I have been reading the Mister Meddle books to the kids and I still can't get over how strange the illustrations are. I have a 1952 newnes edition of Mister Meddles Muddles that I have had since the age of 6. I loved this book as a child but always thought that the illustrations were a little on the odd side and the kids also commented on how odd the pictures are. I was just wondering if they may be a contender for the wierdest illustrations of all the books.
Looking at the cave there are only the dustjacket covers available to look at so I have took some piccies from inside the two books I have, Mister Meddles Muddles and Merry Mister Meddle. It will be interesting to hear your comments.
I do have some more photos but photobucket is doing what it does best (ie being slow) so will post those later if you want more!
If I could live here on this secret island always and always and always, and never grow up at all, I would be quite happy
I agree that Rosalind Turvey's Mister Meddle illustrations are odd - a peculiar mixture of "spiky" and "balloony", very bold, with lots of curves and flourishes. The figures look more like dolls than fairy-folk to me. But then I grew up with the Dean & Son editions and I imagine Mister Meddle looking exactly as Rene Cloke drew him.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I'd only ever seen the Rene Cloke pictures, so that was certainly the definitive image I had in my mind. But it's just occurred to me that Enid said he was a Pixie - yet he didn't particularly resemble one at all! Apart from the pointed ears, he just looked like a tall, thin, twentysomething man with scruffy hair. But here on the other hand - certainly in the bottom picture - I could well believe Meddle was one of the Wee-Folk!
Stephen wrote:But here on the other hand - certainly in the bottom picture - I could well believe Meddle was one of the Wee-Folk!
The bottom picture isn't as strange as the others and, looking at the illustrations again, I wonder whether that has something to do with the fact that Meddle isn't wearing that long coat/tunic (if that's what it is) with the tall, stiff collar and matching cuffs. To me, it makes him look as though he's got a skirt on and the collar and cuffs make me think "Elizabethan".
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
