The Enid Blyton Society

Yes, a fab cover. Well done Tony! I will start reading it later today.

Since my last post, I have now read the first 26 pages. Whilst trying to rid my mind of Tony donned in red coat and hat, I thoroughly enjoyed Angela Cannings' article on Stuart Tresilian. It was interesting to hear of his military carrer and to see some of his non-Blyton sketches. He certainly had a distinctive style, as could be seen from his other illustrations. Angela raises the question of why Kiki was depicted as an Australian cockatoo. The Letter from Kiki on the following page showed us how Kiki should look. And as Kiki tells us, this Kiki is the real one!

Julie's portrait of Snubby was another well thought out article, raising some issues that I hadn't noticed. He always irritated me, yet I hadn't thought about his insecurities. I had never wondered about his parents - maybe he was illegitimate and was told his parents had died. I wonder where he spent his babyhood. Many questions are now floating in my mind. Thanks, Julie!

I will return to Sheila Ray's The Brer Rabbit Stories at a later time. I have never read them, my reading of the brotherly rabbit was by courtesy of Uncle Remus.

Robert has included my favourite stand-alone in his Desert Island Blytons (should it be Blyton's?) I have never considered how impractical it would be to use a ball of string! I particularly liked the fact that it was not just another review of the book (especially as my excellent review can be read here !), but a fascinating account of how the book influenced his 'playtime' exploits with his friend Dawn! As for leaving poor Jack abandoned in the tree, I feel that Rob would have felt more at home in a Six Bad Boys scenario! It was also interesting to read of further accounts of the Barney gang, Snubby already being analysed in Julie's account. I too remember being shocked at Roger's reply to his father concerning manners. How did he not get a thrashing for that?! I also fully agree that the cover of Rilloby Fair is stunning. Not sure about the jigsaw, though. As Goon is so tall and slim, I wouldn't think the artist had ever read a Find-Outers' book!

So far, a Journal that is right up there with the best of them. That doesn't really say much, as they are all up there with it!

I like your new avatar, Nigel.

I've read about the same as you and I've loved every page so far. I particularly enjoyed the conclusion to Robert's Desert Island Reads which was really interesting and it was really funny to read about your own games based around these books. I thought it was very funny how someone got stuck down a real Hollow Tree and you forgot all about him! A really enjoyable article.

Julie's article about Snubby was excellent. It was great to pick up on some aspects that I hadn't noticed about him before. He is a fantastic character and he always makes me laugh out loud! But now I am seeing him in a different light, too - maybe his hilarity and mischief was all to hide his distress of having lost both his parents.

I also thought Angela Canning's article about Stuart Tresilian was fascinating - I didn't know much about this illustrator until now, so it was great to learn a bit more about him. And Sheila Ray's article about Brer Rabbit was great, too. I haven't read any of Enid's Brer Rabbit books for a while, but I remember loving them a few years ago, and reading them on a long journey to Wales, one year.

So now I'm about to start Anita's fourth installment of her analysis on the Secret Series. A fantastic Journal, as always, so far. Can't wait to read some more.

Poppy wrote:I like your new avatar, Nigel.

Thanks, Poppy. I saw it in the Journal and thought it looked like me. Happy, cheerful and friendly. In any case, I am getting too old to rake cheese out of village ponds.

I like it too, Nigel! Mind you, I'd just been thinking the original (Dorothy Wheeler) version of Moonface might suit you as well...



(That's pure Ceylon tea he's drinking there, of course, folks. None of that pretentious herbal rubbish.)

I'm half way through the Journal and it's a credit to its contributors and the editor.
Angela's article on Stuart Tresillian sets the tone. Little details such as how his name changed from Stewart at birth to Stuart at his christening always interest me.
Snubby is my favourite Blyton character and Julie's piece is very thought-provoking, asking questions I wouldn't have previously considered.
Robert mixes personal memories with his final choice of books and does it well. I agree with his opinion that Rilloby Fair features some great comic moments as well as a first-class mystery. A very good series of articles, Robert.
As usual, Anita has written a comprehensive piece about Secret Of Killimooin and describes the characters and setting in such a way that you really want to start reading the book for yourself.
I look forward to continuing the Journal tomorrow.

Many thanks to Tony and his elves for a wonderful journal. I read it from cover to cover last night, with the wife watching Xfactor, what else is a man to do! I thoroughly enjoyed all of the contributions. I must admit I did start with Nick's look at The Castle of Adventure following his outstanding piece last time around, I can't wait for part two.

Well I've almost finished reading my Journal now, just have one article left which I was saving until the last and that is Part One of Nick Hopkins article - The Making of ITV's The Castle of Adventure.

Loved all the articles. So thanks to all the contributors. Poppy's yours was very well written, as I know you are a young teenager.

I loved From My Window - Christmas Shopping, and the way Enid said she put her Christmas money into a box and saved it up. And the way she asked for a box to go around the store. A sort of early wire trolley or wire basket we now use to go around the supermarkets and stores.

I'll look forward to reading Nick Hopkins later today. And thanks to all who made a comment on my own article of Snubby.

Julie2owlsdene wrote:Poppy's yours was very well written, as I know you are a young teenager.

As opposed to an old teenager.

Moonraker wrote:As opposed to an old teenager.

Like you, Nigel?

I meant a younger person, not an aging old timer like us, Nigel.

Julie2owlsdene wrote:Poppy's yours was very well written, as I know you are a young teenager.

Thank you very much, Julie!

What a treat this magazine is. I will say it again - this is the best club magazine I have ever seen. Many thanks to Tony and all the excellent contributors. So far I have read Angela's wonderful article on my favourite illustrator - Stuart Tresilian who sounds as nice a man as you could possibly meet. Thank you so much, Angela.
Next a beautifully written article by Julie on Snubby - highlighting a Blyton character who is not very familiar to me. Thank you Julie. I will be reading the rest of the magazine over a period of bedtimes to give me pleasant dreams each night.

I've completed the Journal now and I think it is one of the best I've read. Nick Hopkins' article is extremely well-researched and very interesting. I was intrigued to read about the plans for Ship and Mountain and I particularly liked reading the two pages of script for Ship which was never used.
Poppy's piece on the nature books was also interesting, I enjoyed reading about the various phrases which Enid used to describe the bird calls in her books.
It was great to read the story that I'd never heard or seen before but the final illustration depicting the two guards in suits and bowler hats made me laugh. They didn't look remotely like guards to me.
John Lester's article was another well-written piece and an excellent Journal concluded with those beautiful colour covers on the back page. The ones for Jolly Tales and Birds At Home are super.
A superb Journal. Many thanks to all those who played a part in its creation.

I'm interested that many people had never heard of the story 'What Happened Over The Wall' as there was an excellent article all about it, in two parts, by John Atkins, in Journals 26 and 27. I guess many people might not be lucky enough to own those particular Journals, and it's nice to be able to revisit the story in the latest Journal. I really love the illustrations, and I bought The Children's Own Wonder Book purely on the strength of that 2005 article.