Milly-Molly-Mandy


Milly-Molly-Mandy is a set of six children's books written and illustrated by English writer Joyce Lankester Brisley published over the period 1928 to 1967. The books follow a little girl, Milly-Molly-Mandy, who wears a pink-and-white striped dress. The illustrations show the character growing from about age four through to age eight. Translations have been published in at least nine languages, including Finnish, Polish and Icelandic.
Milly-Molly-Mandy's real name is Millicent Margaret Amanda, but she was given the nickname because of the length of her full name. Her adventures are the everyday events of village life: running errands, going to school, making presents, fishing, picnicking, and so on. She lives in "the nice white cottage with the thatched roof" on the edge of a small village. Her parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle also live in the cottage. Her friends are Billy Blunt, a slightly older boy whose parents run a corn shop and Little-Friend-Susan, who lives in the cottage down the road. Occasionally, the stories include other friends such as Miss Muggin's niece Jilly; Bunchy, a slightly younger girl who first appears in the story 'Milly-Molly-Mandy gets a New Dress', and Jessamine, a wealthy girl whose family often holidays at The House with the Iron Railings.

Origin

The stories were originally published in the Christian Science Monitor, beginning in 1925. They were first published as a collection, Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories, in 1928.

Setting

The stories take place in south east England, and because of the proximity to the sea and the downs, and the chalk roads in the village, they would appear to take place near to the south coast. There are map illustrations inside the front covers of each book. Each differs slightly to indicate the different events in the stories. When they take a trip to the seaside by train, another illustration has white cliffs which would suggest Kent or Sussex, and is visually rather akin to Eastbourne. The author was born in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, which is the next town east of Eastbourne. Both Bexhill and Eastbourne have railway stations. Milly-Molly-Mandy's village does not have a railway station but she goes to a nearby town via pony and trap to take the train, these could be akin to Polegate, Berwick or Glynde which are close to Alfriston. They are set in the late 1920s, given the state of inventions; cars are just spreading into general use but there are no telephones, household electricity or aeroplanes as a rule.

Characters

Family

Milly-Molly-Mandy's real name is Millicent Margaret Amanda, but her family thought it too long a name to call every time they wanted her. She always wears a pink and white striped frock and sometimes a yellow hat. Milly-Molly-Mandy helps by running errands for the family. Milly-Molly-Mandy lives in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof with her large family.
Father's first name is John. Father does all the gardening and grows vegetables for the whole family to eat and sell.
Mother's first name is Mary but she is called Polly in everyday use. Mother makes all the meals for the family and does all the washing.
Grandpa takes the vegetables to market using his pony and cart.
Grandma knits socks, mittens and nice warm woolies for them all. In Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends A Penny, Grandma teaches her to knit a tea cosy.
Uncle's first name is Joe. Uncle keeps cows and chickens.
Aunty sews frocks and shirts for them all and does the sweeping and dusting. Aunty's first name is Alice.
Great Aunt Margaret is Grandma's sister and came to stay for a few days.
Topsy is Milly-Molly-Mandy's black and white cat.
Toby is Milly-Molly-Mandy's small black and white terrier.
Duckling: In the story Milly-Molly-Mandy spends a penny she saves up three pennies and buys a duckling.

Friends

Little Friend Susan is Milly-Molly-Mandy's best friend. She lives with her mother and father and little sister Doris in a cottage near Milly-Molly-Mandy's.
Billy Blunt is another friend of Milly-Molly-Mandy's. Milly-Molly-Mandy, Susan and Billy often go around playing together. He lives with his mother and father, who own a corn shop in the village.
Jessamine is a little girl whose wealthy family often vacations at The House with the Iron Railings. In one story, she and her mother take Milly-Molly-Mandy, Billy and Susan on a drive to the Downs.
Jilly Muggins is another friend to Milly-Molly-Mandy. She lives with her Aunty, Miss Muggins, who owns a shop that sells sweets, material and other useful things that everybody in the village needs.

Adults in the village

Mr Rudge is a blacksmith who Milly-Molly-Mandy invited to their party. He plays cricket. In the last book he gets married and Milly-Molly-Mandy and Little Friend Susan are the bridesmaids.
Miss Edwards is a teacher at Milly-Molly-Mandy's school. In one of the stories, Miss Sheppard the headmistress went away and Miss Edwards became the headteacher. She moves into the school cottage. Because she was moving from the town into the cottage, Miss Edwards writes to Milly-Molly-Mandy's mother to ask if she might stay for a few days while she gets the cottage sorted out. Mother agrees to this so Milly-Molly-Mandy is worried that she will have to be on her best behavior. In fact, teacher turns out to be a completely different person away from school; Billy Blunt and Little Friend Susan wish that she had come to their houses.

