Bert, Nan, Flossie, Freddie - hey, they were so real to me. And although I preferred "The Famous Five" (living in the UK I suppose), north-American lot certinly weren't to be dismissed all that easily by me and my peers

But now I discover it's all been a conspiracy.

Here in he UK, when I was growing up, the phenomenally successful Enid Blyton is supposed to have had a whole team of fellow writers, true, but at least she existed as a person - hey, I once lived just around the corner from where she was born (Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London). Not many of those who tread this pârticulmar Board can claim that

But Laura Lee Hope, it seems, didn't even exist!!!! Shock! Horror! Have you always known this in North America?

Enid Blyton was my favourite author when I was about 8 years old.I loved the Famous Five and the Secret Seven books. I had them all, Malory Towers and the Five Find-outers series too. Remember them Colin?

By the way, my claim to fame was I lived next door to the artist L.S.Lowry!

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By the way, my claim to fame was I lived next door to the artist L.S.Lowry!

That's pretty interesting Jenny. Can you remember him? Did you and your family get to know him?
L.S. Lowry has always been one of my favourite artists.

I loved Enid Blyton. The Famous Five were the very best! But what a setback to the feminist cause she was.
To this day I have to remind myself that I can refuse to stay behind and make cucumber sandwiches (with the crusts cut off), and that it's OK to go off and have adventures with the boys.

Then there was that little matter of Noddy jumping into bed with Big Ears....

You got me thinking about Enid Blyton, Colin.

I think my favourite was, " The Secret of Killimooin," and I'm pretty sure there were "swarthy" Arabs, with "shifty" eyes, carrying daggers in this one too.

Ah Enid, those were the days; when the Britain still had an Empire, and everyone knew their place.

The Wikipedia article on Enid Blyton is really excellent. The first of the 'Trivia' points at the foot of the page is eloquent indeed about her impact and influence on the children of the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enid_Blyton

My daughters are in their early twenties now, but in the room next door to where I'm sitting there are more than seventy Enid Blyton titles sitting on the bookshelves, which they've kept since childhood. They must have taken the rest of their collection to London with them!!

My own favourites, Jenny, were the "Adventure" series and the "Five Find-outer" books, but I'll always have a soft spot for the Famous Five.

Btw, dance girl, I didn't try "The Secret of Killimooin" when I was young, but from your description it sounds way too frightening for me to have read.

PS
No one from north America's come forward yet to adlmit to the Laura Lee Hope conspiracy. A downright dastardly affair if you ask me.

DG, I did not know Lowry that well. He was a bit of a recluse and kept himself to himself. However, If one passed him on the street, he would always tip his hat and say hello. When he died, in 1976, I was only 16 years old but I remember the police coming and removing all the paintings from the house. There were about five van loads. It was on the local news etc with us waving to the cameras from behind. It was the usual scenario, painter only becomes famous when he dies. A friend of my parents was a great friend of Lowry's and he owned quite a lot of the paintings. When this man died, they were sold to the Salford art gallery for well over a million pounds, his family geting the proceeds.

Colin,
Is there a definitive answer as to why Blyton's books were removed from library shelves in the late 60s and 70s? I did a bit of checking, but never really came up with anything solid.
Sure, it would seem obvious, in light of her sometimes racist and sexist language, but thinking about it, there were probably authors that were worse offenders, that managed to escape censorship.

Jenny,
Thanks for that. It really was fascinating. I was reading a bit about him after your post yesterday, and it seemed that he befriended a young artist with the same name as him. I found that an interesting story too.
I became interested in Lowry, after a school trip to the Tate in Grade 12. Then of course, there was that song which we all loved until it was played for about the 100th time. dg

This post must be pretty unique in that the original question (about the "author" of the Bobbsey Twins) has not (yet) elicited a direct response. It has though spawned some very interesting exchanges about Enid Blyton and L.S.Lowry. I've no problem with that of course, especially when the two people who have (so far) responded - Jenny and dance girl - each contribute such quality and added value.
But tell me both, please. Where when you when THIS particular question was asked?
And all my best to you both!

http://answerpool.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/319601891/m/7571019123

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But tell me both, please. Where when you when THIS particular question was asked?

Ooops! I blame Jenny. She'll probably blame me !

And just for being such a smart ***, Colin..this is for you.

Tribute to L.S. Lowry

All the best to you too dg

Must have missed that particular question Colin, Sorry!
If you do visit the Lowry gallery at Salford Quays, be sure to watch the 20 minute 'Meet Mr Lowry' black and white film clip. I am in it. Very briefly though, at the end when they are removing the pictures from the house. I took a school trip to the gallery a couple of years ago and we all sat watching the film. When it came to the bit where they were moving the pictures, I commented to my class that I was there at the time and wondered if I was on the film, then lo and behold, up I popped.

Hey - that gives me even more incentive to go!

I read The Bobbsey Twins for a few years when I was 8-10ish and accumulated about twenty-five or so books that my mother saved for me even after I'd moved from home for twenty years. Unfortunately she stored them for me in a place that received storm surge damage from Hurricane Hugo. She put them out in the sun to dry, but they were kind of messy after that. By the time I brought them to my house because my young niece refused to read them, along with all my Nancy Drew books also 'rinsed' by Hugo, they were too moldy so I had to throw them all away. I doubt I would have read them again though.