The Enid Blyton Society

3.Well Done Secret Seven - Derek Lucas Illustrations (1968)
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I've not seen these before as I have the hardback Brockhampton editions. I quite like the depiction of Scamper, though.

I actually prefer the Derek Lucas illustrations to the George Brook ones (first editions). The are a much more similar interpretation of the characters, comparing them to how I imagine them. My preference might also be something to do with the fact that these illustrations were introduced to me along with the books when I was younger in the big SS omnibuses. Thanks for the link, Pete; great work!

At least the children's clothing in these illustrations is reasonably consistent with the era the books are set in, instead of being glaringly "updated" - unlike a certain Famous Five illustrator we could mention!! I love the depictions of Scamper, too.

I don't have any emotional attachment to a particular Secret Seven illustrations in the way that I have towards the Famous Five illustrations, so I think I'm fairly objective looking at these!!...

I like the Derek Lucas illustrations. I like the girls' sixties-style hair and skirts; they look quite fashionable and elegant! Scamper is beautiful - much better than George Brook's Scamper, and the tree pictures are quite dramatic. I particularly like the one where the torch-light is shining on Jeff's face. Derek Lucas is a really talented illustrator - all the children look lively and distinct from one another in most of the pictures - no easy task, I'd imagine, considering there are seven of them!

Courtenay wrote:At least the children's clothing in these illustrations is reasonably consistent with the era the books are set in, instead of being glaringly "updated" - unlike a certain Famous Five illustrator we could mention!!

I agree that they aren't 'glaringly' out of place, but I wouldn't say they fit the era - these Derek Lucas' illustrations were (presumably) modern in 1968, but the book was first published in 1951 and styles had changed considerably in that small time period. They don't clash with the text in the way that the Betty Maxey ones sometimes do though.

Thanks for posting these, Pete - you are really spoiling us all!

These illustrations are the ones that I had in my hardback Secret Seven omnibuses as a child, so as such are the ones I remember fondly.

Scamper is indeed perfectly-drawn, just as I imagine him to look!

I like the faces of the children at the start of the book, a nice touch which makes you feel almost as if you know them or are one of them, to see them all before you even start reading!
The hair and clothes are, I agree, very nicely-drawn and the children all look about the right age as well.

Nice to see these pictures again as I don't have my SS omnibuses to hand at the moment, think they are put away in a box somewhere! Thanks Pete!

Yes, that's true - I noticed the girls' skirts were probably a bit short for the 1950s (not having been around in the '50s, '60s or even '70s myself, I don't always get my clothing eras correct!). But as you say, Spitfire, they don't clash terribly with the text. Betty Maxey's Famous Five, in their tracksuits and jeans, are definitely NOT Blyton-era by any stretch!!

I like the little cameos of all the children (and Scamper) at the start, too - it does make you feel like you know them, and also helps you to picture each character in your imagination, which isn't always easy when there are so many of them!

Hi Courtney - I was really being too pedantic - I didn't mean to sound as though I was picking at what you'd written I hope it hasn't annoyed you... I do apologise if so.

Oh no, I wasn't offended at all, Spitfire, please don't worry! I definitely didn't feel you were picking at what I wrote.

Spitfire wrote:I like the Derek Lucas illustrations. I like the girls' sixties-style hair and skirts; they look quite fashionable and elegant! Scamper is beautiful - much better than George Brook's Scamper, and the tree pictures are quite dramatic.

I feel the same way about Derek Lucas' illustrations, especially his portrayal of Scamper. They really suit the books. Having said that, I think my favourite Secret Seven illustrator is Bruno Kay as the caps and long macs evoke the period so beautifully and he uses a lot of bold, black shadow which adds to the mysterious, slightly sinister atmosphere of the stories. George Brook is similar to Bruno Kay in some respects, but his pictures can be a touch frenetic. I'm not so fond of Burgess Sharrocks. He quite often draws characters with goofy expressions on their faces and his shading consists of numerous short, sharp lines which can be distracting.

Courtenay wrote:I like the little cameos of all the children (and Scamper) at the start, too - it does make you feel like you know them, and also helps you to picture each character in your imagination...

I like them too, though they don't appear to have influenced the images in my head because I always picture Peter and Barbara with dark hair, and Jack with fair hair! Mary Gernat did a similar thing with the Find-Outers at the start of The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage (Dragon paperback) but I don't seem to have been influenced by any of her pictures either, except the one of Bets with a ribbon in her hair.

The illustrations look okay to me. Modern for the year of the book. All mine are originals and I do like the original illustrations for those early books, but these look okay. But I did read these books as an adult not a child, and so wasn't brought up to see the original illustrations. It's different with the F.F books, I was brought up on the Soper illustrations, so to me there is no other illustrator to match up with those F.F. books.