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Can you measure the dose of
Enid Blyton that you’ve grown up on, beginning with the Noddy series and
moving on to the Secret Seven, Famous Five, Five Findouters and many more?
Haven’t we all at some time or another formed clubs, made badges, held secret
meetings (with goodies to tuck in, of course) and zeroed in on catchy passwords
that meant a lot to us and probably nothing to our elders? How many girls have
fantasised being out and out boyish like Georgina, sorry George?
Daughter, teacher and mother
The creator of Peter, Fatty, the Naughtiest Girl and Snubby, Enid Mary
Blyton was born on August 11, 1897, to Thomas and Theresa Blyton, in East
Dulwich, London. She spent much of her childhood in Kent, with her parents and
her brothers Hanly and Carey. She married Major Hugh Pollock in 1924 and had two
daughters, Gillian and Imogen.
A very creative person, Enid
took up music seriously. However, she soon abandoned the idea and opted to
qualify herself as a Kindergarten teacher. She completed her studies in flying
colours and launched her career in helping children bloom in the garden of
learning.
Enid Blyton was fond of writing
and did so during her free time. Her intrinsic love for children and close
interaction resulted in her first book Child
Whispers, a book of verse published in the year 1922. She eventually took to
writing as a profession and churned worlds of fun and fantasy for children.
Blyton’s world of fun
’n’ fantasy
Enid Blyton’s first full-length novel, The Adventures of the Wishing Chair, appeared in 1937. It was within
the next thirty years that the all time favourites dripped from her pen. In her
entire career, Enid has penned over seven hundred titles. More of her creations
are still being discovered today.
The
books of Enid Blyton were intended for children in varying age groups. She told
tales of animals, magic, gnomes, pixies, wizards and fairies for her young
readers. Two favourite characters from this genre are probably Noddy and his
friend, brownie Big Ears.
The
backdrop for most of the stories were enchanting castles, islands, friendly
farmhouses, toy-sized villages, exciting circuses and boarding schools set in
idyllic backdrop. The adventures of the Secret Seven – Peter, Janet, Colin,
George, Jack, Pam and Barbara (and the irresistible dog Scamper) – thrilled
readers in the seven to nine age group. The Famous Five – Julian, Dick, Anne,
George (Georgina) and Timothy the dog – ran through a series of twenty-one
adventures. Then there were the detective books called the Mystery Series. Her
Adventure Series centred on four children and a parrot. Enid Blyton has written
three series featuring life in a boarding school. Besides, she has authored
several books set in normal day to day life. A predominant feature in all her
books and stories was the importance being given to strong moral values and
poetic justice where right always triumphed over wrong. Enid Blyton has also
written some Bible stories.
Blyton’s
magazines
Enid Blyton contributed regularly to magazines such as
Teacher’s World. It was in Teacher’s
World that her first ever children’s story, Peronel
and his Pot of Glue appeared. She also brought out two magazines called Sunny
Stories and Enid Blyton’s Magazine. The
Adventures of Bob Bunny and Waddles
were her first children’s stories to be published in book form. In all, she
has written over ten thousand short stories and poems for her magazines. She has
also written two successful plays one of which is a Noddy pantomime. Enid Blyton
ran clubs that benefited children’s charities through her magazines.
The
publishing phenomenon
Enid Blyton is often referred to as a publishing
phenomenon. Over two hundred and fifty million copies of her books have been
sold world-wide. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages. This
great writer of fiction for children died of a coronary thrombosis on November
28, 1968.
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