NEW research has revealed that nation’s most popular children’s books – with none in the top ten coming from this century.
According to the study by Cartridge Save, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series remains the top choice for parents to read to their little ones.
The Enid Blyton classics pipped CS Lewis’ The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe to the top spot, with The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett in third.
The author’s Famous Five adventures first appeared in 1942 with Five On A Treasure Island.
The series of 21 novels, which have amassed sales of over 100million, follow in the escapades of pals Julian, Dick, Anne, tomboy George and their dog Timmy.
Two thousand parents were quizzed on the reading habits of their primary-school aged kids for the study, which found tastes have remained largely the same over the years.
However, one in ten parents revealed they no longer read fairytales at home due to their apparently outdated morals.
Sleeping Beauty was voted the most outdated, with many parents expressing concern over the recurring idea of “happily ever after” in all the fairytales.
Ian Cowley, Managing Director of Cartridge Save commented: “Our research into the reading habits of the nation’s youth shines a fascinating spotlight on just how cherished classic children’s authors remain.
“Despite first being published during World War II, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five novels still inspire generations of kids today.
“But, standing the test of time less well are fairytales, with increasing numbers of parents refusing to read them to their kids because of they consider their values to be out of step with today’s society.”
