The Enid Blyton Society
A Story Book of Jesus
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Book Details...

First edition: 1956
Publisher: Macmillan
Illustrator: Elsie Walker
Category: Non-series Religious Books
Genre: Religion
Type: Religious Books

On This Page...

Reprint Covers
List of Contents
Artwork
Review by Su Rayton

Reprints
  1. The First Christmas
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 1
  2. The Shepherds in the Night
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 1
  3. The Three Wise Men
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 2
  4. The Warning of the Angel
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 2
  5. The Little Boy Jesus
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 3
  6. Twelve Years Old
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 3
  7. Jesus Grows Up
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 4
  8. Jesus Meets His Cousin John
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 4
  9. Satan, the Prince of Evil
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 4
  10. Jesus Chooses His Friends
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 5
  11. Round the Countryside with Jesus
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 5
  12. Jesus and the Nobleman's Son
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 5
  13. The Man by the Pool
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 6
  14. The Poor Leper
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 6
  15. The Man who came down through the Roof
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 7
  16. The Soldier and his Servant
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 7
  17. The Wonderful Storyteller
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 8
  18. The Story of the Mustard Seed
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 8
  19. The Story of the Sower
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 8
  20. The Shepherd and the Lost Sheep
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 8
  21. The Tale of the Fisherman
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 8
  22. The Boy who left Home
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 9
  23. The Tale of the Good Samaritan
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 9
  24. Jesus in the Storm
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 10
  25. The Poor Madman
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 10
  26. A Blind Man is Made Happy
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 10
  27. The Little Daughter of Jairus
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 11
  28. The Woman in the Crowd
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 11
  29. The Boy with the Loaves and the Fishes
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 12
  30. Judas the Traitor
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 13
  31. The Last Supper
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 13
  32. In the Garden of Gethsemane
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 13
  33. The Capture of Jesus
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 13
  34. Before the Cock Crew Twice
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 13
  35. The Trial of Jesus
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 14
  36. Jesus on the Cross
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 14
  37. Jesus Rises Again
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 14
  38. Whatever Happened to Mary Magdalene
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 14
  39. The End of the Story
    Story: New Testament Bible Readers 14


Wraparound dustwrapper from the 1st edition, illustrated by Elsie Walker



Cloth Boards of the 1st edition



Frontis from the 1st edition, illustrated by Elsie Walker
This book has always meant a lot to me and even now the drawings by Elsie Walker bring back memories of sitting in front of the fire reading about Jesus. There is quite a story about this particular book and I would like to share it. When I was about 5 my Aunt turned up one day with 8 Enid Blyton books, one of which was a slightly scruffy cream coloured book. I opened it up and inside, there was what seemed at the time, to be hundreds of lovely colour pictures but through adult eyes this translates to 32 colour plates. This book had originally been bought by my Mum from Sweetens bookshop on Fishergate in Preston around October 1956, quite a few years before I was born. She had been in the shop on a few occasions and wondered whether to buy this very expensive book as a present for her niece. The woman behind the counter had encouraged her by telling her that it would be a collectors' item in the future and worth much more than 18 shillings price tag, I think she may have been correct in her assumptions. The book was much treasured and even became a teaching tool, of which I think Enid Blyton herself would have approved, when my cousin became a teacher in the late 60's.

The book starts off with a foreword, announcing that "This is a book for mothers and young children: for mothers who want to introduce the story of Jesus in the simplest way to the youngest child; and for young children who are able to read and will enjoy for themselves the wonderful stories of Jesus, the greatest figure the world has ever seen". This is a much better introduction than I could ever write.

The book begins with the angel visiting Mary with the news that she has been chosen to have the Son of God, it then progresses through the Christmas story, Jesus growing up, Jesus meeting John, the miracles of Jesus, then ending with the Jesus on the cross and the resurrection. This is very well illustrated by Elsie Walker with 32 full page colour plates and numerous black and white drawings. I always wondered as a child why the other 7 Enid Blyton books were in boring black and white. This annoyed me so much that I regret to say that I coloured in some of the black and white line drawings in Mr Pink Whistles Party, I later realised this is a 1955 first edition, but that's another story.

The pictures have always stayed with me and throughout the book Jesus is usually depicted in white. One in particular shows Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and the white cloak creates a stark contrast to the surroundings. I would highly recommend this book for an avid lover of all things Blyton or as a present to a (very careful) child. The only drawback is the price of a good early edition. I don't know if any of the later editions still retained the Elsie Walker illustrations, which in my opinion are a must have.

You may assume that I have in front of me my original copy given to me when I was 5. This is not the case as I will explain. When I was about 15 I clearly remember my Mum sitting me down and explaining to me that A Story Book of Jesus was only given to me on loan. I could keep the other books but my cousin wanted this particular book back to read to her daughter. I can recall having a very big sulk about it but reluctantly gave the book back. It was only last year that I realised with the power of the internet that I could again have a copy of this book. I now possess a first edition with dust wrapper but it's not quite the same as that slightly grubby copy I once had "on loan".