The Enid Blyton Society

Can't remember if this has been posted before:

Enid Blyton book illustrations through the ages – in pictures
Illustrator Alex T Smith takes us on a fascinating tour of Enid Blyton book cover art from the 1940s to the present day.

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-b ... rough-ages" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's really interesting, Pete. I love the captions down the side!

Very interesting. Thanks for posting the link, Pete.

Great captions...but the person writing them actually illustrated that ugly naughtiest Girl Diary cover?!

Alex T Smith is certainly not my idea of a classic Blyton illustrator - but I can overlook it, as its illustrating a 'Diary' rather than a novel. I must admit I like the general idea - that the cover is drawn by a child in felt pen, and you can see where the pens are starting to run out - cleverly done...so for general idea, I like it, but I wouldn't be so keen if it was decorating a more serious novel. I presume the 'Diary' is anything but serious and nothing like the three main books.

I remember having a copy of that very 1990's 'Rockingdown Mystery' before I finally bought it in original hardback - another dreadful 1990's cover, a bit like those dreadful ones for the Find Outers where all the boys have 'curtain' hairstyles, lol!

I also remember thinking that the 1980's paperback covers of the Faraway Tree books were indeed rather frightening!

Rob Houghton wrote: Alex T Smith is certainly not my idea of a Blyton illustrator!

Although I personally appreciate your sentiments Rob, I'm almost certain John would prefer the externals created by Alex T Smith than Maxey's externals..

I must admit I'm intrigued by the idea of the Naughtiest Girl Diary...is it a diary based on the existing books, or a completely different story altogether? It reminds me slightly of the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' type books.

edit - Ah - looking on Amazon, I see its a modern imagining - including references to 'devices' and laptops and the 21st century etc. Still, that's better than completely rewriting the original stories.

Thank you, Pete. I love looking at the cover illustrations of Famous Five 2001 series. Their facial expressions are spot on!

pete9012S wrote: Although I personally appreciate your sentiments Rob, I'm almost certain John would prefer the externals created by Alex T Smith than Maxey's externals..

Not so, Pete. Although I did notice that the incomparable Eileen Soper was well-represented in the article. Sheer class.

Sheer class indeed!

Thanks for posting that, Pete, I certainly hadn't seen it. For those that don't know, Alex T. Smith is the current illustrator of the Amelia Jane books for Egmont. I have got a copy of the Naughtiest Girl Diary, but I have only read a bit so far. It is written by Jeanne Willis who is a very good children's author and the bit that I read was very funny. In case anyone is wondering it is not set in the early 1940s but is very much a modern day diary.

Using the 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon, I must admit the bits I've read are very amusing - and it works precisely because it is a modern take on the original idea. I loved the way Elizabeth writes that they aren't allowed to take 'mobiles and devices to Whyteleafe school' because leaving them behind will prevent misuse, promote Independence, encourage letter-writing and the art of conversation, pursue healthy out-door activities' and says ' Excuse me? Its the 21st century! What next? Ride to school on a penny farthing? Do my homework on papyrus with a stick? Wear a whalebone corset and a crinoline for PE?' lol!

I'm quite tempted to buy it, as its so different from the originals - and isn't a rewrite, but is a creative 'extension' to the originals, which I find quite acceptable.

I've read The Diary of the Naughtiest Girl and found it lively and witty, though it was a little surreal to see the events of The Naughtiest Girl in the School from a completely different perspective.