Barbara Stoney (1933–2009)

Like most Americans, I was never exposed to Enid Blyton as a child. But after my marriage I traveled to India, where, no surprise, I discovered her boarding school books--St. Clare's and Mallory Towers. Blyton was incredibly prolific! It is no surprise to me to learn that her first marriage suffered because of her drive, nor that she was a less than perfect mother. She was fortunate to have been born at a time when domestic help liberated her from domestic duties.

This book attempts at an even-handed look at Blyton. It includes several appendices, which critique the subject more bluntly than the author wished to do. The tale of Blyton's life ends on a happy note (to me), and I am glad I read the book to the very end.… (meer)

While I remember the 'Read with Dick and Jane' series of books as the first books I read, I credit Enid Blyton and her many series with developing my love of reading as a child. Her poetry and her stories drew me as no other author had, and I could not get enough of her books. Thankfully, she wrote voraciously and the multiple series helped me develop an appreciation for different types of stories and poems. I still have some of my old Enid Blyton books and will occasionally still lift one from the shelves to indulge in a favorite childhood escape. The delight I find in her stories have not dimmed even as I have aged and moved on to more 'adult' books.

This biography, based on research through interviews with members of her family, friends and employees in addition to extracts from surviving documents and diaries, have given me a glimpse into the woman behind the author. Her life was very different from what I had imagined for her. I had not known how much of a philanthropist she was, and how her efforts to aid various charities through her army of fans around the world resulted in some amazing donations and assistance. That she took the time to answer letters written to her by children even as she became more and more busy with her professional writing touched a chord in me. What a thrill it must have been for a child to receive a handwritten note from her answering their questions or thanking them for the dead bird they sent.

I find it interesting that the critics of her works were from, and continue to come from adults, not the children who to this day, consume them by the millions. Perhaps these nosy and noisy adults should focus on the most important thing about Enid Blyton's books .... and that is, she's still, even now, getting children to read. And here's another thought, J.K Rowling has said in interviews that she grew up reading Enid Blyton books...and look how she's managed to entice children to read today.

In reading this biography, I've come to love Enid Blyton for the woman she was, I thank her for giving me an outlet for my imagination to flourish and for building fantastical worlds filled with wizards, fairies, pixies, adventure, fun while imparting moral lessons to strengthen what my parents taught me.… (meer)