Blyton in other fiction

If it doesn't fit into any of the above categories, post it here!
User avatar
Ming
Posts: 6057
Joined: 14 Nov 2006, 16:58
Favourite book/series: Adventure/Mystery
Favourite character: Fatty, Bill Smugs, Kiki
Location: Ithaca, NY
Contact:

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Ming »

Somewhat unrelated to this thread but I've found Enid Blyton books in every bookstore in New Zealand I have visited so far! :D
Image

Society Member
User avatar
Eddie Muir
Posts: 14566
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 22:28
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers and Dog
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Brighton

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Eddie Muir »

That's good to hear, Ming. :D
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

Society Member
User avatar
Chrissie777
Posts: 9446
Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 16:54
Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Adventure Series, Valley of Adventure
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Jack Trent
Location: Worcester, MA, USA

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Chrissie777 »

Ming wrote:Somewhat unrelated to this thread but I've found Enid Blyton books in every bookstore in New Zealand I have visited so far! :D
Wish Barnes & Noble would offer them.
To my surprise the public library system in Massachusetts has 135 EB books :)!
However our public library here in Worcester has only three, "Oui-Oui à la fête", "Go ahead, Secret Seven" and "The Adventures of the Six Cousins".
Chrissie

Society Member

"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Reading The Children Next Door (1994) by Jean Ure, I came across the following brief reference to Enid Blyton:
...she had read the whole of Roald Dahl, and the whole of Judy Blume, and she had grown out of Enid Blyton, and The Lord of the Rings was too long...
The girl in question is Laura, aged eleven. I'm rather older than that and I still haven't grown out of Enid Blyton! :wink:
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Lucky Star
Posts: 11484
Joined: 28 May 2006, 12:59
Favourite book/series: The Valley of Adventure
Favourite character: Mr Goon
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Lucky Star »

Me too Anita. Although to be fair I probably outgrew her about age 14 and then rediscovered her much later. :D
"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

Society Member
Viv of Ginger Pop
Posts: 2902
Joined: 11 Jul 2005, 04:56
Favourite character: LEAST liked - Wilfred (FF 20)
Location: Dorset
Contact:

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Viv of Ginger Pop »

It's quite a theme amongst those who detest Blyton but can't deny that they read her books, to declare just how young they were when the 'grew out' of her.

Of course, they could also be showing their ignorance, not knowing of anything beyond Secret Seven!

Viv
The Ginger Pop Shop closed in Feb 2017
Boodi 2
Posts: 2782
Joined: 03 Nov 2020, 22:10
Favourite book/series: The Five Find-outers, The Six Cousins
Favourite character: Ern
Location: Germany

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Boodi 2 »

Good point Viv!

Like Lucky Star, I probably "grew out" of Blyton books at around the age of 13 or 14, but later rediscovered them when my own son was young. By coincidence, a few days ago my husband told me that when he is feeling stressed or down he often reads a few chapters of one of my Blyton books as it makes him feel much better. I was surprised (but very pleased) to hear that!!!
Society Member
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

That's lovely to hear, Boodi!

Although I packed my Enid Blyton books away in boxes when I was about thirteen (but sneaked the Adventure series out for a comfort read while revising for my 'O' or 'A' Levels a few years later!), I knew I'd come back to them at some point and that they'd always have a place in my life.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Chrissie777
Posts: 9446
Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 16:54
Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Adventure Series, Valley of Adventure
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Jack Trent
Location: Worcester, MA, USA

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Chrissie777 »

Boodi 2 wrote:Like Lucky Star, I probably "grew out" of Blyton books at around the age of 13 or 14, but later rediscovered them when my own son was young. By coincidence, a few days ago my husband told me that when he is feeling stressed or down he often reads a few chapters of one of my Blyton books as it makes him feel much better. I was surprised (but very pleased) to hear that!!!
"The Secret Island", FF or Adventure books have the same effect on me.
When I'm ill, I know nothing helps me more than reading EB.
Chrissie

Society Member

"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
User avatar
jrw
Posts: 206
Joined: 24 May 2021, 01:44
Favourite book/series: Wishing Chair, Faraway Tree
Favourite character: Loony, Miranda
Location: England

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by jrw »

Author Ross Welford refers to Enid Blyton in a couple of his books.

In 'The Dog Who Saved The World', one of the characters refers to his favourite author, EB, as his girlfriend.

In 'When We Got Lost In Dreamland', a character asks a Nazi SS officer if she is a member of the Secret Seven.
"No one is allowed to live here unless they first lose their tempers and then get permission from me to take a house" - Head Man of The Land of Tempers (The Magic Faraway Tree)
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

:lol: I'll have to read some Ross Welford one of these days! Welcome to the forums, by the way!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Hannah
Posts: 556
Joined: 27 May 2007, 19:07
Location: Germany

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Hannah »

In Germany there is a series about a girl named Carlotta that goes to a boarding school. It's mentioned that her friend Katie loves all kind of stories about boarding schools, amongst them "Hanni und Nanni" (St.Clare's).
Society Member
User avatar
GloomyGraham
Posts: 324
Joined: 08 May 2017, 04:33

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by GloomyGraham »

In Alan Moore's graphic novel 'V for Vendetta', V reads 'The Magic Faraway Tree' to his young protoge Evie and then goes off to murder someone.

There are further references throughout the novel; 'The Land of Do-As-You-Please' is the title of the third chapter of the novel. And V later asks if their anarchic Britain is 'The Land of Do-As-You-Please'?, replying to himself 'No, this is only 'The Land of Take-What-You-Want'.


In a later graphic novel he wrote ('The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") there are also appearances by Mollie & Peter (from 'The Wishing Chair' series) and Noddy, among many other fictional characters from literature.
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Interesting stuff, Hannah and GloomyGraham. I've seen the film of V for Vendetta but I don't think I noticed any Enid Blyton references!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Re: Blyton in other fiction

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

This week's The People's Friend (May 29, No. 7879) caught my eye because it says on the front that it contains "Sharon Haston's lighthearted comedy inspired by Enid Blyton". The story in question is called 'Two Are on the Case' and I wouldn't class it as a comedy but it's a light, gentle story about members of a book club who read Five on a Treasure Island together, which leads to certain developments.

If anyone's interested, the relevant issue of The People's Friend should be available up to and including Tuesday 1st June.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


Society Member
Post Reply