I'm looking for the title and author of a particular UK children's
book (probably now well out of print). I had a copy of it around
(roughly) 1981-1983-ish, but I've lost it. The book was one of the
dragon books - these were published with a red, green or blue dragon
on the spine, and were age-graded according to which dragon it was.
Blue was the youngest, I'm not sure which order red/green then went
in. I'm fairly sure this book was a red dragon, but it could have been
a green one. The book was a morality tale, a kind of 'Pilgrim's
Progress for kids' type story. The characters had to travel towards a
golden city/palace of light/something of that nature, and along the
way they encountered things like doubt, greed and so on in various
aptly named characters. Ideally, you'll be able to give the title and
author of the book, and somewhere I might be able to get a copy, but I
realise I haven't given much information to go on!

---

Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 11 Apr 2003 09:11 PDT

Hello elysianuk-ga,

Please read the following review:

In this children’s book all sorts of qualities are human beings.

“Thus there's Mr Scornful, and Giant Cruel, and Miss Silly, and Envy
and Jealousy and Malice, and Comfort with her sister Cheerful, and so
on. The children who are heroes of the story all carry heavy packs on
their backs, which are somehow part of them and can't be removed. The
packs are the manifestation of all the bad things they have thought
and done. The children are on a journey to the Land of Far Beyond,
where they've been told they can get rid of their packs. And all the
people they meet personify some sort of human characteristic, like Mr
Doubt, and Lord Arrogance and Laziness and Sloth.

It's an exciting adventure tale, in which the children have to battle
against most of these people, but are helped by some. Eventually they
reach the Land of Far Beyond, only to discover they can't enter the
City of Happiness because no-one wearing a pack may enter. For anyone
carrying a load of badness can't be truly happy, and so has no place
in the city. They're saved by meeting The Stranger, who initiated
their journey in the first place, and who takes all their packs from
them, and carries them himself. The Stranger, of course, is Jesus.”

If this is the book you’re thinking of, I can give you the title, the
name of the author and a place to purchase it.

Thanks
Bobbie7

Hello elysianuk-ga,

Thank you for your question.


I am confident that the book you’re referring to is THE LAND OF FAR
BEYOND by Enid Blyton.

The characters of the book travel towards the City of Happiness in The
Land of Far-Beyond and along the way they meet people like Mr. Doubt
and Laziness who try to discourage them or tempt them.  They also meet
people like Content and Daring who help them along and get them out of
trouble. There’s Mr Scornful, and Giant Cruel, and Miss Silly, and
Envy and Jealousy and Malice as well.

There are editions of this book by London England Dragon Books 1971
and London Dragon 1977 which are available for online purchase.


Here are some reviews in order to verify that is the correct book. 

“In Enid Blyton's wonderful children's book, "The Land of Far Beyond"
(re-published by Element Books in 1998, ISBN 1901881229), based on
John Bunyan's Christian classic "Pilgrim's Progress", all sorts of
qualities are human beings. Thus there's Mr Scornful, and Giant Cruel,
and Miss Silly, and Envy and Jealousy and Malice, and Comfort with her
sister Cheerful, and so on. The children who are heroes of the story
all carry heavy packs on their backs, which are somehow part of them
and can't be removed. The packs are the manifestation of all the bad
things they have thought and done. The children are on a journey to
the Land of Far Beyond, where they've been told they can get rid of
their packs. And all the people they meet personify some sort of human
characteristic, like Mr Doubt, and Lord Arrogance and Laziness and
Sloth.”

“It's an exciting adventure tale, in which the children have to battle
against most of these people, but are helped by some. Eventually they
reach the Land of Far Beyond, only to discover they can't enter the
City of Happiness because no-one wearing a pack may enter.”

Source: Sermons Stories
http://www.sermons-stories.co.uk/matxmas2.htm	



“The story starts in the City of Turmoil where Peter, Anna and
Patience lived. It is a great noisy, dirty places where all the people
are cruel, greedy and selfish. Sometime later, they see a stranger.
They are fascinated because they have never meet someone so beautiful
kind who has the smiling face and eyes. So, begins the journey of a
small  companions who must face all the danger along the way. Along
the journey they meet very nice people as well as very nasty ones. And
the nice ones more than make up for the nasty ones. Eventually the
reach the Land of Far Beyond, only to discover they can't enter the
City of Happiness because no-one wearing a burden may enter. For
anyone carrying a load of badness can't be truly happy, and so has no
place in the city. They're saved by meeting a stranger who has the
kindest and wisest face that they had ever seen. The Stranger is
Prince of Peace who carries the burdens of the whole world.”

Source: Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1901881229/qid=1050076980/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3229190-1660024?v=glance&s=books


“The story opens up in the City of Turmoil, where a group of children
decide to cause mischief that day. Some time later, they see a
stranger. They are fascinated by him, for they have never met someone
so beautiful kind. The Wanderer is horrified and disgusted by the evil
in the city. He shows five of the children and five other adults, the
'burdens' of dishonesty, deceit and many other things that they carry.
Suddenly they have heavy sacks on their backs that they can't remove.
They have to journey to the City of Happiness in The Land of
Far-Beyond to get rid of them. So begins the journey of ten people,
who must face difficulties and challenges to get to their destination.
They meet people like Mr. Doubt and Laziness who try to discourage
them or tempt them. They also meet people like Content and Daring who
help them along and get them out of trouble. They learn a lot of
things along the way ('it is best to face up to your fears', 'Fright
is less scary when seen in the light of day', and so on) and meet evil
dwarves, angels, a cruel giant etc.”
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1901881229/qid=1050076980/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3229190-1660024?v=glance&s=books

The Land of Far Beyond (ill. by Horace Knowles)
Published by Methuen
Revamped version of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress) 1942
http://masonwilley.tripod.com/enidblyton/id35.html


You may buy The Land of Far Beyond at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1901881229/qid=1050076980/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3229190-1660024?v=glance&s=books


In addition there are five used copies at Abe Books:


Blyton, Enid, Illustrated by Knowles, Horace
The Land of Far-Beyond
London: Dragon, 1977 N/a.
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=195803524


Blyton, Enid
THE LAND OF FAR-BEYOND
London, England Dragon Books 1971. 
This Dragon UK paperback is in as new condition without creases to the
straight spine or glossy covers, no marks or inscriptions inside the
book, the pages are flat, tight, clean and lightly yellowed. A scarce
book in paperback, this book has the resistance to opening that
indicates an unread book. Illustrated by Horace Knowles. Reprint
edition. Binding is Paperback.
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=195648492


Blyton, Enid. Illustrated by Horace J. Knowles. 
THE LAND OF FAR BEYOND 
Published by Methuen. 1957. 
A book in very good condition with no wrapper. Yellow boards, black
titles and decoration. B/w illustrations. 163 pages.
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=197205214


Blyton, Enid, Illustrated by Horace Knowles
The Land of Far-Beyond
England: Grafton-Dragon, 1986 Mass Market Paperback. 
Inspired by Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=196159076


Blyton, Enid
The Land Of Far-beyond ( Land Of Far Beyond)
Element, [1942], 1998 Edition,
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=128330786


Search Criteria:
Children’s book doubt greed
"The Land of Far Beyond"



I hope you find this helpful and if by any chance this is not the book
you’re looking for, just make a request for clarification *BEFORE*
rating my answer and I will resume my search.


Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

Brilliant - that is undoubtedly the book I'm looking for, and you've
even helped with where I can get hold of it. Very fast too - thanks
very much!