The Enid Blyton Society

Is there a particular reason that these books are so difficult to get hold of? They seem very hard to come by even though there's others much earlier that are quite easy to find . Where there not many printed or something? I really wanted them with dustwrappers ideally, but just finding all 12 would do!

I'm not sure, but I presume they were all first editions, as I think they appeared like annuals - one a year? A bit like the Holiday Books - which are also fairly hard to find in dust wrappers.

I had today booked for a bit of speleology, so I have added a slightly different dustwrapper to the first of the Bedside books which I think answers your query, Rob. Certainly all the earlier Bedside books did get reprinted, but I am not sure about the later ones which seem to be much scarcer.

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In Barker Bedside books case, the first editions are relatively easy to find compared to the reprinted ones.

Thanks Tony - I never really knew much about them. I do have most of them, but only about thhree in dust wrappers. I know none of them seem to have reprint dates inside them, so mistakenly thought they had never been reprinted.

Tony Summerfield wrote:I had today booked for a bit of speleology, so I have added a slightly different dustwrapper to the first of the Bedside books which I think answers your query, Rob.

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What a shame to take away the long line of characters trooping out of the girl's book and replace them with a dull advert which could easily have been included inside. Even the attractive-looking spine has gone.

I agree! I always have the wrong impression that later dustwrappers (ie for Famous Five, or for the Find Outers books) were 'improvements' on the originals - as in they had wrap-around covers, or decorated spines - but it looks as if the Bedside books were the exception! Their covers seemed to get worse rather than better!

sixret wrote:In Barker Bedside books case, the first editions are relatively easy to find compared to the reprinted ones.

That surprises me to hear as I am finding them very difficult to find and even harder with wrappers . I have thought about making copy wrappers myself using the images in the Cave and probably will if I ever manage to find the books. As it happens I do have the sixth one (minus it's wrapper) as it belonged to my Auntie, unfortunately the last page in several of the stories have been removed so it's no good .

I have very few with wrappers - in fact only one - which is the Third Bedside Book - 1953 edition. I've never found any others (for under £25 anyway!) with dust jackets, even later reprints!

I used to make copy wrappers...but it gets you in the end - the bug for collecting - and copy wrappers are no longer acceptable to you! I used to think they were fine...and then I realised that the only book worth having is a book with an original wrapper!

I have managed to find a few of them, mostly from Australia and the US which is why I was asking about non English publications in the other thread, but the fourth one is seemingly impossible to locate.

I have got a lot of books with their original wrappers and I also now try and only buy ones with a wrapper so I don't have to replace it later on. However I've also got some that don't have wrappers and as they were presents off people I won't replace them so their going to have copy wrappers at some point as my thoughts is that on a shelf full of books with wrappers a copy won't stick out much but a plain book will! I will also make an exception for a book I'm having trouble finding like these Bedside ones as my other view is it's better to have a book without a wrapper than no book at all. Apart from those two exceptions though I fully agree with you! If your collecting, a book needs an original wrapper otherwise it annoys you greatly that it's not got one .

Fourth Bedside was the last one I found to complete my Barker Bedside series. So it's no surprise that you haven't found it yet. Keep looking and you'll find it eventually.

I will let you know where you can buy it in a good wrapper if you want to know. Mind you, the book is not located in UK. Please pm me.

The book of Fourth Bedside complete with dust jacket for sale that I have found is very cheap around £8 excluding postage after currency conversion. In my opinion, whoever really wants this book, this is the time to grab it! If I hadn't got the book, I would have bought it immediately!

Sorry only just seen this, have sent you a message Sixret

I have replied to your message. Good luck!