Enid Blyton
At the start of her career as a published writer, Blyton turned her hand to writing verses for greeting cards in addition to poetry, short stories, and books. Blyton’s writing first gained traction with publishers in the 1920s. However, Blyton’s best known books came later with the Faraway Tree series published in the 1930s and 40s, and The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, and Noddy books series published between 1942 and 1963.
Blyton’s Faraway Tree trilogy featured titles including The Enchanted Wood (1939) and The Magic Faraway Tree (1943). Both of these magical children’s stories are available for you to rediscover as audiobooks, performed by award-winning English actress Kate Winslet. Our listeners highly recommend Kate Winslet’s lively and energetic narration of these classic childhood books.
Blyton was married twice – first to Hugh Alexander Pollock in 1924. Hugh and Enid had two children, Gillian in 1931 and Imogen in 1935. Enid and Hugh divorced in 1942. Enid married Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters in 1943 and they remained together for the rest of their lives. Enid Blyton was born on August 11, 1897 in London. She died November 28, 1968 in London. She was 71.
Enid Blyton's Famous Five Audiobooks
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Famous Five: Five On A Treasure Island
- Book 1
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick and Anne are spending the holidays with their tomboy cousin George and her dog, Timothy. One day, George takes them to explore nearby Kirrin Island, with its rocky little coast and old ruined castle on the top. Over on the island, they make a thrilling discovery, which leads them deep into the dungeons of Kirrin Castle on a dangerous adventure. Who - and what - will they find there?
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review
- By Frances Sanford on 03-03-2017
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Five Go Adventuring Again
- Famous Five, Book 2
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In their second adventure, the Famous Five find a thief at Kirrin Cottage. They think they know who it is, but need to prove it. Will the discovery of a very old map help uncover the true culprit?
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Timeless story, excellent narration
- By Ronelle on 02-06-2017
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Five Run Away Together
- Famous Five, Book 3
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In their third adventure, the Famous Five discover that someone has been on George's island. And what is locked in the mysterious trunk hidden on Kirrin Island? The Famous Five think they're on the trail of smugglers - until they hear a child scream.
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I loved this book!
- By Frances Sanford on 13-03-2017
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Famous Five: Five Go Off in a Caravan
- Book 5
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book five, the Famous Five go on a caravan holiday. When they stumble across a circus troupe, the gang are thrilled. But some of the circus people have more sinister plans than just clowning around....
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Everything on point
- By Anonymous User on 26-06-2024
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Famous Five: Five On A Treasure Island
- Book 1
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Julian, Dick and Anne are spending the holidays with their tomboy cousin George and her dog, Timothy. One day, George takes them to explore nearby Kirrin Island, with its rocky little coast and old ruined castle on the top. Over on the island, they make a thrilling discovery, which leads them deep into the dungeons of Kirrin Castle on a dangerous adventure. Who - and what - will they find there?
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review
- By Frances Sanford on 03-03-2017
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Five Go Adventuring Again
- Famous Five, Book 2
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In their second adventure, the Famous Five find a thief at Kirrin Cottage. They think they know who it is, but need to prove it. Will the discovery of a very old map help uncover the true culprit?
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Timeless story, excellent narration
- By Ronelle on 02-06-2017
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Five Run Away Together
- Famous Five, Book 3
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In their third adventure, the Famous Five discover that someone has been on George's island. And what is locked in the mysterious trunk hidden on Kirrin Island? The Famous Five think they're on the trail of smugglers - until they hear a child scream.
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I loved this book!
- By Frances Sanford on 13-03-2017
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Famous Five: Five Go Off in a Caravan
- Book 5
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book five, the Famous Five go on a caravan holiday. When they stumble across a circus troupe, the gang are thrilled. But some of the circus people have more sinister plans than just clowning around....
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Everything on point
- By Anonymous User on 26-06-2024
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Famous Five: Five on Kirrin Island Again
- Book 6
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book six, Uncle Quentin has locked himself away on Kirrin Island. What's he up to and why won't he let anyone visit? Then the Famous Five discover that a suspicious stranger is watching Uncle Quentin's every move. Can the Famous Five warn Uncle Quentin in time?
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Best of them all
- By Anonymous User on 20-04-2024
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Famous Five: Five Go Off to Camp
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book seven, the Famous Five investigate spook trains in the dead of night. The trains seem to vanish into thin air, but where do they go? The Five discover an unusual underground tunnel system and a secret train-service. If they follow the tracks, will they solve the mystery?
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Great book must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- By Jacinta Leppik on 27-06-2019
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Famous Five: 8
- Five Get into Trouble
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book seven, the Famous Five investigate spook trains in the dead of night. The trains seem to vanish into thin air, but where do they go? The Five discover an unusual underground tunnel system and a secret train-service. If they follow the tracks, will they solve the mystery?
