Enid Blyton recommends....
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Enid Blyton recommends....
I'm working on a journal article at the moment based on a rare pamphlet by Enid Blyton. In it she recommends some 'first-class' writers for children from among her contemporaries. She gives eight names, but there are actually ten writers (that's a clue). Is anyone brave enough to hazard a guess? An obvious winner will be someone who has come across this list. She adds, 'These are not all - ask your young friends' so there are no 'wrong' answers but of course there are eight correct names.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Ok I will have a go but I don’t expect I’ll get one right!
Rosemary sutcliffe
Malcolm saville
Geoffrey trease (?sp)
Richmal crompton
Capt. Marryat (not a contemporary but probably in print still at the time)
George Mac Donald Fraser (only because I know EB liked him)
Have run out of inspiration now.
Rosemary sutcliffe
Malcolm saville
Geoffrey trease (?sp)
Richmal crompton
Capt. Marryat (not a contemporary but probably in print still at the time)
George Mac Donald Fraser (only because I know EB liked him)
Have run out of inspiration now.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
You did get one right Susie - Malcolm Saville. (There is one writer listed who is on record as being a bit dismissive of Enid Blyton, but none on the list are as critical as Geoffrey Trease who is not listed.) Two other clues - all were living at the time she wrote the list and all wrote for young people, not adults.
One down, seven to go!
One down, seven to go!
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
John Pudney?
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
My first instinct was Rosemary Sutcliffe - but not quite a contemporary, first published in 1950, followed by The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. Probably my bias, I loved all her books and still read them.
A.A. Milne
J.M. Barrie
P.L. Travers
Roald Dahl
Arthur Ransome
Noel Streatfield
A.A. Milne
J.M. Barrie
P.L. Travers
Roald Dahl
Arthur Ransome
Noel Streatfield
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Eleanor Farjeon - but I think they were deadly rivals
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
I can already see some great lists of writers coming out of this topic. Sorry Pete, but not John Pudney. On the other hand Jomo (welcome fellow Aussie) you've added another correct answer - and, coincidentally, you've mis-spelt her name exactly as it is mis-spelt in the original article! Noel Streatfeild. (I remember how to spell her name by saying to myself 'two spelling errors'). As for Rosemary Sutcliff, no, Enid does not list her, but had I been asked as a child she was definitely one of my favourites.
Two down six to go.
Two down six to go.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Percy Westerman
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
C.S. Lewis
Philippa Pearce - possibly too late - What year was EB’s list made?
Philippa Pearce - possibly too late - What year was EB’s list made?
“To grow up in intimate association with nature – animal and vegetable – is an irreplaceable form of wealth and culture.”
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
No more 'hits' I'm afraid to say.
I'm not sure of the date but I'd say probably 1950s.
Of the remaining six there's only one whom I consider very obvious, although I and a lot of other girls especially read three or four others on the list avidly. (Think ponies.)
I'm not sure of the date but I'd say probably 1950s.
Of the remaining six there's only one whom I consider very obvious, although I and a lot of other girls especially read three or four others on the list avidly. (Think ponies.)
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Monica Edwards!
My older sister was addicted to a series of books ‘Kit Hunter, Show Jumper’ that I see were by Peter Grey. But I doubt they would have made the EB list.
I tried reading one, but was too bored to finish it.
My older sister was addicted to a series of books ‘Kit Hunter, Show Jumper’ that I see were by Peter Grey. But I doubt they would have made the EB list.
I tried reading one, but was too bored to finish it.
“To grow up in intimate association with nature – animal and vegetable – is an irreplaceable form of wealth and culture.”
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
The pamphlet sounds interesting, Judith. From your clue, I'll guess that one recommendation might have beenJudith Crabb wrote: ↑20 Jan 2022, 23:03 I'm working on a journal article at the moment based on a rare pamphlet by Enid Blyton. In it she recommends some 'first-class' writers for children from among her contemporaries. She gives eight names, but there are actually ten writers (that's a clue).
The Pullein-Thompson sisters (Diana, Josephine and Christine). My sister and I read some of their pony books as children.
Other guesses:
Stephen Mogridge
Kathleen Fidler
Hilda Boden
W. E. Johns
I once read the first few titles in Geoffrey Trease's Bannerdale series and they weren't a patch on Enid Blyton. They were somewhat imitative of Arthur Ransome and Malcolm Saville, but with all the excitement sucked out!Judith Crabb wrote: ↑21 Jan 2022, 01:40...none on the list are as critical as Geoffrey Trease who is not listed.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Yes, Jomo, Monica Edwards, a favourite of mine is on the list. And Anita, you have added two names and four writers. W.E. Johns was the writer I thought might be obvious and the Pullein-Thompson sisters were popular for their pony stories.
Which leaves three missing names. None are obvious so I'll give a couple more clues. One, who wrote adventure stories under a pseudonym, was the son of a prominent publisher and was tired of living under his father's shadow. The other, I realise, did write adult novels (detective) but was also a writer of pony stories and the mother of the Pullein-Thompsons.
Which leaves three missing names. None are obvious so I'll give a couple more clues. One, who wrote adventure stories under a pseudonym, was the son of a prominent publisher and was tired of living under his father's shadow. The other, I realise, did write adult novels (detective) but was also a writer of pony stories and the mother of the Pullein-Thompsons.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
Joanna Cannan of course, I can't think of the other one but how about;
Freda Hurt
Jane Shaw
Mary Norton
Anyway I'll look forward to reading your article Judith.
Freda Hurt
Jane Shaw
Mary Norton
Anyway I'll look forward to reading your article Judith.
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Re: Enid Blyton recommends....
I thought of W E Johns, and ‘Biggles’ but discounted it as a favourite of EB’s, though I know they both topped the list of children’s favourites.
Biggles was a favourite of my fathers, prior to that Richmal Cromptom’s William series, which I didn’t discover until I was 9 or 10. Dad was most disparaging as he’d moved on from William by the age of 7.
Biggles was a favourite of my fathers, prior to that Richmal Cromptom’s William series, which I didn’t discover until I was 9 or 10. Dad was most disparaging as he’d moved on from William by the age of 7.
“To grow up in intimate association with nature – animal and vegetable – is an irreplaceable form of wealth and culture.”
~Miles Franklin, Childhood At Brindabella: My First Ten Years
~Miles Franklin, Childhood At Brindabella: My First Ten Years