Six in a Caravan - illustrated by Eileen Soper

[Mick]

While trawling through an Eileen Soper site I happened to notice a book she illustrated called "Six in a Caravan" by one Bridget Mackenzie. It looked so Famous Five like that I followed it up and bought a copy cheaply (because of the tatty cover). With the Soper illustrations it really does have that feel, although the children in the story are accompanied by two adults (the married older half-sister and her husband) and there is no real mystery to follow, however it does feature a very Blyton-like gypsy child whom the children befriend. It's a charming read, and the real mystery is that she doesn't seem to have written any other children's stories, or at least none that come up on Amazon or Abebooks.
I'd say it's worth seeking out if you can find one with a reasonable cover, and there are some available on the forementioned sites. What it showed me for the n-th time was how much satisfaction in a book comes from the illustrations that go wih the text, making this into a little gem.

[pete9012S]

Merged with an older thread.


Bridget Mackenzie - Six In A Caravan - illustrated by Eileen Soper

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Six-In-A-Car ... Sw0-5doeKg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyone got/read this?
It looks worth it just for the magnificent Eileen Soper illustrations!
I think Tony posted some pics a while ago but sadly photobucket no longer displays them.







The last picture of the rowing boat reminded me of George's boat. Is George's boat ever described as having two sets of oars? In my mind I can only remember one set, but as usual, I could be wrong!

[Lucky Star]

Frankly all of those characters faces remind me of the Famous Five. And yes the boat is virtually identical. Clearly Eileen decided not to change a winning formula.

[Katharine]

If I saw those pictures without any reference to the book, I'd assume they were unpublished Famous Five ones. I'd buy the book for the pictures alone, but sadly not at the price being asked.

[John Pickup]

I would assume they were Famous Five illustrations too. The one where the children are gathered around Mrs Shipton could be Julian, George and Anne without any doubt.

[Boatbuilder]

Just looking at the illustration above of the two girls in the rowing boat and the caption "The coast slipped farther and farther from their sight".

It seems as though Eileen Soper got the orientation of the boat all wrong. The coast can't be slipping farther from their sight when they appear to be rowing towards it.

[pete9012S]

I would assume they were Famous Five illustrations too. The one where the children are gathered around Mrs Shipton could be Julian, George and Anne without any doubt.

They are very Famous Five-ish aren't they John!

There is a copy on ebay with dustjacket currently for a much more reasonable price that is very tempting:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Six-In-A-Car ... SwDbBdi4GJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Description: 1948. 95 pages. White pictorial dust jacket over blue cloth. Pages are clean and bright with a firm binding. Endpapers and page edges are lightly tanned and foxed. Boards are a little rub worn with some slight shelf wear to corners, spine and edges. Corners are a little bumped and spine ends are a little crushed. With some tanning to spine and edges. Light wear to unclipped dust jacket with tears, nicks and creases to spine, edge and corners. With some tanning to spine and edges.

[pete9012S]

In 2010 Mick said:

While trawling through an Eileen Soper site I happened to notice a book she illustrated called "Six in a Caravan" by one Bridget Mackenzie. It looked so Famous Five like that I followed it up and bought a copy cheaply (because of the tatty cover). With the Soper illustrations it really does have that feel, although the children in the story are accompanied by two adults (the married older half-sister and her husband) and there is no real mystery to follow, however it does feature a very Blyton-like gypsy child whom the children befriend. It's a charming read, and the real mystery is that she doesn't seem to have written any other children's stories, or at least none that come up on Amazon or Abebooks.
I'd say it's worth seeking out if you can find one with a reasonable cover, and there are some available on the aforementioned sites. What it showed me for the n-th time was how much satisfaction in a book comes from the illustrations that go with the text, making this into a little gem.

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/for ... zie#p80639" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Mick's post and this thread have now been merged.)

[dsr]

Just looking at the illustration above of the two girls in the rowing boat and the caption "The coast slipped farther and farther from their sight".

It seems as though Eileen Soper got the orientation of the boat all wrong. The coast can't be slipping farther from their sight when they appear to be rowing towards it.

Unfortunately it can. I would assume that although they are trying to row towards it, the current is too strong and they are being carried away from it.

Though I haven't read the book so that may be a wrong interpretation of the picture.

[Boatbuilder]

Of course that could be the case, and if so then maybe the text should have said something like "Despite their efforts, the coast slipped farther and farther from sight as the boat was carried by the current".

[John Pickup]

Are you going to buy it, Pete? It doesn't look too bad a copy.

[pete9012S]

I'm very tempted John - the illustrations alone are making me want to snap it up!

[Tony Summerfield]

I have just bought something from worldofrarebooks which was pictured on Amazon with a very reasonable dw, but it arrived yesterday with no dw!!

I have bought a number of books from them on eBay and all have been the pictured book, but I guess this doesn't apply on Amazon, despite the fact that there was no description given of the book. I can't return it as at present we do not have an open post office here!

[pete9012S]

Drat! I do sympathise with that Tony.

I find amazon can deliver really quick but don't always list the details you need.
Ebay are slower - for me anyway - but if I query the description I usually get a refund if it is incorrect when received.

I do hate ebay's practise of posting 'generic' pictures of a book though and then sending any old version they can grab from their stocks!