CHILDREN'S authors Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl have been named the nation's best-loved writers – over Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.
The creator of the Famous Five books, as well as the Secret Seven, Malory Towers and Noddy, topped the poll, followed by Dahl and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
Austen, the author of enduring favourites such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Pr
ejudice and Emma, came fourth in the nationwide survey of readers.
She was followed by Shakespeare, Victorian author Dickens and Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien. Murder-mystery writer Agatha Christie was eighth, followed by horror writer Stephen King, who shares the honour with Rowling of being the only two living authors to appear in the top ten.
Beatrix Potter and CS Lewis, two other writers who have been read by millions of children, took ninth and tenth place.
The popularity of children's writers continues throughout the top 50, with the inclusion of former Children's Laureate Jacqueline Wilson and Cat in the Hat creator Dr Seuss. Blyton's creations were criticised as sexist and racist during the 1960s, but have recently fallen back into favour. She wrote 700 stories over her 40-year career, and eight million Blyton books are still sold worldwide every year.
Jeff Norton of Chorion, owners of the Enid Blyton estate, said: "Her storytelling is timeless and this result confirms that her books are still a firm favourite today. What makes Blyton so successful is her imaginative, exciting and magical style."
The survey of 2,000 adults was commissioned to mark the 2008 Costa Book Awards.
The full article contains 268 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
