The Enid Blyton Society

Kate Mary wrote:I love the little picture strip stories they remind me of early comics like The Rainbow with Tiger Tim and Mrs Hippo's school.

Yes - the style of illustration reminds me very much of 'Tiger Tim and the Bruin Boys' which I recall being in my 'Jack and Jill' comics in the early 1970's.

Golly! Was Tiger Tim and the Bruin Boys still going in the 1970s? He started in the Daily Mirror in 1904.

Yes! He was one of my favourites in 'Jack and Jill' comic.

He did look very slightly different in the'Jack and Jill' comic in the late 1970's - and it was a story strip rather than speech bubbles - but still very recognisable -

I remember Tiger Tim and the Bruin Boys from Jack and Jill too. My sister had Jack and Jill and I had Playhour, but we both read both. It's amazing that even some of the lesser-known comic/newspaper characters lasted for decades.

I have a copy of No.9 but as scanner does not do a good enough copy for Tony to use I thought I would type out the letter here:-

Dear Children,
Did you notice if March came in like a lion or a lamb? It came in like a lamb here, so I suppose it will go out like a lion when April comes! I shall watch and see.
You will find a list of Prize-winners in Competition No.3 on page 2 of the cover.
This week's Competition is a good one. Turn to page 3 of the cover and have a look at it. Do you think you could manage to do it? Try and see. There are a number of prizes offered every week, so one week you may be lucky.
I like Doris Osborne's puzzle this week, don't you? I wonder if you will guess it easily. I didn't. It took me quite a long time. See you can do it in ten minutes. Time yourself by the clock. It's fun to do that. Don't forget to send me any puzzles or poems you make up by yourself - not ones you've copied. I like to see those you have really thought out of your own little head. They are the ones I welcome!
Love from
Enid Blyton

I don't want to derail the thread too much, and I'm sure we do have a thread on Jack and Jill comics/annuals - but I felt it was relevant to post this here, as its about nature - I'm sure ENid would have appreciated it!

This is a great example of how beautifully illustrated the Jack and Jill annuals of the 1970's were - and why I groan and moan so much about modern illustrations! When you've grown up with illustrations of this quality, how can you accept anything less? These were the end papers of the 1977 Jack and Jill annual -

Aussie Sue wrote: I like Doris Osborne's puzzle this week, don't you? I wonder if you will guess it easily. I didn't. It took me quite a long time. See you can do it in ten minutes.

Now I'm wondering what Doris Osborne's puzzle was!

I absolutely agree. They are strikingly beautiful! I love all the details and the colours.

I feel like I want to frame the illustrations!These are what I call 100% beautiful.

I agree that those old illustrations are stunning, Rob.

Thanks for typing out the letter, Sue. March has come in like a lamb here today.

I like the colour scheme in the first illustration better than the second.

Thank you, Aussie Sue.

Doris Osborne's Puzzle (& as we've mentioned before her address was included, simpler times)

What Fruit is This?
My first is in Money, but not in Purse
My second's in Better, and also in Worse
My third is in Rat, but not in Mouse
My fourth is in Tent, but not in House
My fifth is in Grey, but not in Black
My sixth is in Net, but not in Sack
My whole is a Fruit that you all love to eat;
It's good and it's wholesome, it's juicy and sweet!

Cheers, Sue! Quicker to do than the puzzle by Peter Bryant!

I know the answer. Too easy!

Thanks for the letter and the puzzle Sue, I managed to solve it. And those endpapers from Jack and Jill Annual are stunning works of art, it may be off topic but worth it to see them.