The New Famous Five: Five and the forgotten treasure by Chris Smith & James Lancett

This is a delightful return to Kirrin Island and the adventurous ‘Famous Five’ of Enid Blyton’s imagination …for a new generation. Three siblings and their dog are sent for a holiday to the home of a relative they are yet to meet. The four modern-day adventurers join up with someone that readers of the original Famous Five will remember, for their own exploration of the Kirrin region that was the site of many Famous Five adventures. When their holiday becomes hijacked by crooks, they discover an old mystery that needs some brave investigating. 

This is a delight for all lovers of Blyton’s classic story series. Told from a contemporary perspective, but with a historical Famous Five story embedded in it, the New Famous Five will give new life to a tried-and-true formula for children’s literature. Less humorous than Chris Smith’s Kid Normal, this is just an adventurous tale with kids that are less independent than the original series, but still able to pursue solving a mystery. Readers aged 8-12 will enjoy this reading adventure. It is possible to not have read the original series first, but some references make more sense if this book is read after at least one of the original classic stories. Independent readers will find this is just as easy to devour as the original book series, and just as endearing. I am assuming that Chris Smith and the publishers are about to launch more in this series, and resurrect joy in Enid Blyton’s adventurous stories for children in the process.

Themes: Adventure, Archaeology, Treasure.

Carolyn Hull