Probably most suitable 6/7+
Very typical Blyton (traditional gendered roles etc.) but what I loved about this book is that it introduces children to wild animals in a fictional context rather than factual book.
My daughter and I learnt quite a lot and are going to follow it up with a project book on the animals.
The ‘odd’ thing about this book is the children going off with the wild man. This is not to say that all strangers (or people who live in the woods!!) are a danger to children, but I think children need to be told that it’s probably not a good idea to go off on your own with wild men in the woods!
I’m not sure if this would have ever been normal - but how times have changed!

My daughter enjoyed it, I thought lacking in plot. She is keen for me to read ‘the children of willow tree farm’ next.

I want to make it clear that I enjoyed this book, and I wish all kids today had the interest in and opportunity to experience the woods the way the four siblings in this book did.

That said... oh, my, have things changed since 1940.

Let's talk about the Wild Man. First of all, the cover art of the edition I've chosen to append this review to is hilarious. So, this wild man wears a suit, and keeps his beard nicely trimmed. Perhaps his woodland friends gnaw it off and use the hair to line their nests. At least he's not wearing a bowler and carrying a black umbrella hooked over one arm. He looks a bit like the original Jonny Quest's dad.

“Auntie, may I go to the woods and spend the night with my friend the Wild Man in his tree house?”

“Of course, dear. Take him a piece of cake.”

There's a conversation that doesn't happen any more.

The Wild Man, of course, is the most civilized person in the book, and I'm sure that was the entire point. But we don't even get a hint of back story to reassure us that the story isn't going to take a sudden turn into Stephen King territory. Not that Enid would ever go there, but it's nearly impossible for a 21st century first-time reader not to conjure those kinds of visions.

I think Tammylan's name should be in the title of the book. We barely hear about the farm, other than as the place the kids go back to after visiting Tammylan in the woods, and the place where they talk about wanting to go back and visit him again. Let's promote him from Wild Man, and call it Tammylan the Wise and the Children of Cherry Tree Farm.

I've been reading this every night to my nature-obsessed five-year-old who honestly cried when we got to the end.

She's thrilled to find out that there's a sequel!

Just to clarify: I loved these books as a kid, but I probably would not recommend them for people over 10 or 11. They are lovely classics to curl up with now and then just to relive a bit of your childhood though.

tammystan tammylan

Oh, nostalgia. I read this as a kid and loved it, along with the Willow Farm sequel. It's definite rose-coloured glasses material, but Tammylan and the animal facts made up for it. I've always known what a squirrel nest is called thanks to these books: drey! - it's been useful more than once in crossword puzzles, so that's something...

One of the my first books ever. I will always love this series by Enid Blyton because the book is based on country life and I dream of such life. I have a farm of my own but due to lack of rains, I couldn't pursue a life there.

4 siblings are made to live for a few months on their Uncle's farm because there parents were out-of-city. Unaware of the experiences they are going to have, they step into the lives of farmers. From domesticated animals to wilds in the jungles, they have fun beyond imagination.

Loved the series! A must read for children and adults alike.

Reread this favourite from my childhood. Turns out I still love it! It feels very English, and I remember as a child loving learning about all the country animals through these children and their wild friend Tammylan!