The Valley Of Adventure - Enid Blyton

Advantages: imaginative storyline, fantastically written, characters that children and adults alike would to be
Disadvantages: is set in 1950s or thereabouts, so words and times have changed, and therefore certain aspects of the book seem out of date

...Enid Blyton, although I loved the Famous Five and The Secret Seven however, it was the Adventure series that really captured my imagination. Although all seven (or was it eight?) books in the series were fantastic, one in particular lives in my memory until this very day.. this book is of course the Valley Of Adventure. A couple of months ago while packing to move house, I found my copy and sat down to re-read it.. sure it was childish but I found ...
...so longlasting that they capture the imagination of everyone, no matter what age. The story is about four children, 2 sets of brothers and sisters - Philip and Dinah and Jack and Lucy, and of course Jacks parrot Kiki. The 5 of them arrive at the aerodrome to meet their friend Bill Smugs who has his own aeroplane.. they plan to fly through the night, arrive at his cabin and spend a weekend there.. however somehow the children end up on the wrong ... Read review

Advantages: Adventure, excitement and intrigue
Disadvantages: Can seem a little outdated by today's standards

...none I like better than the "Adventure" series of books featuring 4 children and a parrot. Unlike the Secret Seven and Famous Five series, I've always thought of the Adventure series as being more "grown up." For a start, it doesn't feature jolly adventures in caravans, and there's no meeting up with loveable gipsies who help the children out in their time of need. Instead the adventures are darker, and more dangerous, with the children often finding ...
...THE PLOT: In the Valley of Adventure the four children - Jack, Lucy-Ann, Philip and Dinah, and Kiki the parrot stumble upon an adventure when they try to go for a night flight with a friend of their mother's. Unfortunately for them they end up on the wrong plane, one flown by smugglers! After a frightening journey they find themselves in a remote and lonely valley, trying to hide their presence from the smugglers and work out a way home. Whilst ... Read review