http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/maga ... ?magid=899
Here's this week's magazine, just arrived with a few Christmas cards!
As always its a great issue, with two uncollected short stories - follow the link above to read them, thanks to Tony.
The cover illustration is from the first story, all about Mr Pink-Whistle -
Mr Pink-Whistle Is Rather Funny! Look for it in
Mr Pink-Whistle's Big Book (1958). As I have the Big Book, I'm sure I'd read this before, but I don't recall it. Although I love Mr Pink-Whistle stories, he isn't my favourite, and I find many of his stories have very, very similar themes, so its easy to confuse them! The illustration is, of course, by Dorothy Wheeler, and adds a real touch of class to this issue!
In the
Editorial this time around, Enid tells us of all the 'many many new readers' the Enid Blyton Magazine has gained, due to
Playways Magazine closing down. A sad time for Playways readers, but Enid has encouraged those readers to buy her magazine instead (sneaky marketing ploy!) She hopes she will soon get letters from
'my old Playways readers telling me how they like this one - and hope they will soon be wearing one of our badges!'
Enid also gives us news of her two stage plays,
Noddy In Toyland and
The Famous Five - and tells us she's had many letters from boys and girls who will be going to see one or the other or sometimes both! Enid hopes she will be there in person when these children go to see the plays, but warns them
'you can wave to me - but you must not come to find me, as the passages may get blocked, and then the fireman, who has to keep them clear, gets very cross' - its easy to underestimate just how popular Enid was back in the 1950s - so much so that her fans could cause a fire hazard!
Enid also tells us all about the
Famous Five film many children have written from all across the world asking if the film will be shown in their countries - Ceylon, Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Pakistan - and Enid is pleased to announce that - yes - the film will be shown in all of these countries. She reminds children to wear their badges so that they can recognise each other in the cinema.
It also seems that Noddy is about to premiere on Australian TV - in a new Noddy programme. 1956 was obviously a busy time for our favourite nodding man - as he is not only on stage in London, but also on TV in Britain and Australia, and standing in '
many big stores, nodding his head and holding out his hand for a generous penny or two - to help our various clubs, especially of course our little Children's Home here, where I live Noddy has also been chosen to appear as Christmas decorations on the walls of
many, many hospitals this Christmas. Enid tells us
I am so pleased to think he will be smiling down at boys and girls lying ill in hospital on Christmas Day. Good little Noddy! Lastly, in view of all our talk on the EB forums about writing Christmas cards and the 'stress' of planning for the Big Day - Enid signs off by saying
Happy days to you in your own Christmas plans and preparations! Christmas Day will be fun - but all the 'getting ready' days are fun too, aren't they!
Next, we have the cover story about Mr Pink-Whistle - and following on from Mr PW we have the next chapter of
Secret Seven Mystery - chapter five - which is an interesting chapter because its called '
Pam And Barbara Are Busy' - one of the few times these two girls are really involved in a Secret Seven mystery - although admittedly they seem only to take part in this episode so they can be foolishly tricked by Susie!
Next -
Puzzle Page with all the usual prize-winning puzzles. Signed books to be won by all winners. Its quite surprising that there are few signed EB books for sale these days, as she seemed to have sent out an awful lot of them - maybe they are all waiting to be discovered in people's lofts! In the Sunbeams puzzle, Enid asks us to sort out the ingredients '
Mummy will put into her Christmas puddings this year - TUNS, STRRCUAN, NSAIRIS, and RULFO
A Surprise For Henry is a really nice satisfying 'bully's revenge' story, uncollected, but now showing in The Cave. Its illustrated by one of my favourite EB artists - Marjorie Davies, with her usual lightness of touch, and its an entertaining little story, all about a bully, Henry, and how he gets his comeuppance. As my dad is named Henry (or usually called Harry) I often joke how baddies and bullies and villains were often named Henry or Harry in books and films of the 1940's and 1950's - including of course, many 'bad' EB characters. I wonder why 'Henry' got such a reputation?!
Next, after an advert for
A Dumpy Book - at 3s 6d each -
a present for an elder brother - if he likes SHIPS - buy him SHIPS AND THE SEA - If he likes TRAINS buy him RAILWAYS OF THE WORLD and if he likes AEROPLANES buy him AIRCRAFT AND THE AIR (what a daft title!!) we have the latest instalment of
Noddy Went Too Fast - and I'm sure Anita is interested to hear what happens to Little Noddy
this week! Yes, Anita - Little Noddy tries hard to get into his Little House For One, which has been taken over by the nasty clockwork man Mr Tinny - Gilbert Golly proves little help, so they call on Mr Plod, and make an official complaint! I bet you can't wait for the next instalment, Anita!
