Firestyle Magazine Issue 3 - Spring 2016 | Page 31

The first Noddy book, ‘Noddy goes
to Toy-land’, was published in 1949
and a first edition is worth about
£100. There were 24 in that series,
with prices now ranging from £25
upwards. There were also various
sets of Noddy books produced in the
1950’s, and these can be worth up to
£200 a set.
There are literally hundreds of other
Blyton titles including her Brer Rabbit
and Mary Mouse series, and she even wrote
fantasy tales like The Faraway Tree. There is still keen
demand among collectors for any of her first or early
editions in nice condition. Prices vary from around £15
to £50 for most, depending on age and scarcity. And
they still turn up in junks shops and charity shops, so
worth keeping an eye open!
Blyton’s writing reflected its period, and can
occasionally appear a little politically incorrect to
modern readers. The current owners of the copyright
to her work have re-edited some titles to remove what
some might have perceived as offensive, but the
controversy has never harmed her sales, which are still
massive.
In any case, Enid Blyton was disdainful of any attacks
on the quality or tone of her work, once remarking that
she was not interested in the views of critics if they were
over the age of twelve.

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