Shirley Hughes

Enid used many illustrators in her books. Discuss them here.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Here's David Tazzyman giving an art lesson!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7QSnucjE_c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looking at the right-hand column of related clips, I see that there are audiobooks of Mr. Gum. They're read by Kate Winslet, who also narrated audiobooks of Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree series.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Courtenay »

I'm surprised Quentin Blake and the estate of Roald Dahl haven't sued for breach of copyright... Mr Gum looks and sounds astonishingly like Mr Twit. :evil:
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

It makes me wonder what Enid Blyton and Eileen Soper would think of these new updated covers.

I think even todays children, won't be too keep on the Camp cover!!! :roll:

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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by John Pickup »

If a child of mine liked the Camp cover I would insist on an eye test pronto. :D
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Courtenay »

I'd insist on a psychiatric test. :shock:
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I am not so sure that you are right here with some of the posts above. Like it or not the Famous Five books are now probably being targeted at 8 year-olds and not the age group that Enid intended who have now moved on to the likes of Alex Rider. Both Andy Stanton's Mr Gum books illustrated by David Tazzyman and Francesca Simon's Horrid Henry books illustrated by Tony Ross were best-selling series and I think that the children who were weened on these books would be delighted to see some of their favourite illustrators appearing on the covers of Famous Five books - it might even pick up new readers!
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Daisy »

You're probably right Tony. If we love the books, we tend to like what we are first introduced to regarding illustrators. Look at the Soper v Maxey discussions we have had. I guess if other authors have book covers like this latest version, then it makes sense to the publishers to make the Fives books look similar. (I was going to say similarly appealing!) So, if the books reach a wider audience, we can only rejoice.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Courtenay »

I grew up on Roald Dahl books with Quentin Blake illustrations - which I loved for the most part - and yet I don't like Enid Blyton books with Quentin Blake covers. :| It's just the wrong style for the kind of book. Even a child can appreciate that, surely.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Moonraker »

Children need educating. They must learn that they can't always have what appeals to them.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Poppy »

Courtenay wrote:It's just the wrong style for the kind of book.
That is exactly it. I'd agree with those illustrations for a book like Mr Gum. They look a fun and quirky interpretation of those characters... but for the Famous Five? It just doesn't seem right.

But I do agree that the books will probably attract a new audience. But I wouldn't associate the Famous Five with the Mr Gum books or the Horrid Henry books so will they attract the correct audience?...

But I suppose we should just accept that illustrations from 70 odd years ago are not always going to appeal to children, nowadays - which is understandable. And if those covers are going to bring a new audience to the Famous Five, they can only be a good thing.
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by David Tazzyman »

Hi,

Thank you for all your comments! 8)
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Moonraker »

Welcome, David. I think your artwork is wonderful! :D
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Poppy »

Ditto. :D
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by David Tazzyman »

Moonraker wrote:Welcome, David. I think your artwork is wonderful! :D
Thank you Moonraker and Poppy. It has been my pleasure to draw a cover for one of my favourite series. 8)
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Re: Shirley Hughes

Post by Katharine »

I know these new covers are mostly down to personal preference (no prizes for guessing that I'm not keen on them), but what I can't understand is why a story like Five Go Off to Camp needs a cartoony cover? I don't know the Mr Gum books, but a quick Google tells me they are make believe books, however I've always felt that part of the appeal of the Famous Five books is that the children and plots are just about believable. There aren't any trips to magical lands or encounters with fairy folk in them. If I was picking up the new version of Five Go Off to Camp, and knew nothing of the story, I'd assume from the front cover that it was meant to be a jokey type story. Children with triangular shaped heads, impossibly placed eyes, and clown sized shoes aren't very believable.

I've just watched the clip of David Tazzyman at work, and found it very clever. However, I feel that style of drawing would be better suited to some of the characters found at the top of the Faraway Tree.

I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but I'd much rather look at Betty Maxey's illustrations, they were 'too modern' for my liking, but at least they look like real children. Still, as the text inside these books has been 'mucked about with', then I guess it doesn't matter what the covers look like. In my opinion, neither the covers nor the text are 'Enid Blyton' anyway, merely modern people's interpretations of a story she wrote many years ago.
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