The Enid Blyton Society

I wonder if the slippers were gym shoes which children used to have in a draw-string bag (usually home made)? Gym shoes have so many names in various parts of the country - pumps, daps, plimsolls for example, that slippers might be the best name for children to understand.

Ah, I didn't think of that, Daisy. I bet you're right.

Well-spotted regarding the sum, Kate!

I too thought the "slippers" in 'I'm Not Going to School!' might be gym shoes, Daisy. The language of the story seems slightly quaint even for 1957, with elevenses being referred to as "mid-morning lunch" and the two times table being chanted as "Twice one are two," etc. In answer to Rob, it appears that children used to start school quite late in some small private schools. Benjy and the Others is all about Benjy preparing to start school at the age of six - and being upset when he discovers that pupils aren't normally accepted on their sixth birthday but have to wait until the beginning of the following term.

Rob Houghton wrote:In her letter this week, Enid tells us of a bird visitor to her garden, and also all about a new competition, with a £5 prize. One thing I found interesting was the fact that children could choose either the £5 or their own pet - and Enid says 'now is the chance to get that puppy you always wanted!' - which seems perhaps a little irresponsible to modern sensibilities. Was it wise to offer pets as prizes?

It does sound a little unwise, though the children are told that "If you'd like a pet instead of the money, you must send in a note from your mother, together with your entry, so that we may know that she approves of a pet for you." I enjoyed hearing about the woodpecker in Enid's garden!

Rob Houghton wrote:The next uncollected story is 'Where Is My Walking Stick' - which can be read by following the link. Another short story which could quite easily be a Mr twiddle story. Very entertaining, but nothing exceptional. The illustrations for this are quite lively, but slightly strange. Not the best illustrations I've ever seen. Everyone looks rather cross, except for the little boy, Jinks - who sounds more like a pixie than a child with a name like that!

Going by the characters' names, I think Enid Blyton meant them all to be depicted as pixies or brownies! I've read several Enid Blyton stories like this one, where the object that has been used for multiple purposes is a handkerchief or a duster or something like that.

Kate Mary wrote:It does seem odd to have a Brer Rabbit story set in winter in a September issue and odder still that it is completely unillustrated.

It's odd too that Brer Fox falls for Brer Rabbit's trick because Brer Fox himself posed as a snowman in an earlier story, 'Brer Fox is a Snowman'!

Fancy Rumble and Chuff visiting the Ginger Pop Shop (which is sadly no more)!

I forgot to mention yesterday that 'I'm Not Going to School!' reminds me very much of another Enid Blyton story, 'She Didn't Want to Go to School'. It's about a girl called Marigold who is afraid of starting school (unlike Jamie, she has to attend full-time at the age of five) and she too ends up at school without realising where she is. Like Jamie, she is given a drum to bang!

Yes - I've read that one, too, Anita. very similar!

I remember my first day at school, aged 4 and 8 months...or rather, I remember coming home at 3:30 and thinking 'yay! That's school done with - that was easy!' - thinking I didn't have to go back again! I was rather disappointed when my mom told me I had to go back again the next day!

I'm going to take this issue on holiday,read it, then compare my findings with Rob's.
I will really enjoy doing that.
I may even take the next issue that is to be reviewed and read that whilst away too as a treat!

Is this a holiday or a sabbatical?

The view from our Welsh holiday cottage bedroom window

I went into my music room/studio/library and have plucked the next four editions to take with me.
I really enjoy reading these magazines in the peaceful countryside when we are away.

If there is a cliffhanger in a serial I will be able to skip to the next magazine and carry on reading it!

lol...I guess I'd better go back to writing a longer review next time!!

Nice view, Pete! looks like a place where you might come across anything from smugglers to strange scientists with wings, or weird radio-control devices.

It was at this cottage I collated my collection of Enid Blyton magazines a year or so ago Rob and you kindly helped me to complete my set with a bit of juggling about.

And I started my Enid Blyton Magazine collection!

I no longer own any copies of Enid Blyton's Magazie, although I remember buying the first issue in March 1953 and then eagerly awaiting each new issue every fortnight for the next three years until, sadly, I "grew out of it". During the 1940s/early 1950s, my grandmother regularly bought me copies of Sunny Stories. Not currently having any copies of either magazine means I really enjoy your fortnightly post, Rob. I really must make an effort to get hold of a few copies of both Sunny Stories and Enid Blyton's Magazine to add to my Enid Blyton collection.

Thank you, Eddie. yes - that was my reasoning behind my first '60 years ago today' post back in 2016 - that it would hopefully give people who had never read or owned the magazines (or had since 'lost' then) a flavour of what was inside each issue.

A very beautiful scenery, Pete! I love and enjoy beautiful nature so much. Enjoy your holiday.

Your thread was the reminder that I needed to buy the magazines and I did back in September and October last year, Rob. So thank you.

Thank you, Sixret! I'm glad my reviews inspired you to buy the magazines!