Along with 'The Secret Island', also by Enid Blyton, this was my most treasured book as a child. Benjy, Penny, Rory and Sheila are sent away to their aunt and uncle for the Summer to live and work on their farm. Weeks of sunshine and freedom ensue, during which the children hear tell of and come across a gentle man named Tammylan, who lives in a treehouse in the middle of the woods and spends his time learning to communicate with and care for the animals who live around him. As the children get to know him, he shares his knowledge and passion with them, and they have a wonderful holiday, falling in love with life on the farm and in the woods, and learning all sorts about wildlife. Enid Blyton weaves through the story her own passion for nature (among her countless publications were some gorgeous educational books on the nature of the united kingdom which you can hunt down secondhand, but are no longer in print), as well as, characteristically, bringing to life the dreams of every child; the gift of a pet squirrel, looking after chickens, nights in a treehouse, and endless supplies of cakes and pies and homemade lemonade!