Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Whimsical tree adventures charm young fantasy fans.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE series, Joe, Beth, and Frannie move to a new house next to a forest where they discover a tree full of magical creatures: pixies, gnomes, talking animals, and more. At the top of the tree, a ladder leads to a different magical land each time, including places full of toys, treats, spells, tempers, or topsy-turvy surprises. The children's adventures are usually joyful, but they must stay alert, because if they linger too long in a visiting land, they might be carried away with it until it returns. In the later two books, a cousin and friend join the three kids on delirious adventures, and the parents are oddly fine with the kids disappearing with strange beings—Moon-Face and Saucepan Man—for an entire day. Each book is like a series of short stories about the different lands, loosely tied together with a quest the kids need to go on.
Is It Any Good?
While parents might read these books to their kids out of nostalgia, young readers will find plenty to love in the imaginative stories. The Magic Faraway Tree series is full of gentle adventures that take kids through places most have dreamed about at some point: a birthday party land, a take-anything-you-want land, a land of treats, and more. Even the "bad" lands aren't scary—just places the kids need to get out of in time to get home, or to save a friend in trouble. This enduring fantasy series is packed with the kind of playful invention that makes early chapter books feel magical. Author Enid Blyton's short, episodic adventures are easy to read aloud, and the ever-changing lands at the top of the Faraway Tree keep the pace quick and inviting for young listeners or emerging readers. The language in the series is fun and playful, and the books move at a slow-ish pace so readers have a chance to sink into the details. These are great books for getting kids to dream about fantasy lands of their own, and are just plain fun to read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how adventurous the children are in The Magic Faraway Tree series. What would it be like to be able to roam so freely, for an entire day? Where would you go, and what would you do near your own home?
Which of the faraway tree's lands would you like to go to, and why?
What details in these mid-20th century books are different from more recent books? What do you think of these differences?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jan McCafferty
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairies ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Hachette Children's
- Publication date : February 15, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 208
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 1, 2026
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