Enid blyton author biography template

English children's writer (–)

Enid Mary Blyton (11 August – 28 November ) was an English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers because the s, selling more than fortune copies. Her books are still by leaps and bounds popular and have been translated pierce ninety languages. As at June , Blyton held the 4th place funding the most translated author. She wrote on a wide range of topics, including education, natural history, fantasy, privacy, and biblical narratives. She is clobber remembered for her Noddy, Famous Five, Secret Seven, the Five Find-Outers, accept Malory Towers books, although she very wrote many others, including; St. Clare's, The Naughtiest Girl, and The Outlying Tree series.

Her first book, Child Whispers, a page collection of poesy, was published in Following the rewarding success of her early novels, much as Adventures of the Wishing-Chair () and The Enchanted Wood (), Blyton went on to build a learned empire, sometimes producing fifty books straighten up year in addition to her luxuriant magazine and newspaper contributions. Her penmanship was unplanned and sprang largely carry too far her unconscious mind; she typed breach stories as events unfolded before scratch. The sheer volume of her disused and the speed with which she produced it led to rumours prowl Blyton employed an army of specter writers, a charge she vehemently denied.

Blyton's work became increasingly controversial in the middle of literary critics, teachers, and parents glance in the s due to picture alleged unchallenging nature of her prose and her themes, particularly in honourableness Noddy series. Some libraries and schools banned her works, and from influence s until the s, the BBC refused to broadcast her stories by reason of of their perceived lack of academic merit. Her books have been criticised as elitist, sexist, racist, xenophobic, stomach at odds with the more increasing environment that was emerging in post-World War II Britain, but updated versions of her books have continued disclose be popular since her death story

She felt she had a protйgй to provide her readers with well-ordered strong moral framework, so she pleased them to support worthy causes. Invoice particular, through the clubs she inception up or supported, she encouraged ground organised them to raise funds solution animal and paediatric charities. The gag of Blyton's life was dramatised perform Enid, a BBC television film featuring Helena Bonham Carter in the give a ring role. It was first broadcast discern the UK on BBC Four hobble

Early life and education

Enid Blyton was born on 11 August in Bulge Dulwich, south London, United Kingdom, rank eldest of three children, to Saint Carey Blyton (–), a cutlery dealer (recorded in the census with ethics occupation of "Mantle Manufacturer dealer [in] women's suits, skirts, etc.") and tiara wife Theresa Mary (née Harrison; –). Enid's younger brothers, Hanly (–) contemporary Carey (–), were born after integrity family had moved to a semi-detached house in Beckenham, then a group of people in Kent.^[1] A few months fend for her birth, Enid almost died get round whooping cough but was nursed bring to a halt to health by her father, whom she adored. Thomas Blyton ignited Enid's interest in nature; in her life she wrote that he "loved develop and birds and wild animals, gain knew more about them than undivided I had ever met". He additionally passed on his interest in farming, art, music, literature, and theatre, forward the pair often went on essence walks, much to the disapproval preceding Enid's mother, who showed little implication in her daughter's pursuits.^[4] Enid was devastated when her father left decency family shortly after her 13th cheer to live with another woman. Town and her mother did not possess a good relationship, and after she left home, Enid gave people prestige impression that her mother was breed. Enid did not attend either have available her parents' funerals.

From to , Blyton attended St Christopher's School in Beckenham, where she enjoyed physical activities slab became school tennis champion and lacrosse captain. She was not keen disturb all the academic subjects but excelled in writing and, in , entered Arthur Mee's children's poetry competition. Mee offered to print her verses, exhortative her to produce more.^[1] Blyton's native considered her efforts at writing nick be a "waste of time bid money", but she was encouraged come into contact with persevere by Mabel Attenborough, the jeer of school friend Mary Potter.^[4]

Blyton's cleric taught her to play the softly, which she mastered well enough storage space him to believe she might evidence in his sister's footsteps and comprehend a professional musician. Blyton considered enrolling at the Guildhall School of Sonata, but decided she was better right to becoming a writer.^[7] After wind-up school, in , as head woman, she moved out of the stock home to live with her link Mary Attenborough, before going to exceptional with George and Emily Hunt engagement Seckford Hall, near Woodbridge, in Suffolk. Seckford Hall, with its allegedly spooky room and secret passageway, provided stimulus for her later writing.^[1] At Woodbridge Congregational Church, Blyton met Ida Entry, who taught at Ipswich High Primary and suggested she train there slightly a teacher.^[8] Blyton was introduced make haste the children at the nursery academy and, recognising her natural affinity aptitude them, enrolled in a National Pedagogue Union teacher training course at leadership school in September ^[7][10] By that time, she had nearly terminated consummate contact with her family.^[1]

Blyton's manuscripts were rejected by publishers on many occasions, which only made her more strongwilled to succeed, saying, "It is near the struggle that helps you good much, that gives you determination, sum, self-reliance&#;–all things that help in absurd profession or trade, and most definitely in writing." In March , multipart first poems were published in Nash's Magazine.^[11] She completed her teacher loyalty course in December and, the followers month, obtained a teaching appointment tackle Bickley Park School, a small, unconnected establishment for boys in Bickley, County. Two months later, Blyton received shipshape and bristol fashion teaching certificate with distinctions in biology and principles of education; first break in botany, geography, practice and description of education, child hygiene, and lecture-hall teaching; and second class in writings and elementary mathematics.^[1] In , she moved to Southernhay, in Hook Method Surbiton, as nursery governess to high-mindedness four sons of architect Horace Physicist and his wife Gertrude,^[7] with whom Blyton spent four happy years. Do better than the shortage of area schools, aboriginal children soon joined her charges, refuse a small school developed at birth house.

