previous 3 books with some changes.
nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read.
i would say this is targeted for younger children who just started reading.
story is in the form of comic with 1 or 2 short sentences accompanying the drawings. Most of the stories in it echos the repeat of previous 3 books with some changes.
nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read.
January 21, 2020
I’ve read all the Faraway Tree books since being little and they are still a firm favourite of mine, I didn’t realise there was a fourth book until I got the set as a gift and I was so excited!
However, my edition of the fourth book was more like a comic strip. I was deeply disappointed as the pictures took up most of the page space and there were only a handful of sentences per page.
It felt like a half hearted attention to get another book out the series and I just didn’t enjoy it.
However, my edition of the fourth book was more like a comic strip. I was deeply disappointed as the pictures took up most of the page space and there were only a handful of sentences per page.
It felt like a half hearted attention to get another book out the series and I just didn’t enjoy it.
August 25, 2017
A sad edition of a wonderful series. Not what I was expecting at all.
September 26, 2021
Loved this reread of a childhood favourite :)
September 26, 2023
Oh no good
July 14, 2013
This is the final chapter of the Faraway Tree series, a beautifully illustrated collection of eight short stories about Jo, Bessie and Fanny and their adventures up the Faraway Tree. In a weird crossover, they're joined by Robin and Joy, two children who have read about the Faraway Tree in The Enchanted Wood, the first book in the series.
The well-crafted illustrations bring the characters to life superbly despite the occasional racism.
The well-crafted illustrations bring the characters to life superbly despite the occasional racism.
November 4, 2014
What an odd little book! I love the format (like a comic). But the stories are fragmented and repetitions of the earlier Faraway Tree books. And when you consider that Robin ananda Joy had already read those books - which is why they searched out the Enchante Wood etc in the first place - thief subsequent actions become ludicrous! Very odd indeed.
June 9, 2016
This was a ridiculous addition to the Faraway Tree series. It read as if it was an afterthought. The whole book was a mish-mash of events that had already occurred in previous installments. The edition we read tacked on a few chapters of The Enchanted Wood to the end to beef it up. I really wish it had have been left at the last book.
October 28, 2019
This would be okay for very young children who need a quick 3-5 minute story filler as each ‘adventure’ is roughly eight sentences long. It’s bizarre when all the others are written in novel format. However, I did enjoy the illustrations which accompanied each sentence as it was mostly the same as the way I had imagined it in the past 3 books.
February 14, 2014
Loved, loved, loved this series as a child and oh so wanted to find that magic tree to climb into a magical world, make new friends, and eat strange melt in your mouth popping candy to odd treacle puddings! A veritable feast for the enchanted, magical- thinking mind of a grade schooler!
October 30, 2014
Yes it's a bit young for me but I couldn't believe that after all these years that there was a forth book that my parents have never told me about so now at 42 I got to read it and a most enjoyable trip into my childhood it was too.
July 26, 2011
short comic strip book. Great stories and b/w pictures.
September 5, 2012
Loved this as a child
November 28, 2012
my childhood favourite book.. =)
May 12, 2014
The book is such a pleasing read! It's really cute and I love the names given to the characters most of all! It's one of those books that has to be read atleast once in a lifetime, if not more!
April 25, 2015
First book I chose from a book fayre at primary school, loved the characters and magic lands and forests ... Beautiful introduction into childhood reading
February 10, 2016
I felt like this book was an afterthought - the series would have been better ending with the previous book - even my daughter said it wasn't as good as the other 3 books.
June 12, 2016
It's for children and I realised it only after reading it. I just bought it because it was Enid Blyton. This was a comic basically. A 15-20 minute read. It's Good for children anyways.
January 8, 2017
This last episode was not even close to the quality of the three books that preceded it. The author really phoned it in; although, it had many more illustrations than the earlier episodes
February 19, 2017
Wonderful
May 11, 2018
the final faraway tree book, alas, is a short picture book, not at all as satisfying as the others :-(
May 13, 2019
2 stars to the first part.
5 stars to the second part.
5 stars to the second part.
July 23, 2019
A bit of an odd mix but 3yo liked the proper story in the second part, though it didn't link in well with the other books
July 19, 2020
Love it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews