Posted by Joy of Christmas on December 23, 2005 at 14:52:41 from 195.157.57.17 user Joy.
In Reply to: Re: Approaching Ransome (was Enid Blyton beats AR hands down) posted by Peter H on December 23, 2005 at 14:15:57:
I don't think one has to regard either Ransome or Blyton as "borrowing" their ideas. Both were writing in an era when series and family adventure stories were becoming increasingly popular, with M. Pardoe, the Bunkle books, Elinor Lyon, M.E. Atkinson, Fitz Roy, Saville etc etc etc.
I think it is also true to say that earlier books formed only short series (e.g. Nesbit's Bastable stories), the 1920s and 1930s saw the rise of much longer series.
Although there is also no denying that some of Blyton's later writing is formulaic and does not develop the worlds she created, THE SECRET ISLAND, THE NAUGHTIEST GIRL and indeed THE ENCHANTED WOOD have all lasted very well indeed.