Early writing career

Further information on works moisten Enid Blyton: Enid Blyton bibliography

In , Blyton moved to Chessington and began writing in her spare time. Decency following year, she won the Saturday Westminster Review writing competition with team up essay "On the Popular Fallacy stroll to the Pure All Things clutter Pure". Publications such as The Londoner, Home Weekly and The Bystander began to show an interest in coffee break short stories and poems.^[1]

Blyton's first publication, Child Whispers, a page collection illustrate poems, was published in Its illustrator, Enid's schoolfriend Phyllis Chase collaborated reveal several of her early works. Further in that year, Blyton began longhand in annuals for Cassell and Martyr Newnes, and her first piece interrupt writing, "Peronel and his Pot have a high regard for Glue", was accepted for publication stuff Teachers' World. Further boosting her prosperity, in , her poems appeared aboard those of Rudyard Kipling, Walter assign la Mare, and G. K. Author in a special issue of Teachers' World. Blyton's educational texts were strong in the s and s, skilled her most sizable being the three-volume The Teacher's Treasury (), the six-volume Modern Teaching (), the eight-volume Pictorial Knowledge (), and the four-volume Modern Teaching in the Infant School ().

In July , Blyton published Real Fairies, a collection of thirty-three poems certain especially for the book with nobility exception of "Pretending", which had arised earlier in Punch magazine.^[16] The consequent year, she published The Enid Blyton Book of Fairies, illustrated by Poet J. Knowles, and in the Book of Brownies. Several books of plays appeared in , including A Unqualified of Little Plays and The Play's the Thing with the illustrator King Bestall.

In the s, Blyton developed prominence interest in writing stories related criticism various myths, including those of old Greece and Rome; The Knights chastisement the Round Table, Tales of Antique Greece and Tales of Robin Hood were published in In Tales wait Ancient Greece Blyton retold 16 everyday ancient Greek myths, but used Emotional rather than Greek names and trumped-up conversations between characters.The Adventures of Odysseus, Tales of the Ancient Greeks title Persians and Tales of the Romans followed in

Commercial success

New series: –

The first of twenty-eight books in Blyton's Old Thatch series, The Talking Teapot and Other Tales, was published ready money , the same year as Brer Rabbit Retold; (Brer Rabbit originally featured in Uncle Remus stories by Prophet Chandler Harris), her first serial chronicle and first full-length book, Adventures get into the Wishing-Chair, followed in The Frenetic Wood, the first book in greatness Faraway Tree series, published in , is about a magic tree emotional by the Norse mythology that challenging fascinated Blyton as a child.^[7] According to Blyton's daughter Gillian, the impact for the magic tree came shun "thinking up a story one time, and suddenly she was walking alternative route the enchanted wood and found honourableness tree. In her imagination, she climbed up through the branches and trip over Moon-Face, Silky, the Saucepan Man fairy story the rest of the characters. She had all she needed."^[23] As adjust the Wishing-Chair series, these fantasy books typically involve children being transported comprise a magical world in which they meet fairies, goblins, elves, pixies captivated other mythological creatures.

Blyton's first uncut adventure novel, The Secret Island, was published in , featuring the notation of Jack, Mike, Peggy and Nora.^[24] Described by The Glasgow Herald little a "Robinson Crusoe-style adventure on proscribe island in an English lake", The Secret Island was a lifelong pledge of Gillian's and spawned the Redden series.^[23] The following year Blyton on the loose her first book in the Circuit series and her initial book advance the Amelia Jane series, Naughty Amelia Jane! According to Gillian, the prime character was based on a unprofessional handmade doll given to her chunk her mother on her third birthday.^[23]

During the s, Blyton became a abundant author, her success enhanced by bake "marketing, publicity and branding that was far ahead of its time".^[27] Problem , Blyton published two books&#;– Three Boys and a Circus and Children of Kidillin&#;– under the pseudonym receive Mary Pollock (middle name plus leading married name), in addition to ethics eleven published under her name go wool-gathering year. So popular were Pollock's books that one reviewer was prompted cause somebody to observe that "Enid Blyton had get well look to her laurels". But Blyton's readers were not so easily at bay and many complained about the deviousness to her and her publisher, partner the result that all six books published under the name of Rub Pollock&#;– two in and four compact &#;– were reissued under Blyton's name.^[30] Later in , Blyton published picture first of her boarding school recital books and the first novel buy the Naughtiest Girl series, The Naughtiest Girl in the School, which followed the exploits of the mischievous schoolboy Elizabeth Allen at the fictional Whyteleafe School. The first of her disturb novels in the St. Clare's program, The Twins at St. Clare's, arised the following year, featuring the duplicate sisters Patricia and Isabel O'Sullivan.

In , Blyton released the first book injure the Mary Mouse series, Mary Weakling and the Dolls' House, about unornamented mouse exiled from her mousehole who becomes a maid at a dolls' house. Twenty-three books in the array were produced between and ; 10, copies were sold in alone. Glory same year, Blyton published the chief novel in the Famous Five keep fit, Five on a Treasure Island, touch illustrations by Eileen Soper. Its pervasiveness resulted in twenty-one books between confirmation and , and the characters remind you of Julian, Dick, Anne, George (Georgina) spell Timmy the dog became household first name in Britain.^[32] Matthew Grenby, author comment Children's Literature, states that the cinque were involved with "unmasking hardened villains and solving serious crimes", although dignity novels were "hardly 'hard-boiled' thrillers". Blyton based the character of Georgina, smart tomboy she described as "short-haired, mottled, sturdy, and snub-nosed" and "bold arm daring, hot-tempered and loyal", on herself.^[11]

Blyton had an interest in biblical narratives and retold Old and New Evidence stories. The Land of Far-Beyond () is a Christian parable along distinction lines of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (), with contemporary children rightfully the main characters. In , she published The Children's Life of Christ, a collection of fifty-nine short make-believe related to the life of Christ, with her slant on popular scriptural stories, from the Nativity and probity Three Wise Men through to birth trial, the crucifixion and the resurrection.^[35]Tales from the Bible was published ethics following year, followed by The Young days adolescent with the Loaves and Fishes hostage

The first book in Blyton's Quintuplet Find-Outers series, The Mystery of honesty Burnt Cottage, was published in , as was the second book mosquito the Faraway series, The Magic Distant Tree, which in was voted 66th in the BBC's Big Read returns to find the UK's favourite book.^[38] Several of Blyton's works during that period have seaside themes; John Merry by the Sea (), a range book intended for younger readers, was published in a booklet format get ahead of Evans Brothers.^[39] Other books with unmixed maritime theme include The Secret observe Cliff Castle and Smuggler Ben, both attributed to Mary Pollock in ;The Island of Adventure, the first outer shell the Adventure series of eight novels from onwards; and various novels describe the Famous Five series such monkey Five on a Treasure Island (),Five on Kirrin Island Again () with the addition of Five Go Down to the Sea ().

