The Enid Blyton Society

I quite like the cover of the Christmas book in that I like Quentin Blake's artwork for its own sake - many of the books he illustrated (some of which he wrote) were favourites of mine as a child - but as I've said before, it just doesn't fit with Enid Blyton! However, it's still a happy, inviting sort of cover. I think that might be one Christmas gift on my list sorted too.

That Christmas book looks very nice if it hasn't been 'modernised' beyond recognition. One of my most treasured posessions is my childhood copy of 'The Christmas Book'. It's probably not worth very much despite being a first edition as It hasn't aged very well but I usually read it every Christmas and I love the depiction of the family Christmas and all their traditions. It is a little old fashioned though so I do wonder how it might fare amongst todays generation. Can't believe we're discussing Christmas in August mind you.

walter raleigh wrote: Can't believe we're discussing Christmas in August mind you.

Yes, we're late this year. We usually start in July.

I was tempted by a first edition of The Christmas Book in a bookshop yesterday before the shopkeep told me the price (£30) and then he dropped it and a large scuff appeared on the spine of the book and the pages became loose... But no... he wasn't going to reduce the price even though it was a near perfect copy when I first unearthed it!

Looks quite a nice book, I might get it for my daughter for Christmas.

Poppy, what a shame about that book.

John Pickup wrote:

walter raleigh wrote: Can't believe we're discussing Christmas in August mind you.

Yes, we're late this year. We usually start in July.

Katharine discusses Christmas all year through.

I have decided that it is about time that some of the early character books in the Cave had a makeover! Although I have got all the original illustrations in for most of the novels, none of the character books have any of their internal illustrations at present. Unfortunately I have discovered that this is a two day job, but as I have done my first day on Naughty Amelia Jane! I thought I would point it out. I appreciate that it may not interest anybody, but if I didn't say that I had done it (half so far!) nobody would even know that it was there and you would think that I am just idling my time away!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ia+Jane%21" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Next on my list will be The Adventures of Mr. Pink-Whistle and Mister Meddle's Mischief will follow this.

Your work in the Cave is always appreciated Tony. I don't think I have ever seen the original Sylvia Venus illustrations as my copy is a Dean. Lovely pictures and lots of treats to come, thank you.

Kate Mary wrote:Your work in the Cave is always appreciated Tony.

I agree wholeheartedly. I fully appreciate all the hard work you do to keep the Cave up to date, Tony.

Thanks, Tony. It's great to see the original Sylvia Venus illustrations - they capture the liveliness and mischievousness of the stories. I look forward to seeing more!

I like those Sylvia Venus illustrations, too. As if we would think you were sat idling in the cave, Tony. From what I've seen of it, you've done a sterling job.

Thanks for the encouragement, I will try to keep my nose to the grindstone. I can't think why I haven't ever put chapter headings in before, perhaps because they are not normally illustrated, but I think it helps with short stories as it means you can tell which stories the illustrations come from. I will continue to do this with with other books in the character section. When I finish with Sylvia Venus you will be getting Dorothy Wheeler with Mr P-W!

Lovely illustrations, Tony! I'd never seen the original Amelia Jane pictures before. Nor have I with Mr Pink-Whistle, so I'm looking forward to those (he was one of my favourites as a child).

I agree with Anita that the Sylvia Venus illustrations capture all the liveliness and mischievousness of the stories - I'm a bit baffled, though, as to why she has Amelia Jane looking completely different in the first few illustrations from how she looks in the later ones!

Compare these two...





with these two...





Honestly... you sure they're by the same illustrator, Tony, or did she just have an attack of Betty Maxey's Uncle Quentin shape-shifting syndrome (see http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... 90#p196552" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)??

I too noticed that Amelia Jane looks different in different stories. And her hair alters in quite a few places, sometimes looking dark (as Enid Blyton describes) and sometimes fair. The stories in Naughty Amelia Jane! were first published in Sunny Stories between January 1937 and April 1939, often with gaps of a few months between them. If the book used the magazine illustrations, the fact that the tales were illustrated at different times would explain the inconsistencies.

Another point is that Amelia Jane looks like a jointed doll of wood or some other hard material, rather than a rag doll.

Despite the anomalies, I find the pictures attractive and full of charm.

Charming pictures that are a great addition to the Cave Gallery.



Good to see the black guy isn't the villain.