I think they are all deplorable as they do not "fit in" with my mental image of the children (and most especially of Timmy), but perhaps I am just refusing to move with the times! In my view the best ones are "Treasure Island", "Smuggler's Top" and either "Go off to Camp" or "Demon's Rock" as they capture the atmosphere quite well. At the other end of the scale I think that "Secret Trail" "Mystery Moor" and "Wonderful Time" are especially awful.
The best for me are Treasure Island, Run Away Together and Demons Rocks with an honourable mention to Fix. They all are very atmospheric, well drawn and would attract me if I was a child again and saw them in a bookshop.
The worst are Together Again, Wonderful Time and Kirrin Island Again. The first two are bland and uninteresting, the third makes Kirrin Castle look like its made out of lego.
The Mystery to Solve cover is reminiscent of the Valley of Adventure cover that I use as an avatar but is vastly inferior.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
pete9012S wrote:I wondered what your thoughts would be on the Valley Of Adventure pic comparison!
Actually the more I look at it the better the Mystery to Solve cover looks. It may be purely nostalgia and affection for my avatar cover that leads me to label it superior. What do others think?
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
Although generally I'm like Boodi and find it hard to move with the times, I agree with Lucky Start that if I were a child, I would probably have been drawn to those covers.
I particularly like Five Run Away Together, Five Go to Smuggler's Top, Five Go Off to Camp[/i and Five on a Hike Together, but then they are some of my favourites anyway.
I think the worst is Five Go to Billycock Hill, simply because I think it reminds me of the UFO sightings in Rendlesham Forest. Not sure how I fee about Dick and Julian's rather skimpy swimming trunks and rippling muscles on Five Have Plenty of Fun either.
Perhaps my biggest criticism would be Timmy, a nice enough looking dog, but just not how I pictured him.
Thank you Katharine.
John, here's a larger view of that cover:
1993 Award, illustrations and cover by Dorothy Hamilton
Humble apologies, also as the cave clearly states above who illustrated and did the cover of this book!
Anyone familiar with any of Dorothy Hamilton's Famous Five internals?
She seems to have done the covers etc for about the last six award books?
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
I rather like these FF covers the only gripe I have is the depiction of Timmy who seems to be a labradoodle or is that a cockapoo? It's lovely to see all the books together. The cover of Moon Castle is stunning though, one of Dorothy's best.
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith
I like the cover for The Secret of Moon Castle. The children look real and the design is attractive. But it does look as though Peggy is wearing lipstick. Maybe she was.
I think Dorothy Hall’s dustwrapper design for The Secret Of Moon Castle is brilliant. Unlike on many Enid Blyton covers the children look real. It is gorgeous.
