A beautiful shelf from Melbourne

Tania of Myrtle and Eunice, Melbourne, was kind enough to share wonderful photos of her beautiful Blyton shelf (and a great zoom-in on the "Wishing Chair").

I just returned from Melbourne a couple of months ago. Having spent a
lot of time in libraries with my daughter, in particular the one in St.
Kilda, I am happy to report that Aussie kids are still hooked on
Blyton. New prints are also available at Borders etc. I also found many Blytons in Hebrew at the Jewish Makor library in Caulfield (or is it South Caulfield? Someone help me here, please).

Click on the shelf to zoom in.

Ms. Hussain's bookshelf

Natasha Hussain, the top Pakistani model/actress, has a whole Enid Blyton bookshelf in her father's home. So Natty, if you happen to read this, please send a photo. Of the bookshelf, that is. The address is LetBlytonIn@gmail.com. Thanks!

Childhood Memories from Bengal

Ramnath Subramanian, a science teacher based in El Paso, Texas, found two Blyton books at a US bookstore - indeed, a rarity - and writes beautifully about his bookish childhood. I am sure this piece will resonate with many. Who knows how many other "secret societies" of kids around the world were inspired by the Famous Five!

Parlez vous francais?

Montgomery County in Maryland is one of the more affluent counties in the United States. with an extensive system of public libraries.
I recently searched their catalog for Blyton titles. The search returned only 12 (!) titles in English. Surprisingly, there are 15 Blyton titles in French.
I asked an MCPL librarian about it. Here are excerpts from her detailed response:

Blyton was a very popular British author who never reached the same fame or acquired the same fandom here in the U.S. Most of her titles are out of print here. Her books are often not available from the wholesale book vendors we use.

We would be happy to request titles on interlibrary loan from other libraries in the state or beyond, if you require them...

Any of our children's librarian would also be happy to introduce you and your family to other children's authors you might enjoy.

Hey, I didn't ask for introductions to other authors, thank you very much. Just Let Blyton In!

Blyton in the Himalayas

Blyton is very popular in Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan Kingdom nestled in the heart of the Himalayas. This photo, showing three loaded Blyton shelves, was taken at the library of a local primary school in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Most Blyton books in Bhutan are printed in and imported from India.

The top two shelves are loaded with titles from the Popular Rewards series. The bottom shelf has many Famous Fives and some Secret Sevens.

NYPL

The New York Public Library system has been described as "one of the five most important libraries in the United States". It consists of 89 libraries (including 77 neighborhood libraries) containing more than 15 million books.

So I decided to search the NYPL catalog for books by Blyton. After all, the library system serves millions of New York children. The search returned 5 (that's five) results: There are two Secret Seven books, both in Hebrew; a Famous Five in French; one book in Russian in the Reference section ("Znamenity utionok Tim" - is this a Noddy? Please help if you speak Russian), and finally, a book in English: The Christman Book.

That's a pretty pathetic Blyton collection, given the prestige of NYPL.

Conclusion: If you're in New York and want to borrow a Blyton book, better start brushing up your Hebrew.

Please, Don't Send Money!

Sorry, but I don't have a PayPal "Donate" button! However, I still need your help to fight Yankee skepticism and increase awareness in the U.S.:

1. Americans are not aware of Blyton or her popularity, so please send us photos of Blyton bookshelves taken at libraries, private collections and bookshops around the world. Mail your photos to letblytonin@gmail.com. Don't forget to let us know where the photo was taken, and who to credit.

2. Some parents and educators are certain that Blyton's books destroy the delicate minds of children. We are living proof that they're wrong, and we live to tell the tale. Let us know what Blyton's books mean to you - please mail your story to letblytonin@gmail.com, and with your permission we will post it on the blog.

3. Create Awareness: When visiting a U.S. bookstore or public library, ask about Blyton's books. Expect a dumbfounded stare. That's when you can give a short pitch. I have yet to find an American librarian who was familiar with her name.