1952 Enid Blyton Omnibus

[Sue Sims]

Hi everyone - I'm new to this forum, but hope that one of you expert people can help me.

I'm one of the authors of The Encyclopaedia of Girls' School Stories, which we're currently revising and updating for a second edition. One of the things we're adding to the Blyton entry is the novella she wrote for the 1952 Omnibus, Here's the Naughtiest Girl - but I can't identify the illustrator. When it was published as a separate book in 1997, it was illustrated by Max Schindler, but he definitely didn't do the original pictures.

The problem is that the Omnibus has five stories and lists on the title page five illustrators - but it doesn't say who illustrated what. The stories are connected to these series:

The Adventurous Four
The Wishing-Chair
Circus Adventures
The Faraway Tree
The Naughtiest Girl

The illustrators listed are:

Jessie Land
HIlda McGavin
E.H. Davie
Dorothy M. Wheeler
'Kay'

Does anyone here either have the book and recognise the style of the Naughtiest Girl illustrations - or have other sources of information that might help? (The original Naughtiest Girl drawings were by Lindsay Cable, but that doesn't help here, of course.)

Many thanks to anyone who can suggest something here!

Sue

[Kate Mary]

Hallo there Sue,

Welcome to the Enid Blyton Society forums. I've long wanted a copy of The Encyclopedia of Girls' School Stories and I'm so happy that Girls Gone By are reprinting it, I shall certainly buy a copy.

I'm not an expert by any means but I have a copy of Enid Blyton's Omnibus and have just had a look at it. I think the illustrator of the Naughtiest Girl story is 'Kay', I'm not familiar with this artist's work but I arrived at that decision by a process of elimination, it is certainly not the other four illustrators. I think the artists listed on the title page are in the same order as the stories. Examples of Jessie Land, Hilda McGavin, E H Davie and Dorothy M. Wheeler's work are in the Cave for comparison. Perhaps Tony, our authority on all things Blyton, can confirm.

Kate

[Boatbuilder]

Welcome, Sue Sims.

This page in the main society Cave of Books may give you the information you may need.

It looks like the name you are after is Bruno Kay, although only listed as 'Kay' in the book.

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/boo ... Omnibus%21" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kate Mary]

Whilst I was writing my post, I had a niggling feeling that I had seen Kay's work somewhere else and light has just dawned. I think 'Kay' was Peter Kay who drew the picture strip "Susan of St Bride's" for Girl comic in the 1950s. I don't have any of the comics but I've got several of the annuals and have compared the illustrations. Bruno Kay is a good suggestion too his pictures are also in the Cave so you can check, but my money is on Peter Kay.

[Boatbuilder]

Kate Mary,

According to the Cave, it is Bruno Kay - see the link I posted in my earlier post.

However, after a little digging, your Peter Kay and Bruno Kay seem to be one of the same person. Peter Kay was born Bruno Kleinzeller.

http://girlscomicsofyesterday.com/2018/ ... kay-bruno/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Daisy]

That's a good bit of sleuthing John! Hope that helps you Sue. Greetings - it's good to see you here. I use my copy of the Encyclopedia from time to time and very useful it is too. You know me as Ilsa.

[Kate Mary]

This is interesting John, thanks for the link. I was relying on my memory, which is not as good as it once was. I do remember however the Zanna stories from June and School Friend, fascinating stuff.

[Boatbuilder]

That's a good bit of sleuthing John!

The skill comes from reading the various EB books like FF, SS and FFO, Daisy.

[Sue Sims]

Many thanks, everyone, for all your help. And yes, I hope you'll all buy the revised Encyclopaedia when it's published!