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
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 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
Foreword copyright © Shirley Hughes 2014
About the Author copyright © Macmillan Children’s Books 2014
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Typeset by Kate Warren
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