Other Children

Doris Moggs is Little Friend Susan's baby sister. Milly-Molly-Mandy helps look for a name for her and decides on Primrose but Mrs Moggs had already named her Doris. When she gets locked in her own bedroom by accident, Milly-Molly-Mandy crochets Doris a bonnet.
Bunchy's name is Violet Rosemary May, called "Bunchy for short" by her Granny who makes her dresses from floral fabric. In the story Milly-Molly-Mandy has a New Dress, Bunchy and Milly-Molly-Mandy engage over buying dress fabric. Though both girls like the floral fabric, Milly-Molly-Mandy decides Bunchy should have it because of her name and the two become friends. Brisley went on to write two spin-off books about Bunchy.

Book series, stories and editions

Original six books

  • Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories
  • More of Milly-Molly-Mandy
  • Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy Again
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy & Co
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt
Many printings of the original Milly-Molly-Mandy books have been made available over the decades by various publishers.

Stories

The original six books include 64 stories.
  1. Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories
  2. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Errands
  3. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends a Penny
  4. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets Her Great-Aunt
  5. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Blackberrying
  6. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Party
  7. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Enjoys a Visit
  8. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Gardening
  9. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Makes a Cosy
  10. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Keeps Shop
  11. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gives a Party
  12. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Visiting
  13. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets to Know Teacher
  14. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Fête
  15. More of Milly-Molly-Mandy
  16. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets Up Early
  17. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a Surprise
  18. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets Up a Tree
  19. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Concert
  20. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Has her Photo Taken
  21. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to the Pictures
  22. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes for a Picnic
  23. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Looks for a Name
  24. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets Locked In
  25. *Milly-Molly-Mandy's Mother Goes Away
  26. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to the Sea
  27. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Finds a Nest
  28. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Has Friends
  29. Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy
  30. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a Tea-Party
  31. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Minds a Baby
  32. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Motoring
  33. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets a Surprise
  34. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes on an Expedition
  35. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Helps to Thatch a Roof
  36. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Writes Letters
  37. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Learns to Ride
  38. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Makes a Garden
  39. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Camps Out
  40. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Carol-Singing
  41. Milly-Molly-Mandy Again
  42. *Milly-Molly-Mandy has a New Dress
  43. *Milly-Molly-Mandy finds a Train
  44. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Surprise Plant
  45. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Blacksmith's Wedding
  46. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and Dum-dum 66
  47. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Gang 8
  48. *Milly-Molly-Mandy goes Sledging
  49. Milly-Molly-Mandy & Co
  50. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Dresses Up
  51. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes for a Picnic
  52. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a Clean Frock
  53. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Golden Wedding
  54. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Cooks a Dinner
  55. *Milly-Molly-Mandy Acts for the Pictures
  56. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and Guy Fawkes Day
  57. Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt
  58. *Milly-Molly-Mandy rides a Horse
  59. *Milly-Molly-Mandy does an Errand
  60. *Milly-Molly-Mandy finds a Parcel
  61. *Milly-Molly-Mandy goes Excavating
  62. *Milly-Molly-Mandy has an Adventure
  63. *Milly-Molly-Mandy on Bank Holiday
  64. *Milly-Molly-Mandy has American Visitors
  65. *Milly-Molly-Mandy and a Wet Day
  66. *Milly-Molly-Mandy makes some Toffee
In subsequent years these stories were released in varying formats by several publishers.

Collections

Numerous variations of the original Milly-Molly-Mandy books have been issued by different publishers. Most include Joyce Lankester Brisley's original line drawings. This is an overview of pertinent editions:

Complete collections

Individual volumes:Milly-Molly-Mandy Pan Macmillan U.K publishes the original six books; 2018 formatting.
Omnibus editions:The Adventures of Milly-Molly-Mandy, ''Omnibus, publisher: George G Harrap & Co, London. Includes books: #1, #2, #3.The Milly-Molly-Mandy, Second Omnibus'' publisher: George G Harrap & Co, London. Includes books: #4, #5, #6.

Partial collections

Kingfisher Publishers released The Milly-Molly-Mandy Collection, a two volume slipcase set. These books are currently sold separately by Kingfisher-Macmillian:
  • The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook 21 stories from books #1-4
  • More Milly-Molly-Mandy 20 stories from books #2-6
75th Anniversary Edition:
  • The Big Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook ; 8 stories; Clara Vulliamy illustrations, cover and throughout; 2 pg introduction by Vulliamy; 11.125 x 8.75 in; Kingfisher Publishers.
Puffin Books has published the first four books individually and in one volume. The publications are limited to the first four books, including those mistitled as "complete":
  • The Adventures of Milly Molly Mandy, 4 books in 1 1 volume The Complete Milly-Molly-Mandy Box Set 4 book setMilly-Molly-Mandy the Complete Adventures 4 book set