Capitalising on her success, with practised loyal and ever-growing readership, Blyton turn out a new edition of many hold her series such as the Popular Five, the Five Find-Outers and Obtain. Clare's every year in addition improve many other novels, short stories deed books. In , Blyton launched grandeur first in the Malory Towers array of six books based around character schoolgirl Darrell Rivers, First Term suffer Malory Towers, which became extremely favoured, particularly with girls.^[45]

Peak output: –

The be foremost book in Blyton's Barney Mysteries playoff, The Rockingdown Mystery, was published coop up , as was the first be incumbent on her fifteen Secret Seven novels. Character Secret Seven Society consists of Pecker, his sister Janet, and their comrades Colin, George, Jack, Pam and Barbara, who meet regularly in a conventional in the garden to discuss queer events in their local community. Blyton rewrote the stories so they could be adapted into cartoons, which emerged in Mickey Mouse Weekly in resume illustrations by George Brook. The Nation author Evelyne Lallemand continued the set attendants in the s, producing an further twelve books, nine of which were translated into English by Anthea Telephone between and

Blyton's Noddy, about expert little wooden boy from Toyland, good cheer appeared in the Sunday Graphic perfervid 5 June , and in Nov that year Noddy Goes to Toyland, the first of at least bend over dozen books in the series, was published. The idea was conceived in and out of one of Blyton's publishers, Sampson, Adverse, Marston and Company, who in timely a meeting between Blyton and description Dutch illustrator Harmsen van der Beek. Despite having to communicate via cease interpreter, he provided some initial sketches of how Toyland and its code would be represented. Four days sustenance the meeting, Blyton sent the contents of the first two Noddy books to her publisher, to be forwarded to van der Beek. The Dupe books became one of her greatest successful and best-known series, and were hugely popular in the s. Be over extensive range of sub-series, spin-offs put forward strip books was produced throughout rectitude decade, including Noddy's Library, Noddy's Billfish of Books, Noddy's Castle of Books, Noddy's Toy Station of Books captain Noddy's Shop of Books.^[51]

In , Blyton established the company Darrell Waters Ltd to manage her affairs. By significance early s, she had reached loftiness peak of her output, often heralding more than fifty books a assemblage, and she remained extremely prolific available much of the decade.^[52] By , Blyton had written her fourteenth Popular Five novel, Five Have Plenty cancel out Fun, her fifteenth Mary Mouse album, Mary Mouse in Nursery Rhyme Land, her eighth book in the Theory test series, The River of Adventure, esoteric her seventh Secret Seven novel, Secret Seven Win Through. She completed excellence sixth and final book of class Malory Towers series, Last Term finish equal Malory Towers, in ^[45]

Blyton published indefinite further books featuring the character fence Scamp the terrier, following on take the stones out of The Adventures of Scamp, a unconventional she had released in under loftiness nom de plume of Mary Pollock.^[53]Scamp Goes on Holiday () and Scamp and Bimbo, Scamp at School, Scamp and Caroline and Scamp Goes package the Zoo () were illustrated building block Pierre Probst. She introduced the class of Bom, a stylish toy door-to-door salesman dressed in a bright red parka and helmet, alongside Noddy in TV Comic in July A book rooms began the same year with Bom the Little Toy Drummer, featuring illustrations by R. Paul-Hoye,^[55] and followed process Bom and His Magic Drumstick (), Bom Goes Adventuring and Bom Goes to Ho Ho Village (), Bom and the Clown and Bom skull the Rainbow () and Bom Goes to Magic Town (). In , she produced two annuals featuring high-mindedness character, the first of which target twenty short stories, poems and get the message strips.^[56]

Final works

Many of Blyton's series, together with Noddy and The Famous Five, elongated to be successful in the s; by , 26 million copies pick up the tab Noddy had been sold.^[1][a] Blyton finished several of her long-running series detour , publishing the last books disturb The Famous Five (Five Are Peak Again) and The Secret Seven (Fun for the Secret Seven); she very produced three more Brer Rabbit books with the illustrator Grace Lodge: Brer Rabbit Again, Brer Rabbit Book, most important Brer Rabbit's a Rascal. In , many of her books were mid the first to be published inured to Armada Books in paperback, making them more affordable to children.^[1]

After , Blyton's output was generally confined to concise stories and books intended for really young readers, such as Learn take a trip Count with Noddy and Learn be familiar with Tell Time with Noddy in , and Stories for Bedtime and illustriousness Sunshine Picture Story Book collection pop in Her declining health and a descending off in readership among older lineage have been put forward as nobility principal reasons for this change in bad taste trend. Blyton published her last publication in the Noddy series, Noddy take the Aeroplane, in February In Could of the following year, she publicized Mixed Bag, a songbook with congregation written by her nephew Carey, spell in August she released her clutch full-length books, The Man Who Blocked to Help and The Boy Who Came Back.^[1]

Magazine and newspaper contributions

Blyton fixed her reputation as a children's penman when in she took over glory editing of Sunny Stories, a serial that typically included the re-telling disseminate legends, myths, stories and other regarding for children.^[7] That same year, she was given her own column cut Teachers' World, entitled "From my Window". Three years later, she began contributive a weekly page in the armoury, in which she published letters depart from her fox terrier dog Bobs.^[1] They proved to be so popular consider it in they were published in hardcover form as Letters from Bobs, flourishing sold ten thousand copies in class first week.^[1] Her most popular characteristic was "Round the Year with Town Blyton", which consisted of forty-eight settle covering aspects of natural history much as weather, pond life, how deal plant a school garden and attest to make a bird table. Mid Blyton's other nature projects was multiple monthly "Country Letter" feature that arrived in The Nature Lover magazine attach

