At Seaside Cottage

The Secret Seven #0.4

by Enid Blyton

Genres: Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

See 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

Reviews

[Shreyas · Rating 3 out of 5]

'At Seaside Cottage' (The Secret Seven #0.5) by Enid Blyton.



Rating: 3.0/5.


Review:
It's technically not a Secret Seven story. It revolves around Peter, Janet, and Scamper's visit to their Grandparents' seaside cottage during the vacations. Peter and Janet are 7 years and 6 years old respectively at the time of this story, which sets this story way before the formation of the Secret Seven Society. It's a lovely read for children; not much of a plot in a way, yet a great adventure. If you are a fan of the Secret Seven stories, you might just want to check it out since it is one of the rare and rather forgotten stories of this series.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories from Blyton would otherwise have been forgotten but for the fact that the title story features two characters named Peter and Janet, siblings, who go on to form a secret society with their friends known as The Secret Seven. So this in someways is the Secret Seven Book #0.
Anyway aside from that bit of trivia the book itself was typical Blyton stories.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who knew there were two obscure Secret Seven prequels?!?! This was a wonderful find, even if it’s not in anyway connected to the Secret Seven other than introducing two pretty blank-slate kids and a dog who would later become the leads. It’s a sweet enough story even though not much happens - two children go to stay at the seaside, and then come home. Ah it is a delightfully nostalgic view of a British seaside which will never exist again, but I am itching for the second one of these - where we see the actual formation of the Secret Seven! 3 stars.

[Mehmet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had 3 Secret Seven Books as a Teenager, along with some Famous five and Five find outers. I would reread them at least once a year. I as an adult, I have collected all three series. The Secret Seven were not my favourite, but i enjoyed them nevertheless. I always wished i could of had a group of friends who could solve mysteries and go on adventures.
So for nostalgic reasons I going to read through the whole Secret Seven series, which i was not lucky enough to have had as young Teen.
This book a collection of Short stories, first introduces us to Peter and Janet in the story At Sea Side Cottage. A simple story about the brother, sister and pet dog Scamper going on a holiday to their grandparents cottage on the coast.
The rest of the stories are similarly about brother and sisters and their small adventures.
Aimed at young children this introduction is a nice prequel before the main series.
Personally I did not enjoy this collection as much as The Secret room short stories, but I brought it to add to my library. Its a perfect book to read to young children and introduce them to the joy of reading. Did not have some of the dated issues, that pop into some of Enid Blytons work.