Everyone at school calls Mike, Belinda and Ann the Caravan Family, because they live in two caravans. The children live at school from Monday to Friday in term-time, and come back to the caravans at weekends. Their lives are full of adventure, as we can see in Enid Blyton’s The Family Series.
Let’s meet the family!
Ann is the youngest, and the baby of the family. Before the family’s trip to New York her parents are talking about sky scrapers and she says:
“‘I’d like to climb up to the top of one and catch a cloud,’ said Ann. ‘I’d tie it to my wrist and fly it like a balloon.'”
Mother is caring and kind, and before her and Daddy’s trip to America she tells the children, who are going to stay with their aunt and uncle on Buttercup Farm:
“‘Now mind you’re good and helpful,’ said Mummy. ‘And be kind to everyone, and remember to say your prayers every single night, and be sure to put Daddy and me into them.”
Responsible Belinda, when helping to take care of the hens at Buttercup farm, tells her aunt:
“‘I won’t get tired of it and give up. I promise I won’t. Well – if I do get tired, I still won’t give up! Will that do?'”
Daddy loves to take his family on holidays and adventures. When the children start to ask him if they can go to the beach, he says:
“‘Well, before you begin, let me break the news to you,’ said Daddy firmly. ‘Whatever ideas you’ve got in your head have got to come out. I’ve no money to spend on a summer holiday by the sea! That is – if you want to go to a hotel. The only thing I can do for you this summer is to let you go away somewhere fresh and new in the caravans.'”
Mike, who makes a selfless decision when their cabin on the ship has only one bed by the port-hole:
“He looked longingly at the bed by the porthole. He badly wanted it himself, but he was very unselfish with his two sisters.”
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