Climbing back into magic

As Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree prepares for its big-screen debut, readers and writers revisit the author's enduring charm and the debate around adapting childhood classics

- Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay

Nearly a century after Enid Blyton first whisked children into enchanted woods and up moonlit ladders into other worlds, her stories are preparing for a new leap of imagination. In March 2026, The Magic Faraway Tree will arrive on screen, inviting a fresh generation to climb into the beloved treetop realms that shaped so many childhoods. The film's release feels timely—not just as nostalgia for those who grew up devouring Blyton’s books, but as a chance to reexamine her hold on readers today.

For an author often criticised for dated worldviews yet adored for her boundless sense of adventure, Blyton's modern relevance sits in a fascinating tension. Her work remains among the most widely read in children's literature, surviving shifting cultural norms, evolving parenting styles, and a digital era where attention is the rarest currency. What keeps her worlds alive?

"Kids today are incredibly savvy. They want worlds that challenge their imagination. Blyton’s universe has the raw material — magic, mystery, unusual creatures—but it needs a contemporary interpretation. The film has the chance to make the familiar feel new," says Pallavi Goorha Kashyup (42), who remains an ardent Blyton fan and reads her books to her 12 year old daughter Ananya regularly.

Loyal fans celebrate

While some of Enid Blyton’s tropes may feel dated today, the heart of her storytelling — curiosity, courage, and the thrill of stepping into a magical world — remains universal. For thirteen year old Ahana Ganguly, The Faraway Tree felt more believable than Hogwarts, maybe because she met Beth and her siblings long before she met Harry Potter. “It was always easier to imagine a magical tree filled with quirky beings than a school full of wizards and monsters,” the 8th standard student admitted.