Having despaired for many years over the increasing number of children who leave school unable to write basic English, I realise how easy it has been to blame teachers. When my own daughter, in 1967, told me that it didn’t matter about the incorrect spelling in her homework, I was shocked. Apparently, greater emphasis was being put on what the child was trying to say.  Fortunately, my daughter inherited my own love of the English language and enjoyed getting things right. I was lucky, having a father who also loved the spoken and written word. From the time I started speaking, he made sure  that my words were correctly used, in the correct order. He made it fun and explained rules of grammar as they cropped up, so, by the time I went from Infant to Elementary School, English Language classes held no terror for me; I actually enjoyed them. Teachers have my sympathy. They have to deal with increasingly large classes and I believe that if parents conversed more with very young children – even toddlers, and guided them into speaking correctly, their written work would improve at school. When the day comes that they decide to write books, the manuscripts…

I have to say that I have yet to find any children´s books which better, or at the least equal, Enid Blyton. I have a compilation called “Tell Me a Story Book” from my childhood which my own 5 year old daughter loves. I have bought tons of other books in my search for a modern day equivalent but most seem so literal, basic and boring by comparison. I have come across one or two treasures but none that can match up to Ms Blyton´s imagination. Have we lost our ability to imagine into realms which are filled with magic, beauty, gentleness and wonder yet are also strung through with a reality which is grounded and simple and weaves their lessons into the story for the child to unravel over a number of tellings? Perhaps in this age of “more-better-next” we don´t return to stories over and over again, allowing the child to absorb, understand and get to know the characters and this is all too often reflected in the books I see. I am sure there are many wonderful children´s books out there which I have missed, I hope so and I hope to find them soon. Any recommendations…