Success for Enid in Booktrust poll

[Kitty]

Viv Bird, director of Booktrust said: "It’s wonderful to see the enduring popularity of these books which are loved by generation after generation.
"At Booktrust we want everyone to enjoy reading, whether it be returning to old favourites or encouraging people to try something new. The final 50 are a fascinating mix of classic and contemporary titles which offers something for everyone."


The best loved author in the poll is Roald Dahl – who has an astonishing SIX books listed in the top 50 best.

Enid Blyton has five books in the top 50, whilst Julia Donaldson has four

Can't seem to make it link directly, but the page can be found (hopefully!) from here - http://www.booktrust.org.uk" target="_blank - look in the news and events section. Dreadful website! And they're supposed to make reading a joy - certainly don't make web-browsing a pleasure for this Luddite. Anyway, well done Enid (and yay - Malory Towers!)

[Tony Summerfield]

In a Poll such as this, author's with non-series books tend to do much better. As Enid has got five series in the top 50, you could argue that we are talking about 38 books!

She doesn't normally do very well in polls as there are so many different titles to choose from

It is interesting that just a single Harry Potter title is mentioned and not the series as a whole. It is odd when just one title is taken from a series - the same thing has happened to C S Lewis.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

It seems to be a press release at the moment.

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/53648 ... -book.html" target="_blank

I was away last week - did anyone notice that Blyton has gone up in the ratings of the UK Public Lending Rights?

http://www.plr.uk.com/mediaCentre/mostB ... uthors.pdf" target="_blank

Depending on which list you look at, Blyton is either top or second as most borrowed classic author!

Viv

[Kitty]

I just love Enid being in the same category as Hardy, Austen and Hemingway!

[Lucky Star]

The Daily Telegraph has a fair sized article on this with a link to the Top 50 list.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main" target="_blank. ... ook122.xml

The poll was appearantly taken from Parents rather than children but it is indeed great to see so many Blyton books in the list.

[Ming]

Can't seem to make it link directly, but the page can be found (hopefully!) from here - http://www.booktrust.org.uk" target="_blank - look in the news and events section. Dreadful website!

Do you mean this page, Kitty?

Yes, it really is nice to see the lists!

Lucky Star, the link you provided does not work for me.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Here's a link to the Daily Telegraph article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... ook122.xml" target="_blank

I wonder what question(s) they actually asked in the poll? That could have made a difference. If they'd asked me which children's author I thought was the "best" in terms of engaging, educating and inspiring children and having a lasting appeal for both boys and girls, I'd have said Enid Blyton. But if I'd simply been asked for my best-loved children's book I'd have said Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce!

[Tony:] It is interesting that just a single Harry Potter title is mentioned and not the series as a whole. It is odd when just one title is taken from a series - the same thing has happened to C S Lewis.

Yes, that makes the results a bit of a muddle really. Also, some titles may be remembered more readily because a film or television adaptation was a hit. E. Nesbit's The Railway Children is in the list but that novel is not really typical of her work. I suspect the classic Lionel Jeffries film of the book has helped cement it in people's minds. (I know there has also been a more recent film version featuring Jemima Rooper but the earlier one would seem to be much better-known.)

Anita