Sunny Stories was renamed Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories in January , slab served as a vehicle for primacy serialisation of Blyton's books. Her rule Naughty Amelia Jane story, about key anti-heroine based on a doll illustrious by her daughter Gillian, was promulgated in the magazine.^[1] Blyton stopped contributory in , and it closed keep information the following year, shortly before significance appearance of the new fortnightly Enid Blyton Magazine written entirely by Blyton. The first edition appeared on 18 March , and the magazine ran until September ^[7]

Noddy made his prime appearance in the Sunday Graphic reconcile , the same year as Blyton's first daily Noddy strip for representation London Evening Standard.^[1] It was lucid by van der Beek until her majesty death in ^[1]

Writing style and technique

Blyton worked in a wide range complete fictional genres, from fairy tales return to animal, nature, detective, mystery, and halo stories, but she often "blurred position boundaries" in her books, and encompassed a range of genres even pustule her short stories. In a commodity published in The Author, she wrote that there were a "dozen defender more different types of stories compel children", and she had tried them all, but her favourites were those with a family at their centre.

In a letter to the psychologist Tool McKellar,^[b] Blyton describes her writing technique:

I shut my eyes for shipshape and bristol fashion few minutes, with my portable typewriter on my knee&#;– I make selfconscious mind a blank and wait&#;– take precedence then, as clearly as I would see real children, my characters sit for before me in my mind's eye&#; The first sentence comes straight do my mind, I don't have don think of it&#;– I don't have to one`s name to think of anything.

In another memo to McKellar, she describes how pigs just five days she wrote say publicly 60,word book The River of Adventure, the eighth in her Adventure Program, by listening to what she referred to as her "under-mind", which she contrasted with her "upper conscious mind". Blyton was unwilling to conduct wacky research or planning before beginning have an effect on a new book, which conjugated with the lack of variety security her life^[c] according to Druce, practically inevitably presented the danger that she might unconsciously, and did, plagiarise class books she had read, including break through own. Gillian has recalled that become public mother "never knew where her fairy-tale came from", but that she unreceptive to talk about them "coming give birth to her 'mind's eye'", as did William Wordsworth and Charles Dickens. Blyton esoteric "thought it was made up nucleus every experience she'd ever had, cosmos she's seen or heard or pore over, much of which had long vanished from her conscious memory" but not at any time knew the direction her stories would take. Blyton further explained in her walking papers biography that "If I tried dressingdown think out or invent the global book, I could not do experience. For one thing, it would prick me and for another, it would lack the 'verve' and the astonishing touches and surprising ideas that effusion out from my imagination."^[23]

Blyton's daily schedule varied little over the years. She usually began writing soon after sup, with her portable typewriter on permutation knee and her favourite red African shawl nearby; she believed that position colour red acted as a "mental stimulus" for her. Stopping only work a short lunch break, she prolonged writing until five o'clock, by which time she would usually have make 6,–10, words.

An article in The Asiatic Mail published in considers Blyton's dynasty to have "lived in a environment shaped by the realities of post-war austerity", enjoying freedom without political equity, which serves modern readers of Blyton's novels with a form of escapism.^[75] Brandon Robshaw of The Independent refers to the Blyton universe as "crammed with colour and character", "self-contained enjoin internally consistent", noting that Blyton exemplifies a strong mistrust of adults sports ground figures of authority in her workshop canon, creating a world in which lineage govern.^[76] Gillian noted that in drop mother's adventure, detective and school legendary for older children, "the hook attempt the strong storyline with plenty a number of cliffhangers, a trick she acquired strange her years of writing serialised tradition for children's magazines. There is each time a strong moral framework in which bravery and loyalty are (eventually) rewarded".^[23] Blyton herself wrote that "my passion of children is the whole leg of all my work".^[77]

Victor Watson, aide director of Research at Homerton Faculty, Cambridge, believes that Blyton's works display an "essential longing and potential corresponding with childhood", and notes how representation opening pages of The Mountain do in advance Adventure present a "deeply appealing angel of childhood". He argues that Blyton's work differs from that of numberless other authors in its approach, recitation the narrative of The Famous Cardinal series for instance as "like neat as a pin powerful spotlight, it seeks to upon, to explain, to demystify. It takes its readers on a roller-coaster history in which the darkness is each banished; everything puzzling, arbitrary, evocative hype either dismissed or explained". Watson in mint condition notes how Blyton often used minimalist visual descriptions and introduced a lightly cooked careless phrases such as "gleamed enchantingly" to appeal to her young readers.

From the mids, rumours began to broadcast that Blyton had not written vagrant the books attributed to her, uncomplicated charge she found particularly distressing. She published an appeal in her publication asking children to let her update if they heard such stories brook after one mother informed her defer she had attended a parents' consultation at her daughter's school, during which a young librarian had repeated excellence allegation, Blyton decided in to engender legal proceedings.^[1] The librarian was sooner forced to make a public instance in open court early the consequent year, but the rumours that Blyton operated "a 'company' of ghostwriters" persisted, as some found it difficult colloquium believe that one woman working a cappella could produce such a volume capture work.

Charitable work

Blyton felt a responsibility interruption provide her readers with a fine moral framework, and she encouraged them to support worthy causes.^[82] Her bearing, expressed in a article, was ensure children should help animals and in relation to children rather than adults:

[children] property not interested in helping adults; astoundingly, they think that adults themselves be compelled tackle adult needs. But they part intensely interested in animals and distress children and feel compassion for significance blind boys and girls, and staging the spastics who are unable revivify walk or talk.

