The Cherrys by Will Scott

[Moonraker]

Maybe you should start a Cherrys Yahoo Group, Aurélien!

[Aurélien]

Moonraker suggested:

Maybe you should start a Cherrys Yahoo Group, Aurélien!

Hmmm *giving it careful thought* well, I've already posted 95% of what I wanted to post on this thread, and it's so convenient switching from here to the proper EB boards.

Also, if you consider the number of active posters at this site as a ratio of the total number of EB book titles, just how many active posters would there likely be for a single 14-book series written by an author with a much lower profile?

But I'll keep your suggestion in mind, Moonraker. Maybe Lenoir might wish to add his thoughts here.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

[Lenoir]

I’m not quite sure how a yahoo group works.
I wonder how many people would join such a group. Judging by the prices these books go for on the Internet, they are either very rare or there is a great demand for them!

It has taken me 21 years to collect 6 of these books so I have to say they are rare.
My first one in 1987, three in 1990 (a good year for cherries!), 1 in 2000, and 1 in 2001. All very reasonably priced too.

[Aurélien]

Lenoir wrote:

Judging by the prices these books go for on the Internet, they are either very rare or there is a great demand for them!

I'd like to know the answer, Lenoir. Perhaps it's a bit of both.

Edit:
The demand which is driving web-prices of the 'Cherrys' books through the roof may well be coming from a wider group than just those of us who read the books as kids. Could be that some of our lot went on to do such a great sales job when reading the books to their own youngsters that we now have competition from young adults wanting to buy their own copies.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

[Lenoir]

The first edition map of Market Cray, as provided by Aurélien.
Note "Old Thatch", "Raven's wood"!
River House is opposite Treasure Island.

MarketCray

It didn't come out as well as I thought it would. However, after it has loaded in a new window, if you left-click once on it, it should be magnified and then be more readable.

[Moonraker]

[Aurélien]

Thanks for uploading that early 'Market Cray' map and putting a link to it on this page, Lenoir. Your enlarging instructions,

if you left-click once on it, it should be magnified and then be more readable

, worked for me, and I need glasses for all printed matter.

As for our fan-mail, at least it's entertaining one of my off-site 'Cherrys'-reading friends. And, the stage after desperate denial is....conversion.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

[Moonraker]

As for our fan-mail, at least it's entertaining one of my off-site 'Cherrys'-reading friends. And, the stage after desperate denial is....conversion.

Conversion is close at hand...

[Aurélien]

Two conspirators, meeting under a wintry Wiltshire Moon:

• "Psst, Aurélien, do you think that Moonraker will stay safely out of the way?"
  "No problem, Lenoir, looks like our smuggler friend will be raking up those brandy barrels all night."

..... ..... .....

Old Aurélien finally signed up at Photobucket, so here goes for the dust-jacket of Will Scott's famous "The Cherrys and the Double Arrow ".....here.

[Aurélien]

*Old Aurélien muses to himself: Nary a sign of that Wiltshire rum-runner...is it possible that we've got him, er snookered, Lenoir?*

And what did the Cherrys look like, I hear you ask. Well, the previous post shows Jimmy and Roy Cherry up in a tree [the tallest tree in Raven's Wood, for those who want to go back to the map link Lenoir posted above], spying out the land, with half of the 'gang' standing below said tree. The plump, white-haired chap below is Mr Wilks, who is missing from the group picture here. [Also missing are: young Sally Wilks, Mrs Wilks, Betty Pringle and the adult Pringles, but who needs 'em, except to tote the picnic 'bang-kwit' along?]

That pesky but feisty annoyance,‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’.

[Ming]

Is Joseph the parrot?

[Aurélien]

Is Joseph the parrot?

Correct, Ming. And Mr. Watson is their monkey.

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

[Moonraker]

I have now read the first book of the series, and found it better than I expected. I wasn't so keen on the early episodic chapters, and frankly found the involvement of parents rather disconcerting. Maybe that is because I am used to a diet of parents being got out of the way!

Ah well, back to pond-raking...

[Moonraker]

*Old Aurélien muses to himself: Nary a sign of that Wiltshire rum-runner...is it possible that we've got him, er snookered, Lenoir?*

Speaking of snookered, my sons and I spent a great day at The Masters, last Friday. Can you spot us from this tv shot??

[Aurélien]

Moonraker asked:

Can you spot us from this tv shot??

Not sure, as the picture is rather dim, but to the far right (halfway up) there's a pair of ears that sort of look a little familiar....

Yes, the involvement of the 'Bigs' in Scott's 'Cherrys' series is definitely off-putting to a Blytonian enthusiast, but good on you, pal, for reading one of them.

Of course, "THE CHERRYS AND THE DOUBLE ARROW" is the best.....especially it's fun to read aloud to kids. So, when your first grand-child arrives you'll have about 6 years to find a copy, though you could always start the search before that.....

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’