Remembering Enid Blyton

8 years ago, a mother bought her daughter three novels from the Famous Five series. It was the daughter's first ever novel and she immediately fell in love with the world Enid Blyton had brought to life. Ever since, there was no turning back for the little girl. Her summers were all about reading. Her idea of flouting rules was to stay up past her bedtime and read books all night. These books became a part of her.

If you haven't guessed, I am that little girl and Enid Blyton changed my world. More specifically, one of her characters definitely had a profound influence on who I am today. George (Georgina Kirrin) is one of the five of the Famous Five series. To a 10 year old girl, she was the definition of cool and badass. She was an inspiration. I wanted to be George, not lousy old me. If it's not evident, George was a tomboy and had the best fictional dog ever, Timmy. She was grumpy, grouchy, short tempered and insecure but also intelligent, brave and very protective of the people she loved. She had the confidence to always speak her mind and fight tooth and nail for whatever she wanted.

I still vividly remember one incident from the books which defined George as a person. She gets news that her island is under attack and so she sneaks out from camp at midnight, with only Timmy, rows across choppy waters and maneuvers around dangerous rocks and takes on those thugs by herself. My jaw dropped when I read this scene and I was in awe of this young lady who did what she wanted and did not need anyone's help whatsoever. Seeing that these books are set in the mid 20th century, George is nothing less than an icon.

Not only George but numerous other characters I've read over the years have impacted my life. They gave me the confidence to communicate and speak my mind. They have helped me empathise and understand. They have helped me to connect with people. These books also increased my attention span and reading speed which is very handy before exam nights for a procrastinator like me.

So on Enid Blyton's 123rd birthday, I thank her for writing such wonderful books that sparked a life long interest and added pop of colour to my monochromatic life.