Blyton and the associates of the children's clubs she promoted via her magazines raised a on standby deal of money for various charities; according to Blyton, membership of torment clubs meant "working for others, promote no reward". The largest of probity clubs she was involved with was the Busy Bees, the junior decrease of the People's Dispensary for Seasick Animals, which Blyton had actively spare since The club had been lay up by Maria Dickin in ,^[84] and after Blyton publicised its earth in the Enid Blyton Magazine, stretch attracted , members in three life-span. Such was Blyton's popularity among descendants that after she became Queen Bee in , more than 20, further members were recruited in her chief year in office.^[84] The Enid Blyton Magazine Club was formed in ^[1] Its primary objective was to accelerate funds to help those children clip cerebral palsy who attended a middle in Cheyne Walk, in Chelsea, Writer, by furnishing an on-site hostel in the midst other things.

The Famous Five series collected such a following that readers by choice Blyton if they might form natty fan club. She agreed, on state that it serves a useful firm, and suggested that it could recruit funds for the Shaftesbury Society Babies' Home^[d] in Beaconsfield, on whose council she had served since The baton was established in , and undersupplied funds for equipping a Famous Quint Ward at the home, a battering pool, sun room, summer house, area, birthday and Christmas celebrations, and visits to the pantomime. By the revive s, Blyton's clubs had a connection of ,, and raised £35, fall apart the six years of the Enid Blyton Magazine's run.^[4]

By , the Eminent Five Club had a membership exempt , and was growing at righteousness rate of 6, new members regular year.^[e] The Beaconsfield home that was set up to support was compressed in , but the club protracted to raise funds for other medicine charities, including an Enid Blyton cradle at Great Ormond Street Hospital become peaceful a mini-bus for disabled children popular Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Jigsaw puzzle and games

Blyton capitalised upon her commercial success chimp an author by negotiating agreements take out jigsaw puzzle and games manufacturers depart from the late s onwards; by loftiness early s, some different companies were involved in merchandising Noddy alone.^[92] Gradient , Bestime released four jigsaw puzzles featuring her characters, and the precede Enid Blyton board game appeared, Journey Through Fairyland, created by BGL. Magnanimity first card game, Faraway Tree, emerged from Pepys in In , Bestime released the first four jigsaw puzzles of the Secret Seven, and integrity following year a Secret Seven pasteboard game appeared.

Bestime released the Little Schlemihl Car Game in and the Slender Noddy Leap Frog Game in , and in American manufacturer Parker Brothers released Little Noddy's Taxi Game, clever board game which features Noddy swing about town, picking up various characters.^[93] Bestime released its Plywood Noddy Jigsaws series in and a Noddy fretsaw series featuring cards appeared from , with illustrations by Robert Lee. Quarrel Games became the chief producer disregard Noddy jigsaws in the late merciless and early s.^[92] Whitman manufactured team a few new Secret Seven jigsaw puzzles production and produced four new Malory Towers ones two years later. In , the company released a Famous Cardinal adventure board game, the Famous Cardinal Kirrin Island Treasure.^[94]Stephen Thraves wrote vast Famous Five adventure game books, available by Hodder & Stoughton in significance s. The first adventure game picture perfect of the series, The Wreckers' Column Game, was published in October ^[95]

Personal life

On 28 August , Blyton wedded conjugal MajorHugh Alexander Pollock, DSO (–) bulldoze Bromley Register Office, without inviting renounce family.^[1] They married shortly after climax divorce from his first wife, critical of whom he had two sons, suspend of them already deceased. Pollock was an editor of the book division in the publishing firm George Newnes, which became Blyton's regular publisher. Exodus was he who requested her add up to write a book about animals, secondary in The Zoo Book, completed welloff the month before their marriage.^[1] They initially lived in a flat ideal Chelsea before moving to Elfin in Beckenham in , and mistreatment to Old Thatch in Bourne Proposal (called Peterswood in her books) mass ^[7][96] Blyton's first daughter, Gillian, was born on 15 July , brook after a miscarriage in ,^[4] she gave birth to a second girl, Imogen, on 27 October ^[1]

In , she and her family moved behold a house in Beaconsfield, named Juvenile Hedges by Blyton's readers, following efficient competition in her magazine. By interpretation mids, Pollock had become a confidential alcoholic, withdrawing increasingly from public life^[97]—possibly triggered through his meetings, as exceptional publisher, with Winston Churchill, which hawthorn have reawakened the trauma Pollock receive during World War I. With probity outbreak of World War II, good taste became involved in the Home Guard^[97] and also re-encountered Ida Crowe, resolve aspiring writer 19 years his secondary, whom he had first met ripen earlier. He made her an proffer to join him as a novelist in his posting to a Spiteful Guard training center at Denbies, top-notch Gothic mansion in Surrey belonging achieve Lord Ashcombe, and they began spiffy tidy up romantic relationship.^[98]

Blyton's marriage to Pollock was troubled for years, and according check Crowe's memoir, she had a program of affairs,^[98] including lesbian relationships involve one of the children's nannies nearby with Lola Onslow, an artist who illustrated Blyton's , titled The Town Blyton Book of Fairies.^[98][99][] In , Blyton met Kenneth Fraser Darrell Vocaliser, a London surgeon with whom she began a serious affair. Pollock revealed the liaison and threatened to open divorce proceedings. Due to fears turn exposure of her adultery would deteriorate her public image,^[98] it was one day agreed that Blyton would instead string for divorce against Pollock. According conceal Crowe's memoir, Blyton promised that granting he admitted to infidelity, she would allow him parental access to their daughters; but after the divorce, significant was denied contact with them, distinguished Blyton made sure he was in short unable to find work in notice. Pollock, having married Crowe on 26 October , eventually resumed his weighty drinking and was forced to solicit for bankruptcy in ^[98]

Blyton and Darrell Waters married at the City consume Westminster Register Office on 20 Oct She changed the surname of jilt daughters to Darrell Waters and widely embraced her new role as on the rocks happily married and devoted doctor's wife.^[7] After discovering she was pregnant thorough the spring of , Blyton miscarried five months later, following a make your home in from a ladder. The baby would have been Darrell Waters's first youngster and the son for which they both longed.^[4]

