Website Additions

[Tony Summerfield]

Here's another short story book for you to look out for - a chunky hardback this time and it comes out in October. Finding the original source of all the stories takes a while!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... l+Treasury" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Moonraker]

Very interesting. It is worth noting that The Dog Went to Fairlyland hasn't been changed to Wonderland. However, I note there is now no Fanny in Fairlyland.

[Courtenay]

I quite like that cover - a nice change from all these scribbly cartoony ones! It's modern-looking enough to appeal to children, yet with a bit of a classic feel about it and a real sense of atmosphere and mysteriousness.

Very interesting. It is worth noting that The Dog Went to Fairlyland hasn't been changed to Wonderland.

Hmpf, what is this? So dogs can go to Fairyland nowadays but puppies can't??

[Wolfgang]

Here's another short story book for you to look out for - a chunky hardback this time and it comes out in October. Finding the original source of all the stories takes a while!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... l+Treasury" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Checking out the series of Treasury books makes me wonder why "Enid Blyton's trasury" from 1949 isn't included, but I suppose you have a good reason for that, Tony .

[Rob Houghton]

I see it was called 'Staying With Auntie Sue' even in 1956 in the 11th Holiday Book!

[Courtenay]

Oh, that's interesting, Robert. I was thinking that "Staying with Auntie Sue" wasn't a very Blytonesque-sounding title, but she obviously approved it if it was used for the re-publication of that story during her lifetime! Perhaps even then, publishers thought that the idea of a "spoilt little girl" sounded like she had been irreparably damaged rather than over-indulged?

[Tony Summerfield]

Very interesting. It is worth noting that The Dog Went to Fairlyland hasn't been changed to Wonderland. However, I note there is now no Fanny in Fairlyland.

I feel that you re trying to imply that this is a modern pc decision to change the title of 'Fanny in Fairyland', Nigel, but it was actually changed to 'The Search for Giant Osta' when it originally appeared in book form in The Enid Blyton Book of Fairies which was published in 1924, 91 years ago!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Interesting to see some of the changes to the titles, which Tony has noted in the Cave:

Lazy Lenny [Lazy Leonard]
Was that done by the same people who changed Jill and Mary to Pippa and Zoe?

Staying with Auntie Sue [The Spoilt Little Girl]
I'm guessing "spoilt" is no longer commonly used in the sense that Enid used it, i.e. over-indulged with treats and privileges. But still, it seems a bit odd to have such a complete change of title to something that doesn't even resemble the original!

A Puppy in Wonderland [A Puppy in Fairyland]
Now I'm wondering whether this is a genuine case of political correctness gone haywire - surely "fairy" hasn't been as completely taken over by the alternative meaning as "gay" and "queer" have?? (And will the many fairies in Enid's stories have to be changed into something else now?) Nothing so wrong with "Wonderland", mind you, except that it sounds like a place where you'd be more likely to find Alice than a puppy...

The stories had their titles changed a long time ago by various publishers, as recorded in the Cave.

Looking at Holiday Stories, the title 'Staying with Auntie Sue' was first used in The Eleventh Holiday Book in 1956, 'A Puppy in Wonderland' was used in A Puppy in Wonderland and Other Tales in 1986 and 'Lazy Lenny' was used in The Flyaway Cottage and other Stories in 1993.

Looking at Magical Treasury, the titles 'The Little Walking House' and 'The Little Singing Kettle' were first used in The Red Pixie Book in 1934 and 'The Search for Giant Osta' was used in The Enid Blyton Book of Fairies as long ago as 1924.

Edit: Sorry - the forums didn't tell me there had been other posts while I was posting!

[Tony Summerfield]

I guess that I also should point out that A Puppy in Wonderland had its title changed as it was released in a series of four books, one of which was A Cat in Fairyland and it was fairly obvious that Hutchinson (not Poppy!) didn't want to use the word 'Fairyland' in two titles.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/sear ... hutchinson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Courtenay]

Right, so cats can go to Fairyland too but puppies still can't.

Seriously, though, Tony, I'm relieved to know there was a good reason (not just extremist PC) behind why it was changed after all.

[Rob Houghton]

Edit: Sorry - the forums didn't tell me there had been other posts while I was posting!

I see the times of the postings are all wrong, too, as my initial comment was supposedly made at 5:39 and I wasn't even near a computer at that point! Maybe the forums are feeling lazy today with the summer weather!

[Tony Summerfield]

One of these title changes is quite interesting as Enid made a mess of things as she records in a workbook that I have.

[Anita Bensoussane]

That's very interesting, Tony.

I see the times of the postings are all wrong, too, as my initial comment was supposedly made at 5:39 and I wasn't even near a computer at that point!

Have you got "British Summer Time" selected in your settings, Robert? On my computer it says your initial post was made at 6.39.

Here's another short story book for you to look out for - a chunky hardback this time and it comes out in October. Finding the original source of all the stories takes a while!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... l+Treasury" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Checking out the series of Treasury books makes me wonder why "Enid Blyton's trasury" from 1949 isn't included, but I suppose you have a good reason for that, Tony .

Enid Blyton's Treasury isn't from the same set. The Treasury series to which Magical Treasury belongs is a more recent set of books, all published by Hodder.

I quite like that cover [of Magical Treasury] - a nice change from all these scribbly cartoony ones! It's modern-looking enough to appeal to children, yet with a bit of a classic feel about it and a real sense of atmosphere and mysteriousness.

I agree that it's quite an attractive cover.

[Rob Houghton]

I see the times of the postings are all wrong, too, as my initial comment was supposedly made at 5:39 and I wasn't even near a computer at that point!

Have you got "British Summer Time" selected in your settings, Robert? On my computer it says your initial post was made at 6.39.

Thanks Anita! I've now altered it and back to the right time! I did think it was probably something to do with BST but I've never noticed the times were wrong previously, and feel sure I would have done so if they'd always been like that, as I often look to see what time someone posted a reply. Maybe something 'unchecked' itself!

[Anita Bensoussane]

The world of computers is full of inexplicable things - or that's how it seems to me, anyway!