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good adventure
- By Kindle Customer on 18-08-2016
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Five Fall into Adventure
- Famous Five, Book 9
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book nine, the Famous Five are really worried - George and her devoted Timmy have disappeared. Not only that, somebody has broken into Kirrin Cottage. Could there be a connection? Will the Five find George and Timmy and bring them home safe?
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All right
- By Jacinta Leppik on 22-05-2019
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Five on a Hike Together
- Famous Five, Book 10
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 10, Dick is woken by a light flashing through his window. Is someone trying to send him a coded message? When the Famous Five hear of an escaped convict in the area, they are on red alert. The police won't help, so the Five have no choice - yet again, they'll be solving this mystery by themselves.
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Famous Five
- By MD on 12-04-2022
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Five Have a Wonderful Time
- Famous Five, Book 11
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 11, the Famous Five are on an adventurous holiday in horse-drawn caravans. They discover a ruined castle that looks deserted. But is that a face at the window? Or is it a trick of the light? Just who is hiding in the castle?
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Jan Francis
- By Kindle Customer on 21-11-2024
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Famous Five: Five Go Down to the Sea
- Famous Five, Book 12
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 12, somebody is flashing lights from the top of the old tower on the treacherous rocks off the Cornish coast. The Famous Five sense danger. But can they solve this mystery without getting hurt themselves?
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Five Go Down to the Sea.
- By Anonymous User on 08-08-2022
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Famous Five: 13
- Five Go to Mystery Moor
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 13, the Famous Five find out about something dangerous out in Mystery Moor. They'll have to risk the treacherous mists and follow the trail if they want to find what's lurking in the shadows. Do they know what they've let themselves in for?
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loved it
- By Vanessa on 04-07-2018
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Famous Five: Five on a Secret Trail
- Book 15
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 15, the Famous Five go camping and pitch their tent near a ruined and seemingly abandoned cottage. When Anne hears strange noises at night the others don't believe her. Until they see the ghostly lights. Is the cottage really haunted, or is there another, equally sinister, explanation?
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Hdisbdjisbc
- By Anonymous User on 04-06-2024
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Famous Five: Five Go to Billycock Hill
- Book 16
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 16, it's holiday time at Billycock Hill, and the Famous Five make a new friend - a real pilot! But when he disappears with top secret equipment, the Five begin to wonder if their new friend could be a spy, or worse, a traitor. Whatever his motives, the gang feel duty-bound to investigate.
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Enid Blyton’s Famous Five
- By J Greenaway on 24-02-2020
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Famous Five: Five Get into a Fix
- Famous Five, Book 17
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 17, the Famous Five are skiing and having lots of fun. But who is living in the mysterious house near their chalet? The caretaker claims it's been deserted for years, but the Five are sure they've seen a face at the window. A terrified, and haunted face. Have the gang got the courage to find out?
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I love this book. So fun for kids and adults.
- By Ally on 14-12-2018
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Famous Five: Five on Finniston Farm
- Famous Five, Book 18
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Sarah Greene
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog find excitement and adventure wherever they go in Enid Blyton's most popular series. In book 18, the Famous Five hunt for the lost dungeons of a ruined castle on Finniston Farm. The friends are determined to find them, and whatever they hide, but they are not alone. Can the Famous Five get there first?
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good story some editing issues
- By Kindle Customer on 11-11-2016
Blyton loved to read and had a vivid imagination. From a young age her mind was full of inventive stories and despite countless rejections of her early work, Blyton persevered, reading voraciously and writing hundreds of stories. In her 1952 autobiography, The Story of My Life, Blyton offers some advice for young writers, “Fill your mind with all kinds of interesting things—the more you have in it, the more will come out of it.” Before becoming a published author, Blyton trained as a teacher from 1916-1918. She went on to teach at a boys’ preparatory school, before becoming a governess – Blyton worked in both teaching roles only briefly, before devoting all of her time to writing.
Both Enid Blyton herself, and her many children’s stories, remain popular. A television drama about Enid Blyton aired on the BBC in 2009, starring Helena Bonham Carter as Enid. The Telegraph described it at the time as “an unflinchingly honest biopic of the woman behind Noddy and The Famous Five”.
Meanwhile, generations of readers continue to enjoy Blyton's books with fans flocking to The Enid Blyton Society website which hosts an active online fan forum. The Enid Blyton forum is testament to the author’s enduring popularity – it has more than 4000 members and hundreds of thousands of posts discussing facts and trivia about Enid Blyton and her children’s fiction.
