The Enid Blyton Society

I do sometimes wonder whether Pete really is as devoted a Maxey fan as he professes to be, or whether he goes on about her just to wind certain other members up.

Don't show this description from Good reads on the internet to Nigel or he might get wound up
even more "Betty Maxey is the author of Five Go to Smuggler's Top ".

I like Betty & Eileen equally having been brought up with both of their illustrations.
I don't think there is one other Enid Blyton fan who feels the same though.

Or, perhaps some may quietly like her work,but be frightened of the stick they would get if they 'came out'...

I think I've said before that I quite like Maxey's work - though maybe not as much as Eileen Soper's depictions.

I do really like Maxey's covers - I think some of them are very good, and much better than her internal illustrations.

I guess it's what we are used to - as a child I hardly read any Famous Fives - only two - and neither of them were illustrated by Eileen Soper or Betty Maxey - as they were annuals - so in some ways, Betty Maxey is now third on my list, after Eileen Soper and the annual artist who illustrated Mystery Moor and Smuggler's Top - who is, unfortunately, 'uncredited'.

Good point about the uncredited artist Rob.Do you think the same artist did the cover of the 'Hike' annual from 1977?

I like Betty Maxey's Famous Five illustrations too, even though I slightly prefer Eileen Soper's. Both are inconsistent, however, and the best images are the ones conjured up in my head by Enid Blyton's words.

pete9012S wrote:Good point about the uncredited artist Rob.Do you think the same artist did the cover of the 'Hike' annual from 1977?

It would be easy to say 'yes!' - but I've never been really sure. It looks very similar, as does Adventuring Again.

I've always really loved these covers (which are wrap around designs) and the internal illustrations also. They get very little exposure on here!

They have a bit more exposure now as I have given them all bigger images under Artwork!

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... iveannuals" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the larger images Tony they are excellent.

I received the Hike annual for Xmas in when it first came out (1977?).
I can still remember how excited I was to receive it.
It's probably my favourite annual type book of all,with the Dossier coming a very close second.

I keep forgetting how young you are, Pete or how old I am! We had to make do with Rupert annuals when I was young.

The 1972 & 1973 editions were the first Rupert Annuals I was bought.
I couldn't even read when I received the 1972 edition - I used to just look at the pictures.

I don't think my 1973 annual had a brown faced Rupert on the cover- but my copy is now long lost somewhere in the mists of time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucesters ... 702628.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have had to collect them from scratch all over again.
Even though I'm a just young 'un these annuals are both over forty years old now!

Wait till you start collecting the 1950s and 1940s annuals and you will be in the golden age.

Finding the 'Brown Face' annual is like seeing a Great Auk!

Yes,very true Francis!

Francis wrote:I keep forgetting how young you are, Pete or how old I am! We had to make do with Rupert annuals when I was young.

Not so fast young Francis.. School Friend Annuals, Girls Crystal, Eagle and Girl Annuals were all around in the 50s. - and probably more which I can't remember as well as Rupert of course.