Alternative titles

More recently, Milly-Molly-Mandy books have also been published under alternative titles, with five or six stories per book.
Gardners Books through Pan Macmillan published a boxed set of four books, The Best of Milly-Molly-Mandy, which was later carried by Kingfisher and released separately the next year. These were billed as in a "dainty, accessible format" featuring Clara Vulliamy cover art with Brisley interior illustrations:Milly-Molly-Mandy's Family Milly-Molly-Mandy's Friends Milly-Molly-Mandy's Schooldays Milly-Molly-Mandy's Adventures
MacMillan Children's Books publishes the four above titles along with additional seasonal titles all featuring the Brisley illustrations. These are carried under the series name The World of Milly-Molly-Mandy:
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy's Family
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy's Friends
  • Milly-Molly-Mandy's School Days Milly-Molly-Mandy's Adventures Milly-Molly-Mandy's Spring Milly-Molly-Mandy's Summer Milly-Molly-Mandy's Autumn
  • ''Milly-Molly-Mandy's Winter''

Spin off - Bunchy books

The character Bunchy is introduced as a younger classmate in Milly-Molly-Mandy Again with the story "Milly-Molly-Mandy has a New Dress" and again in the last story of the book, "Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Sledging." Her full name is Violet Rosemary May, and she is called "Bunchy for short" by Granny who makes her dresses from floral fabric.
Joyce Brisley wrote two books featuring Bunchy, who lives alone with her Granny on the outskirts of the village. The little girl uses her imagination to enjoy adventures such as engaging with characters from a card game, a little snow-globe man and a wooden sailor-doll.
The books are Illustrated with the author's pen and ink drawings. Early printings of both books included a Brisley watercolour frontispiece.Bunchy ; George G. Harrap & Co. London; ; republished by Puffin
  • * 10 stories
  • * Includes imaginary play with bread dough figures, scrapbook pictures and clothespegsAnother Bunchy Book ; George G. Harrap & Co. London
  • * 7 stories
  • * Includes imaginary play with paper dolls, a and a Staffordshire figure

Adaptations and merchandising

There have been some Milly-Molly-Mandy adaptations and merchandising. Kingfisher released a Milly Molly Mandy doll and Pan Macmillan has published an activity book; there is also a niche market for Milly-Molly-Mandy's classic red and white striped dress with white bloomers.
  • Plays: Three Little Milly-Molly-Mandy Plays adapted from Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories by Joyce Lankester Brisley; George G. Harrap & Co. LTD.
  • Children's beginner readers: Milly-Molly-Mandy Infant Reader by Joyce Lankester Brisely, adapted by Margaret McCrea; Four book series; George G. Harrap publishing. In the 1950s these illustrated books were reprinted by, in Australia.
  • Vinyl record: The Adventures of Milly-Molly-Mandy ; six stories narrated by Janie Rayne; UK Press LP; Copyright © The Trustees of The
  • Teacher's reading comprehension guide: Milly-Molly-Mandy Comprehension Guide by Deb Chapin; Veritas Press. The book implements Milly-Molly-Mandy as a second grade reader, highlighting comprehension, grammar and vocabulary; featuring paper dolls and recipes.

Illustrations

Joyce Lankester Brisley illustrated her stories with pen and ink line drawings which continue to be featured in current editions. Colour frontispieces with Brisley's watercolours were featured in the six original books published by George G. Harrap & Co. Brisley's original artwork is held at the V&A Archive of Art and Design.
In 2000, Clara Vulliamy, of the Hughes - Vulliamy family, drafted illustrations which were featured throughout the 75th anniversary edition, The Big Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook, released by Kingfisher-Macmillian. The Vulliamy watercolours were also used as cover art for both Kingfisher's Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories and The Best of Milly-Molly-Mandy series, with Brisley's original pen and ink drawings within these books.

Reception

In writing for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan acknowledges that the stories have sometimes been represented as twee and sentimental, yet describes them as delightful and comforting, "Each story is a miniature masterpiece, as clear, warm and precise as the illustrations by the author that accompanied them".
Other reviewers have noted, "The simple rhythm of the writing and Milly-Molly-Mandy’s village goings-on makes me nostalgic for a life I was never a part of." And, "These stories soothe the reader as well as the listener.... Milly-Molly-Mandy books never truly grow old. They just grow dearer, like a childhood friend."
In a review for Girl Museum, Rebecca Taylor noted the "pure innocence of the tales" depicting an idealized rural England, illustrated "how country life for girls was very different from city life." She also described Milly-Molly-Mandy's character as "kind, strong, adventurous and brave" justifying her positive generational appeal.
The accuracy of the books' placement during the 1930s interwar period is noted in an article with Springer Nature within Children's Literature in Education by Kathryn M. Walls. Walls observed, "MMM’s village and style of living is very much of its time—to the extent that it stands as a close-to-perfect snapshot of that time." She went on, "its context reveals that Brisley was not so much inventing a complete toy-town as recreating the scene from local knowledge."