Island of Adventure 'retro' hardback edition 2014

[kikifan]

I also guessed that the one illustration to be taken out would be the magnificent and terrifying illustration showing Jo-Jo brandishing the rope.

Yes that's the one but all other illustrations clearly show Jo-Jo as a black man.

[Anita Bensoussane]

In the "About the author" section at the end of this edition of The Island of Adventure there are two quotes from Enid Blyton. They were taken from correspondence between her and the publisher Macmillan. They speak for themselves.
"Let's get a tip-top artist, one who can really make the characters live"
"Mr Tresilian has made the book twice as good with his interpretation of the characters, especially the parrot."

Those are lovely quotations. It's good to know that Enid thought so highly of Stuart Tresilian's artwork, which suits the stories perfectly in my opinion.

The book sounds like a quality publication, being a hardback edition with all (or almost all!) the original illustrations, an "About the Author" section and a foreword by Cressida Cowell. With all that going for it, it's rather sad that the text is edited. As Kiki might say, "What a pity!"

[Courtenay]

As Kiki might say, "What a pity!"

I'm rather hoping she would have one of her mixed-up moments and say something like "Wipe your feet, blow your nose, God save Enid, blow the editors!"

[Francis]

The cover does not have the magic of the wonderful wraparound illustrations by Stuart Tresilian - it helped to sell the book. Otherwise it is good to know that most of the original illustrations are included.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Even though the book doesn't have a vibrant dustwrapper, I like the fact that some of Stuart Tresilian's internal illustrations have been used to create the cover. That "wallpaper pattern" type of design suits classic books, I think.

[Courtenay]

That "wallpaper pattern" type of design suits classic books, I think.

It is reminiscent of how book covers (dust wrappers and/or cloth boards) were sometimes illustrated in the 1940s/'50s and earlier. Here's the front cloth board design from one of the early Secret Seven books:



(We had that one at home when I was little (sans dust wrapper). I should have thought to look for it when I was there last month and see if it was a first edition!! )

And some Arthur Ransome covers (1930s) for comparison:





As I said, I don't mind the classic look, but I would still rather have Tresilian's own cover designs in living colour!

[Fiona1986]

I don't mind the cover too much, it reminds me of the fancy Penguin Classics range. I still prefer the original boards or the Tresilian dust jacket though.

[Rob Houghton]

I really don't mind the new cover, after all, its a new edition and so I guess a dustwrapper would be asking too much of the publishers! . What I object to more is the altered content.

[Courtenay]

I really don't mind the new cover, after all, its a new edition and so I guess a dustwrapper would be asking too much of the publishers! . What I object to more is the altered content.

Me too, Robert, me too. And of course Tresilian's own original boards have a real beauty to them as well:



But I'd trade all that, and even the illustrations (no, seriously), if only they would keep these books in print as Enid actually wrote them!!

[Rob Houghton]

I agree about the original Tresilian board designs - wonderful. I am pleased I have a full set of dustwrapper adventure books (though none are first editions!) but even without dustwrapper the original books still look great. There aren't many books except the original secret seven books as pictured higher up this thread, that look 'special' even without the wrapper, but the adventure series originals seem to be a real classy production, even down to the contents pages, which originally covered two or three sides. I always think these books had an expensive look to them.

[Carlotta King]

And some Arthur Ransome covers (1930s) for comparison:

If this new copy of Island has to have a 'classic' look about the cover, I would have preferred it to be a little more 'unsymmetrical' and scrapbook-y like the Ransome cover above.

The Island cover as it is, is far too utilitarian and looks rather odd with the repetition of the same little picture.

I get that they might want to go for this look because it is reminscent of the old covers, but it would be a lot more appealing if they had several different little pictures on the cover and perhaps not so perfectly aligned, I think it would look lovely with several of Tresilian's iconic and atmospheric sketches dotted around on the cover (like the Ransome one).

The style would still be the classic look, but just a bit more evocative.

The way it looks now looks like someone has printed out a sheet of clip-art images, the same image repeated, and used it as a cover.

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Adventur ... 384&sr=1-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looking again at Tony's Amazon link, the book is part of a set of "Macmillan Classics" which all have similar covers. It includes The Jungle Book, Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, etc. But you'd think that having the classic text would be the most essential part of a classic!

[Rob Houghton]

Quite! I wonder if The Jungle Book or Alice in Wonderland have altered texts?! I bet Alice hasn't been renamed Toyah and presumably Mowgli still wears a loincloth or is he now in jeans and a t shirt?

[Anita Bensoussane]

I imagine Mowgli is now a freerunner in a concrete jungle!

[Lucky Star]

Tresilian obviously redrew this picture for the front board. The sea is noticeably calmer than it is in the internal illustration and the birds are missing. I prefer the internal one, it looks much more wild and exciting which is more in keeping with the textual descriptions of rough seas around Gloom.