Contains: The enchanted wood (1939); The magic faraway tree (1943); The folk of the faraway tree (1946). The magic faraway tree slightly abridged. ( )

This book is amazing.
I got it for my birthday and read it straight away. I can't believe the detail and magic. I recommend this book to all.
My definite favourite story is the Birthday land. I would also love to have friends like the group of kids as those treats sound amazing. ( )

I never had the pleasure of reading this book as a kid. I purchased it on a whim at a garage sale as a 20 year old and read it right away.
The stories are so rich in detail and I found it so hard to put it down to do normal life things that wasn't reading. I would say that this is perfect for all ages and it is a book that i will treasure for years to come and hopefully my future children will enjoy it as much as I dd ( )

They're cute ( )

I'm just going to rate them all together, because I feel like it. Huh. Sorry, I've been reading too much Septimus Heap lately, I think Silas is rubbing off on me!

Anyway . . . The Faraway Tree was absolutely one of my favorite books when I was younger. I haven't read them in a while, but I just noticed them on my shelf and thought I'd come over and review them. Who wouldn't want to find a magic tree that has a magic land at the top which switches periodically? I could practically quote large sections of this book from memory, and I have to say that to this day, if I could pick anywhere to have a birthday party, I would pick Birthday Land. No question.

Now, as for the other books, I don't remember as much. When I was at the prime age for reading them we couldn't get them (turns out that outside of Switzerland - where my parents bought our copy of Faraway Tree - they're pretty hard to get!), and I didn't get them until one memorable Christmas a few years later when I received not only the two other Faraway Tree books, but the Magical Rocking Chair (or whatever it's called), too! I remember enjoying seeing the kids more, but it was the first book that won my heart. Faraway Tree is full of fairies, mean old ladies, giants, and more. But the children are at the heart of the story, those delightful little kids who found the tree on a picnic and had lots of adventures while their parents smiled and waved them off from behind (yes, it's that kind of book). But they also did their chores, even getting held back from going to the tree because they have to work in the garden, etc. At one point they go to a great big market with almost everything, and besides a few more quirky purchases they obtain a new garden spade and a goat for their mother. They aren't the big Mary Sue images, but they are sweet, dutiful children who made me secretly yearn to live in a little cottage near a big forest.

And Moon Face. Who can forget Moon Face? Sorry, I'm not going to actually say anything about him (or that fairy who's name I can't remember), but I just loved the characters so much when I was younger, and I'm just now thinking about them for the first time in years. These books probably fed my love of reading more than almost any other book (besides the Narnias, my first love). Give them to your daughters, your sons, your nieces and nephews. As soon as they can read, offer this book to them. Please. ( )