The Enid Blyton Society
A Day With Noddy
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Book Details...

First edition: 1956
Publisher: Sampson Low
Illustrator: Uncredited
Category: Noddy Nursery Colour Picture Books
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Picture Story Books

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Review by Terry Gustafson

This is one of the 'Nursery Colour Picture Books' and is composed of colourful full-page illustrations featuring Noddy with Big-Ears and it begins, as is often the case, with Noddy waking up one sunny morning ready to perform his chores such as getting dressed and placing his hat -

"On my nid-nodding head."

He then gives his car a clean to make it shine -

"Oh dear little car, I'm GLAD you're mine!"

Noddy uses it as a taxi of course and shortly he's off down the street 'parp-parping' away to pick up his first passenger, Miss Fluffy Cat. When he's delivered her to wherever she wants to go he picks up Tubby Bear and drops him at the station, and then another potential passenger in the form of Mr. Jumbo calls out to him.

Gosh! How on earth is he going to squash a big fat elephant into his car?

Well, he can, and we know this because one of Mr. Noah's elephants squeezed himself into Noddy's car some years ago. This pachyderm somehow manages to do the same but he blocks Noddy's vision and there's a crash when the car runs into a lamp-post. Much trepidation arises because Mr. Plod, a policeman who's played his part in Noddy's earlier life and times, attends the crime scene and true to the Enid Blyton/Toyland code ... says Mr. Plod with a very big frown,

"Noddy, I'll spank you for knocking that down!"

Yes, the lamp-post has been felled but, fortunately for our little man, his friend Big-Ears comes tearing along on a bike ring-ringing his bell -

"He'll tell Mr. Plod that I drive very well!" (says Noddy).

Big-Ears is a respected brownie and the policeman accepts the frantic references as to his pal's capabilities so things have taken a turn for the better, although Noddy's burly passenger is looking back at him with a scowl as he stalks off.

Still, old Plod's smiling so that's good.

Big-Ears then asks Noddy to his home for dinner so off they go in the famous red and yellow car to the iconic toadstool house where they partake of a fine looking repast that includes colourful cake and ice-cream (with a cherry on top). Enid Blyton meals are never very good for children or brownies ... or anyone for that matter, but I don't think they'd affect a little wooden man.

After the meal Noddy's away again, and this time he picks up Miss Monkey who's been shopping and is loaded with parcels. There are so many of them that when everything's placed in the car Noddy's driving suffers once again, and then, when they drive over a few bumps in the road, Miss Monkey and her parcels are ejected!

So, it's goodbye to her. Wonder if she paid him.

Noah appears next and, requesting a ride from Toy Village's taxi-driver, he gets in and his animals follow two-by-two all the way to Noah's ark where they board ship.

After his busy day Noddy realises he's quite tired with the ferrying of passengers back and forth (five at the very least) so he sets off for home. It's now dark, the stars are out and we can see the little man driving his car along an empty street past cosy houses that spill light from their windows.

Then, before you can say "Jack Robinson,"

"I'm tucked up in bed
The moon's taking a peep.
Goodnight to you all,
I'm ... almost ... asleep!"
Noddy is definitely geared towards the younger folk but his books are worth reading if one wishes to indulge in a bout of Blyton nostalgia. Some people can't stand the little chap (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), but if he's approached in the appropriate frame of mind his books can be enjoyed - although in my own case it wasn't until about 2008 that I could look someone in the eye and say I'd read every single volume in the official series (24x).

'Here Comes Noddy Again' is the book where one of Noah's elephants who was in a very naughty mood insisted that Noddy take him as a passenger in his taxi.

Big-Ears must have left his bike where it stood when he had words with Mr. Plod on Noddy's behalf because they left the village in Noddy's car.

Curiously, there's no more about Miss Monkey after she falls into the road ... on the following page Noah and his animals take the limelight.

In the parade of Noah's animals one might consider the lions or perhaps the elephants would be first in line, but the pride of place is actually taken up by two pink bunnies.

In tales that feature Blyton fairy folk the electricity board has yet to be invented. Noddy has the standard candle in its holder beside his bed and in the absence of plumbing, a large jug sitting in an earthenware bowl illustrates his means of keeping himself clean.
Noddy's original artist, Harmsen van der Beek (Beek), isn't acknowledged in this particular volume.


An observation:
"Are you a toy?" said the policeman in a booming voice. "Only toys are allowed to stay in Toy Village."
Noddy originally had to attend a court hearing so that a judge, who looks remarkably like a woman (probably the wig), could determine as to whether or not he's a toy; and at the end of Noddy No.1 it's announced that he is indeed of that ethnic group.
OK, but how come Big-Ears is allowed to live in Toy Village?
He's a brownie!
Admittedly, when Big-Ears originally met Noddy one could interperet that he was living in a 'Brownie' environment, and it's on record that his toadstool house is " ... in the woods."
Maybe those woods are right next to Toy Village.