The Enid Blyton Society

I've read the first two stories so far. I love the illustrations. The story about the scarecrow is similar to one in Betsy May.

Tony Summerfield wrote:Another full makeover from the Nursery Series for anyone who is interested.

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

Another delightful addition to the Cave. Thanks, Tony! Enid Blyton has a gift for conveying the everyday dramas of early childhood with commendable genuineness, and Tales of the Twins is very much in the same vein as the tales of Betsy-May and Billy-Bob. The scarecrow story reminded me of the Betsy-May one too, Katharine.

In 'The Twins and the Puppy' I was surprised at Johnny cutting a stick from the hedge in readiness to whip the playful puppy who spoilt the twins' new ball! Surely the owner is to blame for letting the dog out unsupervised! Johnny and Jinny change their attitude as the story progresses but it's hard to believe that Johnny was ever prepared to inflict pain on a puppy!

'The Parcel in the Gutter' is perhaps my favourite. Enjoying it to the full involves accepting an incredible coincidence, but it's all so fitting and heart-warming and "right" that I have no problem with it. I particularly like the fact that it ends with the children planning a game that makes use of both their new toys. I must admit I feel sorry for Mummy, who surely can't extract as much joy from a new pair of gloves. How sad to be a grown-up!

I was wrong about the ending of 'The Lost Jersey' as I thought Johnny was inadvertently going to attend the party wearing the jersey with the brooch attached to it. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he had. After all, this book was written in the days of "I'm a boy and boys don't wear brooches" and "Boys don't cry", to quote from two of the stories.

Lovely illustrations by Eileen Soper, especially the double page spread of the twins looking at the scarecrow with the robin and the rabbit.

Great stuff! Thanks,Tony. I love the Eileen Soper illustrations.

I've just read the next story about the lost parcel. I thought the ending was rather predictable, but typical Enid Blyton - ie a moral dilemma and everything turning out right in the end. The thing I find strange about stories like these are the ages of the children. The illustrations and the toys they play with suggest to me that they are about 5, and yet they are so worldly-wise and roam about freely. I'm not quite sure if it's poetic licence or a sign of the way things have changed.

I think they are fairly young, Katharine, probably about 6 or 7 though. I am sure that people realise it, but these are the same twins, Johnny and Jinny that feature in a few books in the Brockhampton Little Book Series, so there are several more short stories about them available.

I like the illustrations, nice to see full colour Eileen Soper ones.

I like the scarecrow story because of the paradox of the scarecrow supposedly being there to scare birds away, only for one to make a nest in its pocket. Those illustrations by Eileen Soper, particularly the colour ones, are stunning. Thanks, Tony.

Anita Bensoussane wrote:I must admit I feel sorry for Mummy, who surely can't extract as much joy from a new pair of gloves. How sad to be a grown-up!

I was wrong about the ending of 'The Lost Jersey' as I thought Johnny was inadvertently going to attend the party wearing the jersey with the brooch attached to it. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he had. After all, this book was written in the days of "I'm a boy and boys don't wear brooches" and "Boys don't cry", to quote from two of the stories.

I thought the same about the brooch Anita, but then when it was seen on Jinny's jumper, I guessed what had probably happened. I thought the gloves were a nice present, they were likely to be real fur, and probably a welcome luxury. As I sometimes receive cheap basic black wool (actually polyester) gloves for Christmas, to me fur gloves would make a wonderful present, although I don't know if I'd feel comfortable if they were genuine fur.

I've read the last story about Christmas and thought it a lovely little tale. It would be great to read that one to children of the appropriate age and see their reactions.

I'd love to own some of those books (well all of them actually), but the only one I ever saw in a book shop was rather expensive.

John Pickup wrote:I like the scarecrow story because of the paradox of the scarecrow supposedly being there to scare birds away, only for one to make a nest in its pocket. Those illustrations by Eileen Soper, particularly the colour ones, are stunning. Thanks, Tony.

Yes, I remember that story from the extended version of At Seaside Cottage (featuring other short stories as well as the original Peter and Janet story) that I had as a child. Lovely to see the original book with all its illustrations! They're beautiful, although it seems Eileen Soper was as clueless as Enid when it comes to the idea of boy and girl twins being identical... But then, Shakespeare made the same mistake.

I read a book recently that also featured identical mixed sex twins. I can't think what book it was in, but it definitely wasn't an Enid Blyton.

Lenoir wrote:I like the illustrations, nice to see full colour Eileen Soper ones.

Isn't it? Great additions to the Cave.

The illustrations are gorgeous - although I'm not quite such a big fan of Eileen Soper as everyone else on here! There are better illustrators in my opinion - but I do like her style a lot, especially when in full colour. It's just a pity that she herself rated illustrating for Enid Blyton so lowly!

I love the illustrations, and Mummy in all the stories looks like Aunt Fanny to me

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

The Three Sailors. New review by Terry Gustafson.

How pleasant to see 'Tales of the Twins' on this website.

A colourful treat with an excellent selection of Eileen Soper pictures showing 'symmetry,' 'bright faces,' 'spontaneity' - see that dog with the ball, 'surprise' - a nest in the scarecrow's pocket, and of course there has to be a Soper rabbit, not to mention something to do with Christmas. Johnny and Jinny definitely get around because, as Tony says, they also haunt some of those 'EB Little Books.'

There could be a host of Enid Blyton aficionados in various parts of the world who simply don't know of the Cave's existence.