Plot
In 1840, the Shaw children are orphaned and Rose, the eldest, is left in charge. They move into a cave in the roots of a tree they call the Guardian Tree because it seems to watch over them, protect them and give them advice and comfort in their fight for survival. They also have to keep their tree home secret from Matthew Crowe, the Parish beadle who means to put the younger children in the workhouse.
Notes
- Artist: Hugh Thornton-Jones
- First printed as text story, later updated to picture story
Appeared
- The Guardian Tree (text story) – Mandy: #300 (14 Oct.1972) – #316 (03 Feb. 1973)
- Reprinted (as picture story) – Mandy: #439 (14 June 1975) – #453 (20 Sep. 1975)
- Reprinted (as picture story) – Mandy: #709 (16 August 1980) – #723 (22 Nov. 1980)
- Abridged text story reprinted – Mandy: #1000 (15 March 1986) – #1014 (21 June 1986)
- Reprinted (as picture story) – Mandy: #1175 (22 July 1989) – #1189 (28 October 1989).
- Reprinted as picture story (Mandy Classic) – M&J: #230 (07 October 1995) – #244 (13 January 1996)
Other Appearances:
- The Guardian Tree – Mandy Annual 1976
The text version of The Guardian Tree ran in Mandy 300 (Oct. 14 1972) – 316 (Feb. 3 1973). The first repeat was in picture strip form in Mandy 439 (Jun. 14 1975) – 453 (Sep. 20 1975). The second repeat is the picture strip starting in 709 that you have already listed.
A slightly abridged repeat of the original text version of The Guardian Tree (two instalments omitted) ran in Mandy 1000 (Mar. 15 1986) – 1014 (Jun. 21 1986).
The Guardian Tree was one of three serials starting in Mandy’s celebration Special Issue Number 1000 that were described there as ‘A Best-Ever Story’. The other two were The Amazing Valda and Little Stranger.
The Guardian Tree was also reprinted as a picture strip in Mandy 1175 (Jul. 22 1989) -1189 (Oct. 28 1989).
Hi, does anyone happen to have the text story that they could perhaps scan and send me? I’d love to read it. I’ll pay for time, or give a charity donation if you like 🙂
I don’t have all the episodes of text story, but I do have the picture story version. I could send you the text episodes I have along with the picture story episodes if you like.