Readathon - Smuggler Ben and Cliff Castle

[Courtenay]

I'm starting to lean towards Smuggler Ben if that helps!

So am I, and it sounds like quite a few of us are. I'm happy to take that one if it's the general consensus. Several people have suggested that and/or another Mary Pollock title, so it sounds like that's where the interest is at the moment.

[pete9012S]

Yes,I've got it in book form and also pdf electronic version which includes the illustrations so I'm ready to go!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Okay let's take a firm decision here before we go around in circles.

Smuggler Ben for me. Who else?

[Anita Bensoussane]

The 24 hours are up and, counting the votes, Smuggler Ben is a clear winner:

Smuggler Ben - 9 votes
Holiday House - 2 votes
Shadow the Sheepdog - 2 votes
The Treasure Hunters - 2 votes
Any Mary Pollock book (which would include Smuggler Ben) - 1 vote

I'm happy with that and I hope others are too. I also hope that anyone who wants to take part but hasn't got a copy will be able to obtain one without too much trouble. Would you like to set a start date for the Readathon, Pete?

[Daisy]

I'm happy with Smuggler Ben.

[Courtenay]

I've bought a copy of Smuggler Ben from eBay, but won't be home to pick it up until Wednesday afternoon (I'm on holiday in Cornwall again at the moment!), so could we possibly make the start date some time after Wednesday...?

Perhaps someone could remind me how our readathons generally work, as I think I've only participated in one before. Do we allow several days for everyone to read the book and then start posting their thoughts, or do we have a set rate of, say, a chapter a day (or x chapters per week) so that we go more gradually and everyone keeps the same pace? I don't mind either way, but just wondering.

Looking forward to starting soon! Thanks, Anita, for confirming the votes.

[Daisy]

We tend to read and wait until comments start appearing - no time limit really or pace of reading.

[snugglepot]

Glad that "Smuggler Ben " won.

[Rob Houghton]

Smuggler Ben is a good one...and maybe we could include Cliff Castle as a follow-up, as they are such short books!!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Yes, good idea. If everyone agrees.

[Rob Houghton]

Mainly because if some people have the 'double volumes' Cliff Castle is the companion story...but no worries if others don't want to. Smuggler Ben is only 12 chapters I think...?

I like both of them!

[Daisy]

I like the idea of reading a lesser known book and maybe we could follow it with Cliff Castle if people have that one too. Are most of us in possession of the double issues?

[Rob Houghton]

I have single and double issues!!

No worries if not...just an idea.

[Tony Summerfield]

A good choice of book and one of the few Blyton books that brings the war in. I do love the Tower House covers, although in this case I am not sure if E.H. Davie has them in hot pants (even the boy!) or if they are wearing swimming costumes underneath!



You also have all the internal illustrations of both E.H. Davie and G.W. Backhouse.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... uggler+Ben" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rob Houghton]

I do love those red and blue covers. They remind me of artwork in annuals I had as a child, when only a small selection of colours were used. Unfortunately I only have one - for Cliff Castle. My Smuggler Ben is illustrated by Backhouse.