Author Archives: Fiona

Enid Blyton Christmas gift guide 2019

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Fiona

This year’s gift guide has been a bit harder to put together. Last year there were plenty of new Noddy-related toys and games tied in with the Dreamworks’ Noddy Toyland Detective tv show. This year, however, none of the big … Continue reading →

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Monday #346

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Fiona

I did warn you last week: The Christmas posts are starting from now! (There are less than six weeks to go, you know.) Christmas gift guide 2019 and If you like Blyton: The Harveys See it Through by Phyllis Gegan … Continue reading →

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The Naughtiest Girl in the School: How has Blyton’s original text fared in a modern edition? Part 3

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Fiona

You can find part one, chapters 1-4, here, and part two with chapters 5-8 here. I am comparing the 1944 5th reprint by George Newnes (which should be more or less identical to the true first edition) to a 2012 … Continue reading →

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Letters to Enid 18: From volume 2 issue 6

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Fiona

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 2, issue 6. March 17th-30th 1954. OUR LETTER PAGE  1. A letter from  Sunbeam Susam Biffen, 11a Hazel Road, Rubery, Birmingham Dear Miss Blyton, We are sending you £2 … Continue reading →

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Monday #345

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Fiona

This is the last week before I start on the Christmas posts, you have been warned! Letters to Enid part 18 and Updates to the Naughtiest Girl part 3 The Mystery of Banshee Towers is the fifteenth and final Five-Find … Continue reading →

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October 2019 round up

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Fiona

The blog turned 7 years old on Tuesday, so happy birthday to us! What I have read I’ve read a lot more this month. I’ve now read 88, so I’m 5 ahead of schedule. Two months left in the year … Continue reading →

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My twenty-sixth Noddy book: The second Big Noddy Book

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Fiona

Seeing as it’s Noddy’s 70th anniversary this month I thought I would look at the only Noddy book I have but haven’t yet reviewed. About the book The second Big Noddy Book, is as the name suggests, a large volume … Continue reading →

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Monday #344

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Fiona

Noddy is 70 years old this month! His first book, Noddy Goes to Toyland was published in November 1949. I thought we would have a bit of a Noddy theme today and a review of a Noddy book on Wednesday … Continue reading →

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The Naughtiest Girl in the School: How has Blyton’s original text fared in a modern edition? Part 2

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Fiona

You can find part one, chapters 1-4, here. I am comparing the 1944 5th reprint by George Newnes (which should be more or less identical to the true first edition) to a 2012 edition by Hodder and Stoughton. CHAPTER V … Continue reading →

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Remember, remember the fifth of November

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Fiona

Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The gunpowder treason and plot. There is no reason Why the gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Blyton clearly agreed as she featured Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Night several times in different books, stories and … Continue reading →

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Monday #343

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Fiona

Remember, remember the fifth of November and Updates to Blyton’s Texts: The Naughtiest Girl in the School The countryside lay smiling in the afternoon sunshine. Cottages clustered together here and there, and cattle grazed in the fields. In the distance, … Continue reading →

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Letters to Enid 17: From volume 2 issue 5

Posted on October 25, 2019 by Fiona

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 2, issue 5. March 3rd – 16th 1954     OUR LETTER PAGE  1. A letter from Egan Crowley, aged 12, 23 Rugby Road, Belfast. Dear Enid Blyton, I … Continue reading →

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Enid Blyton for Halloween?

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Fiona

I’m sure I’ve said this before, but Enid Blyton didn’t really do Halloween. She wrote about most other holidays, but Halloween perhaps wasn’t a big thing in Britain when she was writing. Despite that, here are some Halloween-themed Blyton things! … Continue reading →

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Monday #342

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Fiona

Enid Blyton at Halloween? and Letters to Enid part 17 Curly runned away, he runned fast! Benny blames his pigling for leading him astray in Five Go to Billycock Hill. The Saucy Jane Family is the second book about the … Continue reading →

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The Naughtiest Girl in the School: How has Blyton’s original text fared in a modern edition?

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Fiona

It has been more than two years since I’ve done a text comparison (I blame Brodie!) but I was in a branch library the other week and spotted a recent paperback of The Naughtiest Girl in the School. I thought … Continue reading →

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If you like Blyton: A Mystery for Ninepence by Phyllis Gegan

Posted on October 16, 2019 by Fiona

A Mystery for Ninepence, published 1964, is something I picked up in a charity shop because I like the spines on the Collin’s Seagull Library books. I paid a grand price of £3 for this one, and the original price … Continue reading →

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Monday #341

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Fiona

If you like Blyton: A Mystery for Ninepence by Phyllis Gegan and Updates to Blyton’s texts: The Naughtiest Girl in the School Sid was quite overcome at his wonderful evening. First there was what he called a ‘smasher of a … Continue reading →

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Five Get Into Trouble

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Fiona

It has been ages since my last Famous Five review. Three months, in fact! I had almost forgotten I had been doing them. But here I am with book number eight. So far only books one and two have been … Continue reading →

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Letters to Enid 16: From volume 2 issue 4

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Fiona

Previous letters pages can be found here. Letters page from Volume 2, issue 4. February 17th – March 2nd 1954. OUR LETTER PAGE  1. A letter from Betty Kerr, 2 Council Houses, Glenlougham, Scarva, Co. Down. Dear Enid Blyton, I … Continue reading →

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Monday #340

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Fiona

Letters to Enid part 16 and Five Get Into Trouble Fattish! Could the owner of the sleep-walking uncle be – that fat boy! Was is that pest again, On the Track of Something as usual? Mr Goon is rather upset … Continue reading →

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