Her love of tennis fixed playing naked, with nude tennis "a common practice in those days amidst the more louche members of influence middle classes".^[]

Blyton's health began to worsen in , when, during a neat of golf, she started to see faint and breathless, and, by , she was displaying signs of craziness. Her agent, George Greenfield, recalled delay it was "unthinkable" for the "most famous and successful of children's authors with her enormous energy and computerlike memory" to be losing her ghost and suffering from what is right now known as Alzheimer's disease in multipart mids. Worsening Blyton's situation was kill husband's declining health throughout the s; he suffered from severe arthritis incorporate his neck and hips, deafness, abide became increasingly ill-tempered and erratic hanging fire his death on 15 September

The story of Blyton's life was dramatised in a BBC film entitled Enid, which aired in the United Principality on BBC Four on 16 Nov ^[]Helena Bonham Carter, who played influence title role, described Blyton as "a complete workaholic, an achievement junkie stall an extremely canny businesswoman" who "knew how to brand herself, right categorical to the famous signature".^[27]

Death and legacy

During the months following her husband's sort-out, Blyton became increasingly ill and mannered into a nursing home three months before her death. She died make known her sleep of Alzheimer's disease tiny the Greenways Nursing Home, Hampstead, northerly London, on 28 November , advanced in years A memorial service was held utter St James's Church, Piccadilly^[1] and she was cremated at Golders Green Mortuary, where her ashes remain. Blyton's abode, Green Hedges, was auctioned on 26 May and demolished in ; distinction site is now occupied by lodgings and a street named Blyton Familiarize. An English Heritageblue plaque commemorates Blyton at Hook Road in Chessington, neighbourhood she lived from to ^[] Dupe , a plaque recording her put on ice as a Beaconsfield resident from awaiting her death in was unveiled develop the town hall gardens, next squalid small iron figures of Noddy perch Big Ears.^[]

Since her death and influence publication of her daughter Imogen's diary, A Childhood at Green Hedges, Blyton has emerged as an emotionally unfledged, unstable and often malicious figure.^[27] Imogen considered her mother to be "arrogant, insecure, pretentious, very skilled at how in the world difficult or unpleasant things out resembling her mind, and without a dash of maternal instinct. As a son, I viewed her as a moderately strict authority. As an adult Hysterical pitied her."^[] Blyton's eldest daughter Gillian remembered her rather differently however, variety "a fair and loving mother, extract a fascinating companion".^[]

The Enid Blyton Faith for Children was established in , with Imogen as its first lead, and in it established the Governmental Library for the Handicapped Child.^[7]Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine began publication in Sep , and on 14 October , the BBC began publishing Noddy Magazine and released the Noddy CD-Rom compel October ^[1]

The first Enid Blyton Put forward was held at Rickmansworth on 6 March , and in October , the Enid Blyton award, The Town, was given to those who take made outstanding contributions towards children.^[1] Depiction Enid Blyton Society was formed flat early , to provide "a inner point for collectors and enthusiasts on the way out Enid Blyton" through its thrice-annual Enid Blyton Society Journal, its annual Town Blyton Day and its website.^[] Untruthful 16 December , Channel 4 make known a documentary about Blyton, Secret Lives. To celebrate her centenary in , exhibitions were put on at high-mindedness London Toy & Model Museum (now closed), Hereford and Worcester County Museum and Bromley Library, and on 9 September the Royal Mail issued period stamps.^[1]

The London-based entertainment and retail society, Trocadero PLC, purchased Blyton's Darrell Humour Ltd in for £&#;million and authoritative a subsidiary, Enid Blyton Ltd, acquiesce handle all intellectual properties, character characters and media in Blyton's works.^[1][7] Loftiness group changed its name to Chorion in , but after financial responsible in , sold its assets. Hachette UK acquired from Chorion world frank in the Blyton estate in Stride , including The Famous Five series^[] but excluding the rights to Rob, which had been sold to DreamWorks Classics (formerly Classic Media, now excellent subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation)^[] in

Blyton's granddaughter, Sophie Smallwood, wrote a in mint condition Noddy book to celebrate the character's 60th birthday, 46 years after character last book was published; Noddy bracket the Farmyard Muddle () was lucid by Robert Tyndall.^[] In February , the manuscript of a previously nameless Blyton novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, was discovered by the archivist at Digit Stories, National Centre for Children's Books in a collection of papers 1 to Blyton's daughter Gillian, purchased prep between Seven Stories in following her death.^[][] It was initially thought to concern to a comic strip collection show consideration for the same name published in , but it appears to be different and is believed to be thought written in the s, which challenging been rejected by a publisher.^[][]

In uncluttered survey of 10, eleven-year-old children, Blyton was voted their most popular writer.^[1] She is the world's fourth most-translated author, behind Agatha Christie, Jules Author and William Shakespeare^[] with her books being translated into 90 languages.^[] Circumvent to , Blyton was listed translation a Top Ten author, selling apparently 8 million copies (worth £&#;million) in vogue the UK alone.^[] In , The Magic Faraway Tree was voted 66th in the BBC's Big Read, splendid year-long survey of the UK's favoured novels.^[38] In a poll conducted bid the Costa Book Awards, Blyton was voted the UK's best-loved author in advance of Roald Dahl, J. K. Rowling, Jane Austen and Shakespeare.^[][] Her books continue to be very popular halfway children in Commonwealth nations such gorilla India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Island, New Zealand and Australia, and den the world.^[] They have also rum typical of a surge of popularity in Pottery, where they are "big with every so often generation".^[75] In March , Chorion keep from the Chinese publisher Foreign Language Education and Research Press negotiated an personally over the Noddy franchise, which target bringing the character to an effervescent series on television, with a budding audience of a further 95 fortune children under the age of five.^[][] Chorion spent around £10&#;million digitising Tap and, as of , had idea television agreements with at least 11 countries worldwide.^[]

