The Animals of Enid Blyton's Dorset by Viv Endecott

[pete9012S]

The Animals of Enid Blyton's Dorset by Viv Endecott.
Anyone have a copy of this book? I notice there's a copy in good condition currently for sale on ebay:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Animals- ... rk:10:pf:0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Katharine]

Yes, I've got that book, I bought it from Viv's shop in Corfe Castle, but I think I only read the opening page - I must hunt it out and read it properly.

[Courtenay]

Thanks for sharing that, Pete. Does anyone else mind if I buy the eBay copy? It looks lovely and I'd be happy to do some colouring-in!

[Boatbuilder]

Surely it's 'first come first served' Courtenay. Go for it gal!

[Courtenay]

It is "first come first served", but I'm mindful of my forum friends and wouldn't want to have people wailing "Aaaaaah, I wanted that one!!!"

[Boatbuilder]

You could wait for days and then find somebody NOT from this forum snapping it up. If somebody else did later express a wish for it on here you could always sell it on to them after you have read it. Just being realistic.

[Courtenay]

After I've read it and coloured in all the pictures, you mean. (If only my good Derwent pencils weren't somewhere back in Australia...)

Anyway, with that undeniable logic, I've bought it. Thanks again, Pete — and I hope I haven't upset anyone else by jumping in. But it does look like a lovely book — I love Enid's nature writing, and Dorset, and wildlife, and colouring pictures (and I'm a lot neater at the latter than I was when I was little, that's for sure). And we haven't heard from Viv for a while, but I remember her and the legendary Ginger Pop Shop fondly and I hope she's well, whatever she's up to now.

[Rob Houghton]

I sort of half thought I had that book...I saw it in shops when I was holidaying in Dorset in the early 2000's, and feel like I 'should' have bought it, but I don't think I ever did. I know I bought a couple of Viv's books back then...so maybe I've just mislaid it!

Congrats, Courtenay -- I just hope you colour the pictures in carefully and don't go over the lines!!

[Courtenay]

Congrats, Courtenay -- I just hope you colour the pictures in carefully and don't go over the lines!!

... Because you'd like to buy it from me when I've finished with it??

The book came today and it's just lovely — in perfect condition (not coloured or even marked in any way) and there are lots of little puzzles to do, like word searches and un-jumbling letters, as well as pictures to colour along with Enid's evocative descriptions of the different kinds of animals. I really will have to get some proper colouring pencils again (if only I could find my set of Derwents... I'm sure my sister nicked them at one stage, but she denied all knowledge when I was last in Australia). It's a really nice little book and it reminds me that I must do more exploring of Dorset in general and Purbeck in particular. It's a lovely part of the world.

[Boatbuilder]

I wouldn't be colouring anything in if the book is in such a good condition. I would be inclined to photocopy the pictures and colour those.

[Courtenay]

But isn't that what it's for — colouring in, I mean? It's not a highly collectable or sought-after book. If it were an actual Enid Blyton item — like, say, one of her magazines that were published by her in her own time — I'd never colour in the pictures or fill in the puzzles or otherwise deface it. But to me, this one's a modern book that's there to be enjoyed as it was intended to be enjoyed. It says it's "for older children", after all. I still fit into that category... sort of.

[Rob Houghton]

I would probably colour it in too! In an adult artistic way of course!

[Daisy]

But of course!

[Fiona1986]

You'll need to share some photos of the finished colouring, Courtenay!

[Courtenay]

Not doing any colouring until I have some proper pencils for it, sorry — as I mentioned, I used to have a beautiful set of 72 Derwent Artists that went walkabout somehow after I left Australia... I've looked online, but they're even more expensive than they used to be, so I'm just living in hope that my original set will turn up some day.