Noddy Books

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
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pete9012S
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by pete9012S »

Image

Image

Just making a start on 1950's Hurrah For Little Noddy.
I'm not reading these books with rose tinted spectacles by the way.

A careful reading of the above paragraphs clearly shows there is some room for improvement and sensitivity.
The 'milkman' could just as easily have been 'milk-person' or 'dairy representative'. It wouldn't have changed the thrust or tone of the story in any way.
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Even I rather like the first book - and the third one, Noddy and His Car! :D Like others here, I haven't read them all.

However, when my son was small he had You Funny Little Noddy and You're a Good Friend, Noddy! and I disliked both of them. The stories seemed long-winded and sentimental, and in You Funny Little Noddy the little nodding man was annoyingly self-pitying and not funny at all. Secretly, I retitled it You Tiresome Little Noddy! I must confess I abridged the books slightly as I read them to my son (sacrilege, I know!) - though that meant that on every reading I had to remember exactly how I'd abridged them the first time, which was a bit of a strain!

At least the pictures were good!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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pete9012S
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by pete9012S »

Image

I'm enjoying the second book.Notice the left handed hand shake on the cover?
Is this deliberate? Could it be a reference to the 'Scout Handshake'?
The left-handed Scout handshake is a formal way of greeting other Scouts of both genders used by members of Scout and Guide organizations around the world when greeting other Scouts. The handshake is made with the hand nearest the heart and is offered as a token of friendship. In most situations, the handshake is made firmly, without interlocking fingers, and many organizations only use this handshake when both people are in uniform.
Meaning of the left-hand

Various sources have attributed the origin of the handshake, as an ancient sign of bravery and respect, to Lord Baden-Powell's encounter after battle with Prempeh I, or to earlier published works by Ernest Thompson Seton. There exist various versions of the Prempeh story, all centering on African warriors using the left hand to hold their shields and to lower it and shake the left hand of the person was to show they trusted each other.

According to the Ashanti warrior version of the story, then-Colonel Baden-Powell saluted them with his right hand, but the Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, "In our land only the bravest of the brave shake hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection." The Ashantis knew of Baden-Powell's bravery because they had fought against him and with him, and they were proud to offer the left hand of bravery.
Or was the image originally reversed?
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Rob Houghton
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Rob Houghton »

Interesting! I'd never noticed that before - but then this wasn't a Noddy book I owned as a child (when i used to drink in every detail of an illustration) and so I've only glanced at it with the jaded eyes of an adult! ;-) I would presume the image was reversed for some reason, as it seems odd to draw a left handed handshake! 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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pete9012S
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by pete9012S »

Image

Here's the image reversed.Is there any way to tell? ie the Policemen's buttons etc?
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Katharine »

Can't tell from the buttons, but which side is the whistle chain normally on?

I'm really pleased you are enjoying Noddy - I've always liked the books.
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Rob Houghton »

To me, that looks more like it! The policemen's buttons are right in the middle, so its hard to tell, but the pocket chains are now on the left, which makes more sense for right-handed people maybe? The image sort of looks better reversed!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Rob Houghton
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Rob Houghton »

Having looked at all the internal illustrations, the pocket chains are always on the right...so that tells us nothing! :-(
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Carlotta King
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Carlotta King »

In the illustration with the left handed shake, if we take that to be the correct one, I'm wondering if its that way because of the perspective of the artist?

What I mean is, that, as an artist myself I look at it in that the policeman is the largest character and the one that our eyes are drawn to first, and if he'd have been using his right hand to shake, his right arm would be in the foreground of the picture and would obscure his body and it wouldn't be as aesthetically pleasing as having the shaking arm at the back, out of the way, with his detailed uniform and body in the foreground and more visible.

By having the shaking arm at the back, it creates a nicer looking image because you can see all the details of his body and uniform, but if the shaking arm was at the front, it would be covering his body and might look a bit overpowering.

I might of course be looking too deeply into it, however! :lol:
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Ming »

I think your reasoning makes a lot of sense, Carlotta. :D

I've read the first five Noddy books and enjoyed them a lot. I love the illustrations! I don't remember much detail from the stories themselves but I do recall finding Noddy's running away to Toyland, building a house, paying for milk, etc thoroughly amusing. My little brother has read the entire series and he loves them too, even at age 11!
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Interesting thoughts, Cathy (Carlotta). That makes sense to me too.
"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.


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Rob Houghton
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Rob Houghton »

It does make sense, as I agree its more artistically pleasing...but then again, Beek could have just drawn the policeman and Noddy the other way around (as in the reversed version) and so the 'problem' would have been resolved. In most cultures, shaking hands using your left hand is disrespectful.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Katharine
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Katharine »

I agree about the artistic perspective, but like Rob said, why not simply draw it the other way around? I didn't realise a left handed shake could be offensive in some places. Obviously not Toyland though. :wink:
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Rob Houghton »

Apparently it comes from the fact that many cultures wipe their bottoms using their left hand!!! (sorry to say it!!) :shock: :? :!:
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Katharine
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Re: Noddy Books

Post by Katharine »

I think I had heard that. Well that's the reason then - Toyland don't have toilets so it doesn't matter which hand they use. :D
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