Next - Chapter 15 of
Five Go To Billycock Hill - More News - and a Night Trip. We all know this story...and if you don't, then I won't spoil it too much by going into details. In this chapter mainly concerns listening to the radio to hear news of the aeroplane thieves.
Next we have an advert for a
Special Christmas Offer for the
Famous Five Sweaters and Windcheaters - 5/- per garment reduction on all orders received by December 29th Usually the sweaters are 27 shillings and 9 pence, 29 shillings and 9 pence for a zip front, or a little less for a polo neck. They come in yellow, with a brown badge, or flannel grey with a red badge.
Another advert follows, suggesting children pester their parents for some 'must have' essentials -
Children! Have you included ENID BLYTON'S MAGAZINE ANNUAL NO 3 and HOLIDAY HOUSE in your Christmas list? If not - perhaps you better had!
In The Toyshop Window is another charming uncollected tale - not too long, but it has a lovely period feel to it - a village feel - when life was simpler and toys were simpler too! I really enjoyed it - and it can now be read in The Cave following the link above. Its a typical 'one good turn deserves another' story, and maybe a little predictable - but still very enjoyable.
Following on from this story is the usual
Some Things To Look For feature, which can also be seen in The Cave. Enid asks us to save our mistletoe after Christmas and put it out on the bird table, so we might spot the Missel-Thrush coming for a feed - and also to go into a barn and look for some bats, hanging upside down! I was surprised by the word 'Missel-Thrush' as I had presumed it would be spelled the same way as 'Mistletoe' rather than 'Missel'. This must be the original spelling, as nowadays it is more often 'Mistle Thrush'.
Our Letters Page has the usual collection of interesting and prize-winning letters - and this time its good to see that a little boy is one of the writers (most of the letters seemed to be written by girls!). Paul Davis gets Enid Blyton's seal of approval for making calendars instead of buying Christmas Presents. It sounds rather involved - sticking a picture onto a thin piece of wood, waiting for it to dry, cutting around the picture with a fret-saw, and sticking the cut out picture onto another piece of wood, painting the background, and sticking a calendar on the bottom.
A little girl called Josephine Whittley tells us how, on a pack holiday with the Brownies, they went to Langton Matravers and to Corfe Castle. She writes -
While we were there we went to Corfe Castle and saw part of your film 'Five On A Treasure Island' being made. Timmy the dog was funny sometimes, when he wouldn't do his part properly, and the camera men had to be very patient with him. I'm looking forward to seeing the film when it is ready.'
Next, some more adverts - for
Noddy Picture Lotto - at 3 and 6 for
a Cowboy Suit - only 16 and 11 and for every parent's nightmare - a
Jazz Set - which comprises a drum kit, triangle, cymbal etc - I'm sure that was a present that went down well on Christmas Day, lol!
Lastly, in
Our News-Sheet Enid tells us how the children in her children's home are all having a special Christmas treat - going to see Noddy In Toyland at the theatre. She also tells us how the Busy Bees helped a poor swan who was rescued from Cardiff docks, covered in oil, and how the swan was nursed back to health. This came about because the Busy Bees have a van, whose maintenance is helped by the membership fees of people joining the Busy Bees, so Enid is very pleased to report how successfully the swan was able to be nursed back to health and then released in a local park.
Enid also tells us -
I am very pleased to report to you that our little spastic centre is one of the happiest places in London! It was especially happy one day when someone sent us a CAKE. I have put the CAKE into capital letters because it was such a BIG CAKE. It took two men to carry it in, and it was almost as big as the table it was put on! I wish you had seen it. We do get some generous presents, I must say. We have an aquarium and one of the fishes, called George, puts his mouth out of the water when he is hungry and takes food from our fingers. This is a great thrill, as you can imagine.
On the back cover is the usual advert for the
Enid Blyton Diary 1957 - and a list of prize competitions that can be won by entering the competitions in this year's diary - you can win
A bicycle or £10, a portable radio or £10, a camera or £5 and a watch or £5 - or book tokens valued at 50 shillings, or one of the many consolation prizes of books, as well as hand-writing prizes of a fountain pen or £3 No wonder the diaries were popular and often sold out!
Right! I could do with a nice new bicycle!