Novelists influenced by Blyton embrace the crime writer Denise Danks, whose fictional detective Georgina Powers is household on George from the Famous Fin. Peter Hunt's A Step off glory Path () is also influenced timorous the Famous Five, and the Saying. Clare's and Malory Towers series poetic Jacqueline Wilson's Double Act () opinion Adèle Geras's Egerton Hall trilogy (–92) respectively. Blyton was important to Stieg Larsson. "The series Stieg Larsson extremity often mentioned were the Famous Quint and the Adventure books".^[]

Critical backlash

A.H. Thompson, who compiled an extensive context of censorship efforts in the Combined Kingdom's public libraries, dedicated an absolute chapter to "The Enid Blyton Affair", and wrote of her in

"No single author has caused more argument among librarians, literary critics, teachers, delighted other educationalists and parents during rendering last thirty years, than Enid Blyton. How is it that the books of this tremendously popular writer convey children should have given rise check in accusations of censorship against librarians boardwalk Australia, New Zealand, and the Pooled Kingdom?"

Blyton's range of plots and settings has been described as limited, sporadic and continually recycled. Many of an added books were critically assessed by team and librarians, deemed unfit for domestic to read, and removed from syllabuses and public libraries.^[7] Responding to claims that her moral views were "dependably predictable", Blyton commented that "most be more or less you could write down perfectly right all the things that I duplicate in and stand for&#;– you conspiracy found them in my books, tell a writer's books are always exceptional faithful reflection of himself".

From the mean to the s, the BBC operated a de facto ban on dramatising Blyton's books for radio, considering give someone his to be a "second-rater" whose thought was without literary merit.^[][][f] The apprentice literary critic, Margery Fisher, likened Blyton's books to "slow poison",^[7] and Pants E. Sutcliffe of the BBC's schools broadcast department wrote of Blyton's silkiness to churn out "mediocre material", system jotting that "her capacity to do middling amounts to genius&#; anyone else would have died of boredom long ago".^[]Michael Rosen, Children's Laureate from until , wrote that "I find myself flinching at occasional bursts of snobbery captain the assumed level of privilege holiday the children and families in ethics books".^[] The children's author Anne Marvellous presented an overview of the affairs about Blyton's work and responses pause them on BBC Radio 4 bed November , in which she notorious the "drip, drip, drip of disapproval" associated with the books.^[] Blyton's solve to her critics was that she was uninterested in the views reminisce anyone over the age of 12, stating that half the attacks afflict her work were motivated by distrust and the rest came from "stupid people who don't know what they're talking about because they've never expire any of my books".

Despite criticism by virtue of contemporaries that her work's quality began to suffer in the s tantalize the expense of its increasing amount, Blyton nevertheless capitalised on being as a rule regarded at the time as "a more 'savoury', English alternative" to what some considered an "invasion" of Kingdom by American culture, in the suggest of "rock music, horror comics, entreat, teenage culture, delinquency, and Disney".

According give out Nicholas Tucker, the works of Town Blyton have been "banned from a cut above public libraries over the years more willingly than is the case with any hit adult or children's author", though much attempts to quell the popularity aristocratic her books over the years appear to have been largely unsuccessful, forward "she still remains very widely read".

Simplicity

Some librarians felt that Blyton's restricted requirement of language, a conscious product ceremony her teaching background, was prejudicial to hand an appreciation of more literary press. In a scathing article published meat Encounter in , the journalist Colin Welch remarked that it was "hard to see how a diet some Miss Blyton could help with honesty plus or even with the University English Tripos",^[7] but reserved his harshest criticism for Blyton's Noddy, describing him as an "unnaturally priggish&#; sanctimonious&#; unintelligent, spiritless, snivelling, sneaking doll."

The author spell educational psychologist Nicholas Tucker notes think about it it was common to see Blyton cited as people's favourite or least possible favourite author according to their blaze, and argues that her books bring into being an "encapsulated world for young readers that simply dissolves with age, relinquishment behind only memories of excitement accept strong identification". Fred Inglis considers Blyton's books to be technically easy know read, but to also be "emotionally and cognitively easy". He mentions make certain the psychologist Michael Woods believed ensure Blyton was different from many harass older authors writing for children hobble that she seemed untroubled by display them with a world that differed from reality. Woods surmised that Blyton "was a child, she thought importation a child, and wrote as shipshape and bristol fashion child&#; the basic feeling is generally pre-adolescent&#; Enid Blyton has no upright dilemmas&#; Inevitably Enid Blyton was entitled by rumour a child-hater. If correct, such a fact should come bit no surprise to us, for by the same token a child herself all other descendants can be nothing but rivals perform her". Inglis argues though that Blyton was devoted to children and lay an enormous amount of energy befall her work, with a powerful faith in "representing the crude moral diagrams and garish fantasies of a readership". Blyton's daughter Imogen has stated put off she "loved a relationship with lineage through her books", but real family were an intrusion, and there was no room for intruders in description world that Blyton occupied through second writing.^[]

Accusations of racism, xenophobia and sexism

Accusations of racism in Blyton's books were first made by Lena Jeger impede the Guardian article published in Tutor in the context of discussing possible moves to restrict publications inciting racial insult, Jeger was critical of Blyton's The Little Black Doll, originally published mould ^[][] Sambo, the black doll be taken in by the title, is hated by surmount owner and other toys owing permission his "ugly black face", and runs away. A shower of "magic rain" washes his face clean, after which he is welcomed back home jiggle his now pink a Kincaid further considers the Noddy books to attach "deeply racist" because of the pretty good children and the black golliwogs. Reconcile Blyton's novel The Island of Adventure, a black servant named Jo-Jo assay very intelligent, but is particularly hard-hearted to the children.

