Enid Blyton - Mason Willey's Collectors' and Enthusiasts' Guide to First Editions
Natural history

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Enid Blyton's knowledge of British flora and fauna was very extensive, and she put it to excellent use in her books on the subject, and in her column in the magazine Teachers' World which she produced for over twenty years. Some of the books are very beautiful things, with wonderful illustrations and colour plates. In particular Enid Blyton's Nature Lover's Book, (see picture on Home page), and Enid Blyton's Animal Lover's Book, both published by Evans in 1944 and 1952 respectively, are to my mind worthy of pride of place in any Enid Blyton collection.

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The Zoo Book from 1924, (see picture below), is one of Enid's earliest published works and is particularly interesting in that it was commissioned by Major Hugh Pollock, editor of the Book Department of George Newnes, and destined to become Enid's husband. The book centred around London Zoo. It is extremely informative, but Miss Blyton reveals her somewhat bossy mentality in the opening words of Chapter XII - Snakes, where she states quite dismissively: "I do not think you will spend a very long time in the Reptile House at the Zoo......Snakes, crocodiles and alligators are evil looking, and the tortoises are so sleepy and motionless that one soon tires of watching them". What the keeper of the Reptile House thought of that little gem is not recorded, and perhaps it's just as well.

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And the camel, says Miss Blyton, can travel fifty miles with a heavy load on just a mouthful of dry thorns..........Hmmm! Poor old camel! Still, perhaps her expertise was limited to British creatures.

 

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Published by Evans

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Enid Blyton's Nature Lessons (ill. by Denis G. King)   1929

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Round the Year with Enid Blyton: Spring Time*   1934
Round the Year with Enid Blyton: Summer Time*   1934
Round the Year with Enid Blyton: Autumn Time*   1934
Round the Year with Enid Blyton: Winter Time*   1934
 
* These softback books were reissued a number of times and were standard items in most school libraries for many years. They are actually reprints of material from Enid's column in Teachers' World magazine. They exist with card and linen covers, and with various cover designs. Hardback omnibus editions with dustwrappers were issued later.

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The Summertime book - this edition from the 1950s comes with card wraps

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Published by Newnes
 
The Zoo Book (ill. by var. artists and with photos) 1924
The Bird Book (ill. by Roland Green)                1926
The Animal Book (ill. unknown)                      1927
The Children's Garden                               1935
Birds of Our Gardens
     (ill. by Roland Green and Ernest Aris)         1940
A Calendar for Children                             1941

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A companion volume to The Zoo Book

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Enid Blyton's first natural history title from 1924

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Enid Blyton's Nature Lover's Book
     (ill. by Donia Nachsen and Noel Hopking)          1944
Enid Blyton's Animal Lover's Book
     (ill. by E. Mansell, James Lucas
     and Norman R. Satchell)                           1952
 
Published by Johnston
 
Animals at Home                                        1935
Birds at Home                                          1935
A Visit to the Zoo                                     1938
Friends of the Countryside                             1939
 
These four little softback books are all part of the Old Thatch series which books were issued at various times from 1934 to 1960.
 
Published by Macmillan
 
Enid Blyton Nature Readers (nos. 1 - 20)               1945
Enid Blyton Nature Readers (nos. 21 - 30)              1946
Reference Book to Enid Blyton Nature Readers and Plates
     by L. J. F. Brimble, ill. by the author and with
     photographs, and with foreword by Enid Blyton     1949
 
These readers were reissued in 1952 and 1953 in five hardback volumes as My First/Second/Third/Fourth/Fifth Nature Book, illustrated by Eileen A. Soper. They are story books, and were written to supplement the 60 nature plates. For a complete list of the plates, please see Appendix II.

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Other publishers
 
Rambles With Uncle Nat (pub. by Nat. Magazine Co.,
     ill. by Nora S. Unwin)                  1947
Jinky Nature Books
    (in four parts, pub. by Arnold)          1947
Let's Garden (pub. by Latimer House,
    (ill. by William McLaren)                1948
 
Other items with Enid Blyton content
The Nature Lover magazine                    1935
(E.B. contributed a column)
Birds of the Wayside and Woodland - A Pocket Guide,
     (by T. A. Coward, pub. by Warne)        1936
(E.B. was editor and contributed the Introduction, later editions carry an abridged version of the Introduction).
Nature Observation Pictures (four folders containing
     32 pictures from The Birds of the British Isles
     by T. A. Coward)
    (pub. by Warne - E.B. contributed the footnotes)   1935

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A book often neglected by collectors - the cover gives no indication of the Blyton content

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