Popular Children's Stories as Audiobooks
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'Naughtiest Girl in the School' and 'Naughtiest Girl Again'
- Naughtiest Girl Series
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Elizabeth Allen is spoilt and selfish. When's she's sent away to boarding school she makes up her mind to be the naughtiest pupil there's ever been! But Elizabeth soon finds out that being bad isn't as simple as it seems.
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Love this story reminds me of childhood
- By William P. on 16-07-2023
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'Naughtiest Girl Is a Monitor' and 'Here's the Naughtiest Girl'
- Naughtiest Girl Series
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 1 hr and 56 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Naughtiest Girl Is a Monitor: When Elizabeth Allen is chosen to be a school monitor, she's delighted. But she soon finds out just what a responsible job it is. The harder she tries, the worse she behaves! Will the naughtiest girl in the school EVER learn to be good?.... Here's the Naughtiest Girl: There's a new boy in Elizabeth's class. He's sulky and grumpy. and he'll do anything to show Elizabeth up.
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Malory Towers Collection of 6 Stories
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
There are plenty of adventures to be had in Darrell's first term at boarding school. Life at Malory Towers is full of excitement - if only she can keep her terrible temper under control! Darrell's back at boarding school and her classmates are full of surprises. Just who does new girl Daphne think she is? And is there really a thief at Malory Towers? Two new girls have arrived at Malory Towers - and they couldn't be more different!
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Great story!!
- By Anonymous User on 20-02-2023
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Malory Towers
- First Term & Second Year
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 2 hrs and 24 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
There are plenty of adventures to be had in Darrell's first term at boarding school. Life at Malory Towers is full of excitement - if only she can keep her terrible temper under control! Darrell's back at boarding school and her classmates are full of surprises. Just who does new girl Daphne think she is? And is there really a thief at Malory Towers?
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'Naughtiest Girl in the School' and 'Naughtiest Girl Again'
- Naughtiest Girl Series
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Elizabeth Allen is spoilt and selfish. When's she's sent away to boarding school she makes up her mind to be the naughtiest pupil there's ever been! But Elizabeth soon finds out that being bad isn't as simple as it seems.
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Love this story reminds me of childhood
- By William P. on 16-07-2023
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'Naughtiest Girl Is a Monitor' and 'Here's the Naughtiest Girl'
- Naughtiest Girl Series
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 1 hr and 56 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Naughtiest Girl Is a Monitor: When Elizabeth Allen is chosen to be a school monitor, she's delighted. But she soon finds out just what a responsible job it is. The harder she tries, the worse she behaves! Will the naughtiest girl in the school EVER learn to be good?.... Here's the Naughtiest Girl: There's a new boy in Elizabeth's class. He's sulky and grumpy. and he'll do anything to show Elizabeth up.
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Malory Towers Collection of 6 Stories
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
There are plenty of adventures to be had in Darrell's first term at boarding school. Life at Malory Towers is full of excitement - if only she can keep her terrible temper under control! Darrell's back at boarding school and her classmates are full of surprises. Just who does new girl Daphne think she is? And is there really a thief at Malory Towers? Two new girls have arrived at Malory Towers - and they couldn't be more different!
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Great story!!
- By Anonymous User on 20-02-2023
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Malory Towers
- First Term & Second Year
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 2 hrs and 24 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
There are plenty of adventures to be had in Darrell's first term at boarding school. Life at Malory Towers is full of excitement - if only she can keep her terrible temper under control! Darrell's back at boarding school and her classmates are full of surprises. Just who does new girl Daphne think she is? And is there really a thief at Malory Towers?
Audiobook Reviews — The Famous Five by Enid Blyton
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Famous Five: Five On A Treasure Island
- Book 1
- By: Enid Blyton
- Narrated by: Jan Francis
- Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Julian, Dick and Anne are spending the holidays with their tomboy cousin George and her dog, Timothy. One day, George takes them to explore nearby Kirrin Island, with its rocky little coast and old ruined castle on the top. Over on the island, they make a thrilling discovery, which leads them deep into the dungeons of Kirrin Castle on a dangerous adventure. Who - and what - will they find there?
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review
- By Frances Sanford on 03-03-2017
“I have always loved the Famous Five series. Safe, fun, action (and food) filled adventures for kids! Jan Francis is an excellent narrator, not only giving each character a distinct voice, but acting and performing throughout.” Kylie, Audible listener.
“Fantastic adventure. My children were mesmerized. We enjoyed this on the car journey to school and back. Short enough chapters for shorter journeys, the children were eager to hear the next. Jan Francis read it perfectly and bought the characters to life.” K. L. Walker, Audible listener.