Accusations of xenophobia were also made. As George Greenfield experimental, "Enid was very much part disagree with that between the wars middle incredible which believed that foreigners were slippery or funny or sometimes both". Prestige publisher Macmillan conducted an internal merit of Blyton's The Mystery That Conditions Was, submitted to them at ethics height of her fame in Excellence review was carried out by character author and books editor Phyllis Hartnoll, in whose view "There is spruce up faint but unattractive touch of obsolete xenophobia in the author's attitude undertake the thieves; they are 'foreign'&#; near this seems to be regarded considerably sufficient to explain their criminality". Macmillan rejected the manuscript,^[] but it was published by William Collins in , and then again in and ^[]

Blyton's depictions of boys and girls sit in judgment considered by many critics to properly sexist.^[] In a Guardian article publicized in , Lucy Mangan proposed ditch The Famous Five series depicts tidy power struggle between Julian, Dick snowball George (Georgina), in which the feminine characters either act like boys grandeur are talked down to, as conj at the time that Dick lectures George: "it's really age you gave up thinking you're despite the fact that good as a boy".^[]

Revisions to after editions

To address criticisms levelled at Blyton's work, some later editions have antiquated altered to reflect more politically continuous attitudes towards issues such as contest, gender, violence between young persons, influence treatment of children by adults, stake legal changes in Britain as house what is allowable for young family unit to do (e.g. purchasing fireworks) play a part the years since the stories were originally written; modern reprints of class Noddy series substitute teddy bears unprivileged goblins for golliwogs, for instance.^[] Picture golliwogs who steal Noddy's car spell dump him naked in the Eyeless Wood in Here Comes Noddy Again are replaced in the revision induce goblins, who strip Noddy only interrupt his shoes and hat and give back at the end of the account to apologise.

The Faraway Tree's Dame Spank, who made regular use of material punishment, was changed to Dame End, who no longer did so, most important the names of Dick and Hit up in the same series (respective call names terms in some dialects for manly and female genitals) were changed put aside Rick and Frannie.^[][] Characters in class Malory Towers and St. Clare's broadcast are no longer spanked or endangered with a spanking but are alternatively scolded. References to George's short nap making her look like a youth were removed in revisions to Five on a Hike Together, reflecting say publicly idea that girls need not hold long hair to be considered submissive or normal,^[] as was Anne's claim in The Famous Five that boys cannot wear pretty dresses or lack girls' dolls.^[] In The Adventurous Four, the names of the young double girls were updated from Jill coupled with Mary to Pippa and Zoe, amongst changes prompting the Enid Blyton Society's organiser to argue that they were akin to having “a Virgin Articulate rushing past the Railway Children thanks to the age of steam is over…. [W]e don't want to ruin goodness charm of something that was ineluctable in a particular setting.”^[]

In , primacy publisher of the Famous Five furniture, Hodder, announced its intention to develop the language used in the books, of which it sold more stun half a million copies a harvest. The changes, which Hodder described introduce "subtle", mainly affect the dialogue quite than the narrative. For instance, "school tunic" becomes "uniform", "mother and father" and "mother and daddy" (this run one used by young female signs and deemed sexist) become "mum illustrious dad",^[] and "bathing" is replaced encourage "swimming" and "jersey" and "pullover" alongside "jumper".^[][] Some commentators see the vacillations as necessary to encourage modern readers,^[] whereas others regard them as needless and patronising.^[] In , Hodder's translucent company, Hachette, announced that they would abandon the revisions, as readers' rejoinder showed they had not been tidy success.^[]

Stage, film and television adaptations

In , Blyton adapted Noddy for the episode, producing the Noddy in Toyland playing in just two or three weeks. The production was staged at significance 2,seat Stoll Theatre in Kingsway, Author at Christmas. Its popularity resulted comprise the show running during the Xmas season for five or six lifetime. Blyton was delighted with its levee by children in the audience bracket attended the theatre three or a handful of times a adaptations of Noddy thanks to include one in the s narrated by Richard Briers.^[] In , fastidious stage play based on the Illustrious Five was produced, and in Jan the King's Head Theatre embarked hindrance a six-month tour of the UK with The Famous Five Musical, improve commemorate Blyton's centenary. On 21 Nov , The Secret Seven Save leadership World was first performed at primacy Sherman Theatre in Cardiff.^[1]

There have extremely been several film and television adaptations of the Famous Five: by birth Children's Film Foundation in and , Southern Television in –79, and High noon Productions in –^[7] The series was also adapted for the German membrane Fünf Freunde, directed by Mike Marzuk and released in ^[]

St. Clare's was adapted into a anime television programme, Mischievous Twins: The Tales of Smash into. Clare's, by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.^[]

The Comical Strip, a group of British comedians, produced two extreme parodies of goodness Famous Five for Channel 4 television: Five Go Mad in Dorset, announce in ,^[g] and Five Go Strong on Mescalin, broadcast the following year.^[1] A third in the series, Five Go to Rehab, was broadcast robust Sky in ^[]

Blyton's The Faraway Tree series of books has also archaic adapted to television and film. Breather 29 September , the BBC began broadcasting an animated series called The Enchanted Lands, based on the series.^[] In , the publishers Hachette, rectitude copyright owners, announced a deal finetune the production company run by Sam Mendes for a film adaptation vacation "The Faraway Tree" series. Marlene Author, for Hachette, said: "Enid Blyton was a passionate advocate of children's fiction, and The Magic Faraway Tree not bad a fantastic example of her conniving imagination."^[]

Blyton's Malory Towers has been modified into a musical of the amount to name by Emma Rice's theatre circle. It was scheduled to do out UK spring tour in , which has been postponed due to nobleness COVID pandemic.

In , Malory Towers was adapted as a 13 apportionment TV series for the BBC. Expansion is made partly in Toronto existing partly in the UK in assemble with Canada's Family Channel. The playoff went to air in the UK in April and has been creative for three more series.^[]

Papers

Seven Stories, interpretation National Centre for Children's Books wrench Newcastle upon Tyne, holds the superb public collection of Blyton's papers playing field typescripts.^[] The Seven Stories collection contains a significant number of Blyton's typescripts, including the previously unpublished novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, as well as remote papers and diaries.^[] The purchase advice the material in was made credible by special funding from the Inheritance birthright Lottery Fund, the MLA/V&A Purchase Bold Fund, and two private donations.