Category Archives: Puffin Post

A little bit of news…

BBC, BBC Radio, Jeremy Strong, Puffin Club, Puffin Post

Not a picture this time, just news.

I’ve been asked to go on BBC Three Counties Radio on Ernie Almonds show (?) to talk about the Puffin Club and the the upcoming new club ‘Puffin Post’ – it looks like it might be fun! If I can wangle the listen again facility for local radio I’ll put the link up for those of you who may be interested. Also on the show will be the well known childrens author, Jeremy Strong (www.jeremystrong.co.uk – with a slightly annoying sound effect on every page, but worth visiting!)

It’s on Monday 22nd September 2008, at 14.05 (or 2.05pm in old money), which happens to coincide with the relaunch of Puffin Post in London that evening!

Bound and unbound…

Binder, Folder, Puffin Club, Puffin Post


Here’s a little bit of restoration with a twist – the graphic from the front of the Puffin Post Binder. Old Members will remember that it was shiny metallic gold on a slightly textured red or, later on, pink vinyl folder. This photographed (and scanned) very badly, so I elected to extract it and recreate the look. Isn’t it lovely!!

I remember taking exception to the club colour being pink, but looking back through slightly rose coloured glasses, I’m actually quite fond of it now.

For those who are unaware – the classic Penguin book spines were orange (a sign of a dyed-in-the-wool intellectual was a bookshelf bursting with orange spines that were all creased through heavy reading).
Puffin books had a pink spine (except for the wrap-around covers, or those whose artwork demanded a certain coordination) – I’m sure it seemed only natural that the club colour should echo this. As a child my own complete collection of Dr Dolittle books made a big band of unbroken pink on my bookshelves. This helped me get over my pink aversion – just as well considering that I now have two daughters!

The current Puffin spine colour is of course yellow, but whether a future Puffin Club would embrace the colour convention is anybody’s guess.

Bound and unbound…

Binder, Folder, Puffin Club, Puffin Post


Here’s a little bit of restoration with a twist – the graphic from the front of the Puffin Post Binder. Old Members will remember that it was shiny metallic gold on a slightly textured red or, later on, pink vinyl folder. This photographed (and scanned) very badly, so I elected to extract it and recreate the look. Isn’t it lovely!!

I remember taking exception to the club colour being pink, but looking back through slightly rose coloured glasses, I’m actually quite fond of it now.

For those who are unaware – the classic Penguin book spines were orange (a sign of a dyed-in-the-wool intellectual was a bookshelf bursting with orange spines that were all creased through heavy reading).
Puffin books had a pink spine (except for the wrap-around covers, or those whose artwork demanded a certain coordination) – I’m sure it seemed only natural that the club colour should echo this. As a child my own complete collection of Dr Dolittle books made a big band of unbroken pink on my bookshelves. This helped me get over my pink aversion – just as well considering that I now have two daughters!

The current Puffin spine colour is of course yellow, but whether a future Puffin Club would embrace the colour convention is anybody’s guess.

No images for a while…

Jill McDonald, Puffin Annual, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake


Dear blog reader (if you are actually there!!)

There has been a break in service due to lots of work that had to be done, and a Cambridge folk festival that had to be attended. (I’d also run out out of previously finished restoration projects)

To make up for it, here is a Quentin Blake cartoon that was destined for one of the Puffin Annuals. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough room, but it was printed in the pages of Puffin Post – never to be seen again!!!


Professor Blake did many cartoons and mini strips for the Puffin Club and was almost as much a part of the visual personality of the club as Jill McDonald. The contrast in styles had a cross-over in their humour and (again) the surreal side of their narrative.

Please remember that this image is the creative property of Quentin Blake

No images for a while…

Jill McDonald, Puffin Annual, Puffin Club, Puffin Post, Quentin Blake


Dear blog reader (if you are actually there!!)

There has been a break in service due to lots of work that had to be done, and a Cambridge folk festival that had to be attended. (I’d also run out out of previously finished restoration projects)

To make up for it, here is a Quentin Blake cartoon that was destined for one of the Puffin Annuals. Sadly, there just wasn’t enough room, but it was printed in the pages of Puffin Post – never to be seen again!!!


Professor Blake did many cartoons and mini strips for the Puffin Club and was almost as much a part of the visual personality of the club as Jill McDonald. The contrast in styles had a cross-over in their humour and (again) the surreal side of their narrative.

Please remember that this image is the creative property of Quentin Blake

Puffin Post Vol.8 no.2

Penelope Farmer, Puffin Club, Puffin Exhibition, Puffin Post, Ursula Le Guin

Since the summer sun has finally decided to show it’s face, I thought this cover would add to the mood.

This issue contained:

Short stories:
The Most Beautiful House – by Paul Biegel
Question Mark and the Wosbos – by Carolyn Sloane

Featuring:

Pictures from the 7th Puffin Show at the Commonwealth Institute
Building a Castle – Penelope Farmer tells how she came to write ‘A Castle of Bone’
Witches and Witchdoctors I have met – by Ben Lucien Burman
Volcanoes – by Rupert Furneux
Old Jokes by Bronnie Cunningham
Meet your Author – Ursula Le Guin – by Susan Stanley Wolk

and of course – Norman Hunter’s Magic Corner