The Enid Blyton Society

I wonder if anyone can remember a story about a boy (perhaps ill in bed?) who is given a pen or pencil and paper to draw with who finds that what he draws comes to life. Its fifty years since I read it so maybe I have got it wrong but something along those lines. Grateful for any help.

I don't know if there is a Blyton's story or tale along those lines.

What I know to exist that adjusts perfectly to what you've told is a wonderful Polish animated series whose English name is Enchanted Crayon [its Portuguese name being Magic Pencil, just as you've posted], whereas the original name is something like Zaczarowany Olowek.

Perhaps the series author took the idea from an existing British children's book [an Eastern Bloc author along with a Western Bloc writer??? ]

The series tells the adventures (and misadventures) of a young boy and his dog, testing to the limit his inventiveness with the help of a magic pencil, given to him by a magician, which turns into life all the things he draws.

Hi Olivia,

I did a search under Book-Listing (see home-page of this site) and found the following story titles:

The Enchanted Pencil
from The Ninth Holiday Book (Sampson Low 1954)

That Lovely Silver Pencil
from The Little White Duck and Other Stories (Macmillan 1946)

(There are also poems called "The Magic Pencil" in a couple of books.)

I don't have the above books so I've no idea what those stories are about, but perhaps someone could check and see whether either of them sounds like the story you're looking for. Of course, it's perfectly possible that neither of them is right. Best of luck!

Anita

thank you both for replying so very quickly. I have looked at the book listings and it may be it is a story from The Strange Umbrella, if anyone has this book could you please have a "quick flick" see if there is such a story. Thanks you all for your time. PS Am madly jealous to see the pics of the Enid Blyton Day, will try to get from Frabce for it next year. Regards.

Hi Olivia, welcome to the forum, I hope you have had some luck with your search for this story, I told you these wonderful people are a wealth of information. Its like having a big friendly Blyton encyclopadia at your fingertips

I really cannot beleive how helpful you have been, Anita you are right and this little story is in the 9th Holiday Book. All I have to do now is try to find the book! I have been a long time trying to trace the story and simply amazed that within 24hours I have a chance to find this book and read the story again. You are an amazing bunch of Blytoners!

The particular story in the 9th Holiday Book is not so much about a boy who is given a pen or pencil and paper to draw with and finds that what he draws comes to life. It features a bad Goblin called Nippy who stole a green and gold pencil from Dame Quick-Eye who wanted him to steal it so that he'd be taught a lesson. The pencil wrote by itself on any handy wall and it reported on Nippy's current crimes. This kept the goblin busy trying to rub out the scribbling to keep people from reading about his misbehaviour and finally he fled the village.

Only to post a little synopsis you can read on the DVD box of the above mentioned Polish TV series:

When a little boy who likes to draw comes to the aid of a mystical dwarf, he is rewarded with a magic crayon that allows him to draw objects that come to life. With the help of his trusty dog, he uses the crayon to perform good deeds. These cartoons, made for Polish television, impress with their fluid animation and cheerful tone. There is no dialogue, making them perfect for young kids of all nationalities.

PS - The series was made around the 60's-70's

Sounds from what Tiq said as if you're still searching for your story then, Olivia. We'll have to all keep a look-out for it. It may well be called something vague like "A Surprising Afternoon," which would make it impossible to locate from the title alone. I don't recall ever having read the story you describe, though it sounds as if it has some similarities to "The Little Paper-Folk" in Chimney Corner Stories. In that story, two children cut out pictures from a magazine and the pictures come to life. It's very imaginative and I love the description of the paper-folk: "Their hands were funny - all flat and papery - and when the old woman turned round Jimmy saw that she hadn't a proper back - there were printed letters all over her!" There's something quite sinister about these people, rather like the Ugly-Wuglies in E. Nesbit's The Enchanted Castle.

Anita

"That Lovely Silver Pencil" from The Little White Duck and Other Stories (Macmillan 1946) wouldn't be the one either. That's about a monkey who stole a boy's treasured pencil.

I have "The Strange Umbrella and Other Stories" (Pitkin) - I'll check it tonight if you're still looking.

Thanks to all for the input and incredible knowledge! I am just a simple searcher and therefore very grateful to all you who are trying to help. Nothing described thus far seems in any way THE STORY, so the search continues...I wonder if I dreamt it?

I've checked Strange Umbrella - unfortunately The Magic Pencil there is a very short poem about a magic pencil that gets sums right.

Good luck with the search!

I remember reading this story as a child. I loved this book. I'm sure it was called the magic pencil. I remember the boy being ill and using the pencil. I can't remember if he then dreamt about his pictures coming to life. I remember he couldn't rub out the pictures but he could change them into something else. I read lots of Enid Blyton stories as a child but I don't think this was an Enid Blyton book.
Its so annoying I can't remember the author. I would love to find this book again.

Was it a short story or a novel? I ask because the book Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr is about drawings which come to life in a sinister way. The drawings are made by a girl who is bedridden through illness, but the other main character is a boy who is also ill. A picture of a house plays an important part, as do stones around the house. A TV serial was made in the 1970s (Escape Into Night) and a film in the 1980s (Paperhouse).

A completely different thought - if it was a short story, could it have been one of the Bobby Brewster stories by H. E. Todd? I used to borrow Bobby Brewster stories from the library when I was six or seven. Magical things happen to Bobby all the time, and it's possible (though I'm not at all sure - it's just an idea) that there's a story in which his drawings come to life.