My Favourite Childhood Books

My favourite books from childhood were undoubtedly the wonderful Miss Blyton's Enchanted Wood series and Malory Towers, both firm favourites of mine and books that I read over and over again. Oh how I wanted to go to boarding school, be best friends with Darrell and swim in the pool carved out of the rocks! I can't wait until I can read these with my daughter. She is a little bit young for Malory Towers just yet, but the Enchanted Wood series I have bought her for Christmas, and I am so looking forward to re-living my childhood with her, Silky and Moonface. But it's a surprise from Santa so don't tell her!

Unfortunately, I was disappointed when I noticed that in the new version of the Enchanted Wood series, that some of the characters names had been changed. We no longer have 'Dick and Fanny', but 'Rick and Frannie'. Now the adult in me feels that the names should have remained the same, why change a classic which has worked so well for years. But, I do distinctly remember giggling with my friends over the names 'Dick and Fanny', as they were so rude and they caused endless amounts of amusement! So I guess the publishers were probably right to change the characters names, but I do feel that it is a shame.

To be honest, it is irrelevant what the characters are now called as I am probably still going to have to explain the different names. You see, my friend is reading the originals to her daughter with 'Dick and Fanny' and I am going to be reading the new improved version, and I am sure that the girls will compare! So I have not got away with tricky explanations!

What do you think? Should names of classic characters be changed to save giggling girls the embarrassment of reading about 'Dick and Fanny', or should they remain as they were?