Five Go off in a Caravan is the fifth book of the Famous Five series (and the book I am currently reading). The book opens with a major difference from all the other books in the series: Instead of taking place at George's house, this one starts off from Anne, Dick and Julian's place. The plot is again simple: Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny are not disposed to look after the children for the holidays, and so the Five rent a caravan to go out by themselves. They encounter a circus and make friends with a circus boy, but the adventure starts when a nasty man and his friend start roaming around their caravans.

Like other Famous Five books, the description is extremely rich and vivid. I particularly enjoyed the traditional tea-time which the children religiously stick to! Blyton really has an eye for detail; during those tea times for example, she describes the food in such a way that one can just portray, smell and even taste the food described (and get hungry all through the book!). Ann was particularly funny as the neat little housekeeper. In fact, this is the book where Ann shines more than the others. In the other book, she remains in the shadow of her more boisterous cousins, but in Five go off in a Caravan, the children are left to fend for themselves. This is where Ann steps in- she takes charges, orders everyone about their kitchen/cleaning duties and acts as the perfect little boss.

This is also the book where readers get to witness the kindess and generosity of the Five. They feel sorry for Noddy, the camp boy, and take him in as one of their own. In fact, it can be said that in Five Go Off in a Caravan, the adventure is solved by six, and not by the usual five. Noddy does play a large role in the book, and I think that this is the first book where someone outside the group gets involved with the Five and their adventures (as it often happens in other books after this one). Noddy also introduces the Five to the Circus animals and their antics, and I personally (liked) and believed that this will delight any child. Blyton plunges you into the circus world, and be it for academic/learning purposes or for mere entertainment, kids will simply adore the Famous Five's trips to the circus.

A little more of the post-adventure story is given in this book. By this I mean that I was always a little disappointed by how the Famous Five books just end one or less page after the adventure. I wanted to see more of what happens after the actual adventure and this book fitted it perfectly. I think it might have to do with the fact that the children are caravanning and not at home, but we do get a little of post-adventure pages in Five Go Off in a Caravan!

Yet another great book!

Thanks for reading