The Magic Faraway Tree

Story

After moving into their new house, Jo, Bessie and Fannie discover an Enchanted Woods on their doorstep. Inside, they find a tree so tall that its branches reach into the clouds. At the very top, they discover a ladder leading to different magical lands. Each land takes them on fantastical adventures, but they must climb back down the ladder before the land drifts away and traps them there.

Why we chose it

A favourite with many of our visitors.

Where it came from

English author, Enid Blyton (1897-1968), said she never planned her stories. Instead, her characters and plots formed by themselves. As a child, Blyton was fascinated by Norse mythology. The Faraway tree itself was inspired by the cosmic Yggdrasil tree, an immense ash tree that connects the nine parallel worlds in the Norse universe. The tree first appears in Blyton’s earlier novel, The Yellow Fairy Book (1936).

Where it went next

The first book in the faraway tree series, The Enchanted Wood (1939), was an instant bestseller. It was swiftly followed by The Magic Faraway Tree (1943), The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946), and Up the Faraway Tree (1951). The stories were adapted for television in 1997, and Neal Street Productions announced they were developing a film adaptation in 2014.

Associated stories

Enid Blyton wrote around 700 books during her life. Among her best known series’ are adventure stories The Famous Five and The Secret Seven and school stories Malory Towers and St Clares.