Sufiya Ahmed (middle).
London: Indian origin British author Sufiya Ahmed creates her own version of children's author Enid Blyton's adventure series "Famous Five", with adding South Asian Flavour. A celebrated British author, Enid Blyton, has published umpteen books for children and grabbed an immense global readership over more than half a century.
Ahmed, originally from Surat in India, released the second part of her four-booked series of Famous Five, commissioned by the publishers behind Blyton bestsellers. The second part is titled 'Five and the Runaway Dog'.
According to her, the new series is an ode to the 20th-century children's author. "These new adventures of the Famous Five are more reflective of modern times," she added.
Ahmed said, "There are more diverse characters in Kirrin village, which is the setting of the Famous Five books, and in the second story I've written."
"In 'Five and the Runaway Dog', we have Simi, a girl of South Asian heritage, and her family who have moved into the village. Simi plays a major part in the story and is also featured on the front cover," she said.
The first book in her series, 'Timmy and the Treasure', has gathered widespread popularity in the UK as well as Spain and Portugal. While the third book' Message in a Bottle,' is inches away from the press, work on the fourth one has been started, and the whole series will be out by May 2023.
"Enid Blyton is Hachette Children's Group's top-selling author in India, so it's very exciting to be part of that. I'm hoping to be invited to the Indian book festivals with my Famous Five adventures," Ahmed said. She believes that many adults worldwide feel nostalgic about Blyton's books and would want to share them with the children.
"I was so delighted when Hachette commissioned me to extend this series with inclusive adventures for the beloved characters Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Tim. It's part of Hachette's strategy to keep Enid Blyton's books enjoyable, accessible and relevant for children all over the world," she said.
"Whether it's the Five, the Secret Seven or the girls at Malory Towers, these are beloved characters, and I'm just making the setting for their adventures more reflective of the world that young readers live in without changing the essence of their appeal," she replied when asked about some criticism of Enid Blyton in the modern-day cancel culture context over certain questionable references within her books.
"The Five still love the countryside and the coast, go camping on their island and are good-hearted children who help their friends and neighbours and, of course, are devoted to Timmy, the dog," she said.
Sufiya Ahmed had published 'My Story: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh' earlier this year, complimenting Britain's school curriculum for nine to 13-year-olds around the country's suffragette movement.