The Enid Blyton Society

I agree too. I remember earlier this year, having had a lovely walk in a bluebell wood, I was looking for an Enid Blyton short story I read as a child — about a brother and sister who go picking bluebells (and get lost in the wood, but of course there's a happy ending) — and I found that the original version of the same story had this wonderful Eileen Soper illustration on the cover!



Her Famous Five illustrations do vary in quality from really good to quite disappointing, but plenty of her other ones, like this, are superb.

Yes, those books look beautiful. I also love the Nature Plates (a few of my favourites are below) which were used in classrooms to accompany Enid Blyton's Nature Readers. Absolutely stunning.

Absolutely stunning indeed! I recall visiting an Eileen Soper exhibition in Worthing a few years ago where some of these wonderful illustrations were on display.

André bought me a catalogue from an Eileen Soper exhibition which also has a biography of her and her father who was also an illustrator. That was in the summer of 2008, so maybe the exhibition took place before?

Hmmm, I notice by a couple of those gorgeous Nature Plates' titles and themes — "A Very Queer Home" and "Betty and the Lambs' Tails" — that they cover a couple of topics also explored by Pip the Pixie! (The "cuckoo-spit" home of the frog-hopper grub and the hazel catkins that look like lambs' tails, that is.) What a memorable way for schoolchildren to be taught about nature, with Enid's words and Eileen's pictures.

I notice Enid couldn't help slipping into a bit of fantasy even in school teaching materials — could anyone tell me the story behind that last Nature Plate, the winter one, which is intriguingly titled "The Brownies' Magic"?

'The Brownie's Magic' is about how much you can discover and work out for yourself if only you use your eyes and your brains. It might even seem like magic to others! I don't want to go into the story in detail but you can tell from the illustration what nature lesson is given! It's an engaging tale involving an encounter between two interesting characters as well as imparting information about nature.

Hmmm... is it about deciphering, from tracks in the snow, which creatures have been there? That's the most obvious lesson I can think of from the plate.

It is indeed, but that strand is interwoven with a lesson on behaviour/character. The story is at once down-to-earth and fantastical.

There's also a very nice overview/review of the story in the cave too.

Stunning indeed. The last one you posted, Anita, would make a fabulous Christmas card. Plenty more in The Cave!

Yes, they show Eileen Soper at her best. Beautiful illustrations. I see them for sale on eBay sometimes but unfortunately never the complete set at a price I would be happy to pay!

Having grown up (1970's) reading and buying The Famous Five books, for me, Betty Maxey was the first illustrater of the books I came across (for better or worse!) with the odd paperback I came across containing Eileen Soper pictures to my then young eyes looked odd and a bit stiff! I've now realised how (usually and especially when in colour) beautiful and dynamic an artist Eileen was. Betty's illustrations now seem more old fashioned than Eileens's. I still have a fondness for those 70's ones though!

There's an extremely vibrant and passionate fanbase for the marvelous Betty Maxey on these forums.
There's also the odd Soper fan that occasionally posts here too for balance - so all sides are catered for.

Pete - you will have your little joke!

Exactly what I thought, Daisy.