The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook Read online

  Joyce went on writing stories about Milly-Molly-Mandy for the rest of her life, but she wrote about other characters too, in books such as Marigold in Godmother’s House (1934) and Adventures of Purl and Plain (1941). She also illustrated stories by other authors and was specially chosen by her publisher, George Harrap, to draw the pictures for the first edition of Ursula Moray Williams’ Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse (1938).

  Joyce always remained close to her sisters. Nina, who became the first and much-loved illustrator of the Chalet School stories by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer, was the only one to marry. Ethel died in 1961, and Nina and Joyce died within a few months of each other, in 1978.

  Joyce Lankester Brisley seems to have been rather a shy person and she obviously didn’t like publicity. Once, after two of her pictures had been accepted by the Royal Academy and a journalist wanted to interview her, she telegraphed at once that she “would be out”. Maybe she was a bit like Milly-Molly-Mandy herself – happy to be busily getting on with whatever task or errand she’d set herself for the day, and content with whatever good fortune life might bring her.

  First published in 1925, the stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy and her friends have charmed children for generations.

  Milly-Molly-Mandy is always ready for some fun, whether she’s throwing a birthday party, blackberry picking or running errands. Along with Toby the dog, little-friend-Susan and Billy Blunt she can always find something to do in the village.

  Macmillan Classics: breathing new life into much-loved children’s stories

  The Island of Adventure

  by Enid Blyton

  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

  by Lewis Carroll

  Through the Looking-Glass

  by Lewis Carroll

  The Jungle Book

  by Rudyard Kipling

  The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook

  by Joyce Lankester Brisley

  Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse

  by Ursula Moray Williams

  Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat

  by Ursula Moray Williams

  The Teddy Robinson Storybook

  by Joan G. Robinson

  This selection of stories first published 2008 by Kingfisher

  This edition published 2014 as part of the Macmillan Classics series by Macmillan Children’s Books

  This electronic edition published 2014 by Macmillan Children’s Books

  an imprint of Pan Macmillan

  a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

  20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR

  Associated companies throughout the world

  www.panmacmillan.com

  Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories (1928), More of Milly-Molly-Mandy (1929), Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy (1932) and Milly-Molly-Mandy Again (1948)

  first published by George G. Harrap

  ISBN 978-1-4472-9296-8

  Text and illustrations copyright © Joyce Lankester Brisley 1928, 1929, 1932, 1948

  Foreword copyright © Shirley Hughes 2014

  About the Author copyright © Macmillan Children’s Books 2014

  You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Typeset by Kate Warren

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