Five Escape Brexit Island

This book by Bruno Vincent is, weirdly enough, the only Famous Five book I've ever read, never having been much of a fan of Enid Blyton - in it, our plucky four whoevers and their dog are trapped in a mysterious detention facility off the coast of Dorset, from which they have to try to escape to get back to the mainland. I do appreciate the satirical point of all this but to be honest I just found it incredibly depressingly close to reality. Would perhaps recommend as a Christmas present for your gammoniest relatives.

the Bonfire Folk

This book by Enid Blyton was probably aimed at readers between 18 and 21 years younger than me, but hey, I read it, and rules is rules - it gets a post. I was visiting my friend in Manchester and this (among several others) was on a communal bookshelf in the lounge of her new flat, so I've literally just read it because I didn't bring any books with me and I hate my smartphone and I don't know where my friend is and I'm bored. It's about two kids who have a bonfire in their garden, and having heard stories about fairy-folk who sometimes come out with the nocturnal animals to warm themselves by the bonfire, the kids decide to leave out some pinecones and kindling and whatnot - and sure enough, that night, a gnome, a fairy, and all manner of British woodland creatures (rabbit, hedgehog, badger, those kinds of things) come and make friends with them around the bonfire. I mean, it's quite nicely illustrated, and would probably make a half-decent (if extremely vintage) tale to read to a small child to get them to shut up fall asleep.