Linda Kennedy: Left feeling my age as Five go for a makeover

'FIVE Go Off Message". It's the new story about the Famous Five, according to my generation. In it, Jo, Max, Allie and Dylan are the children of the original George, Julian, Anne and Dick. Their dog is still called Timmy. These sons, daughters and a pup of Five explore web links, not underground tunnels, drink ginger beer smoothies and eat potted Quorn sandwiches. Or something like that. Enid Blyton would never have written it, but Disney has.

At first, I thought it could have been worse. Today's era might have stamped even more of its culture on the 1940s stories. The new cartoon could have been called Celebrity Five, for a start. Kirrin Island would have a toll bridge to the mainland, w...