Story List on Page 1
Numbers: 1-10
6 The Ice Princess
10 The Mystery of the Green Shoes
Numbers: 11-20
11 Shadow of the Star
13 Little Miss Lonely
14 Please Find My Father!
15 The Truth About Ruth
16 The Secret of Six Gables
17 Patti Mason – Fashion Model
18 The Slave of Tregarron
19 Girls of Sundown Stables
20 Snowbound School
Numbers: 21-30
22 Mystery Mountain
23 Danger From Her Double
25 She Walked by Night
26 The Girl Who Knew too Much
27 “Who Am I?”
28 Dora and her Donkey
29 She Danced into Danger
30 A Medal for Madeleine
Numbers: 31-40
32 Stella and the Stowaway Prince
35 The Secret of the Black Triangular
36 The Fight for Freda’s Fairground
37 Orphan Ballerina
38 Teddy Bear’s Secret
39 The Girl in the Tall Tower
40 The Secret of the Doll’s House
Numbers: 41-50
41 She Sang for her Supper!
42 Stowaway Stella
43 School for Strangers
44 Wendy and the Seven Songsters
45 The Girl in the Bell Tower
46 The Topsy Trail
47 The Red Door
48 The Mystery of Monks Island
49 Kathy at Coldmoor
50 Imposter at the Ballet School
Numbers: 51-60
51 The Secret of the Nocturne
52 The Stranger on Storm Island
53 Wild Girl of the Moors
54 The Secret Ballet
55 Film Star for a Fortnight
56 Girls of Stagecoach City
57 Sal of Sandheath Stables
58 The Jinx on Jarrods
60 The Boomerang Bells
Numbers: 61-70
61 Moira Kent and the Silent One
62 Flora of the Forest
63 Hilary of Hamilton Abbey
64 Secret from the Sky
65 Debbie and her Dogs
66 The Flying Fentons
67 The Village of Hate
68 Terrible Tillie
69 Spinning Jenny
70 The Outcast of Oakvale
Numbers: 71-80
71 Curtain Up for Clara
74 The Girl in the Tower
75 The King’s Caravan
76 Maid of Music
77 Princess Pop
79 Even Clowns Can Cry
80 House of Hate
Numbers: 81-90
81 The Crimson Crest
82 Sew Sew Jo
83 The Nameless Ones
84 Jenny Guitar
85 No Place to Play
86 Maid of Magic
87 The Splendid Seven
88 The Bolas Lass
89 Challenge of the Peaks
Numbers: 91-100
93 Queen of the Buskers
97 The Chosen One
98 Dance for Your Daddy!
99 The Pipes of Panji
100 The Hee-Haw Hero
Numbers: 101-110
101 They All Want Lucy’s Locket!
102 The Girl with Green Fingers
103 Dora the Dope
104 Slaves of Happy Valley
105 No One Wants Nina
106 Debbie’s Ugly Duckling
107 The Clip-Clop Clarks
108 Hilda in the House of Secrets
109 Crazy Academy
110 Dinah in the Dark
Numbers: 111-120
112 Penny of Pennycoat Lane
113 The Girl from Up There
114 Joker’s of St. Jude’s
118 Horoscopes Rule at Dingley School
119 Their Queen is a Panda!
120 The Stone She Fears
Numbers: 121-130
121 They all Hate Hannah!
122 Jeanie and her Genie
123 Sandra’s Slave
124 No Badge for Madge
125 Puppets in Peril
126 Katy Cope the King’s Last Hope
127 Penny Whister’s Band
128 Gwenda’s Goat
129 Kitty on the Run
130 Find the Thursday Girls!
Numbers: 131-140
131 Mona on Mystery Moor
133 The Fabulous Fletchers
134 Clowns Don’t Cry!
135 The Secret Cyclist
136 The Runaway Cookery Queen
139 The Amazing Misty
140 Beware the Black Cat!
Numbers: 141-150
143 Danger Girl
144 Ghostly Gloria
145 Lisa’s Lion
147 Dance into Danger!
148 No Mirrors for Morna!
149 The Austins Must Go!
150 The Secret of Room 7
Numbers: 151-160
151 Where No Voice Sings!
152 Runaway Ballet Dancer
153 The Mystery of the Blue Windmill
156 Girl From Space
157 Ghost Rider of Gull Grange
158 The Lady and the Scamp
159 Mystery at High Hollow
160 Midge & Madge: they’re hopeless apart
Numbers: 161-170
162 Island of Tears
163 Eyes for Brother Billy
164 Terror on Black Rock
165 Guardian of the Silver Stallion
166 Penny Ballerinas
167 Castaway Class
168 The Mystery of Gloom Glade
Numbers: 171-180
176 Little Champion
180 Queen of the Tree People
Numbers: 181-190
Numbers: 191 -200
Numbers: 201-210
Numbers: 211-220
Numbers: 221-230
Numbers: 231-240
Numbers: 241-250
Numbers: 251-260
Numbers: 261-270
Numbers: 271-280
276 Dolly’s Dolphin
277 Water, Water Everywhere!
280 Dancing for Diane
Numbers: 281-290
281 She Lived to Tell a Tale
282 Her Downstairs Friend
283 The Strange Changes in Jenny Jones
284 Dennis the Pony Menace
285 Amazing Sammy
Numbers: 291-300
292Slaves of the Teasets
295 The Silver Scorpians
296 The Kidnapped Castaways
297 Footlights of Fear
300 Becky and the Beachbike
Numbers: 301-310
301 The Perfect Girl
302 Ollie Ole
303 The Return of Dennis the Pony Menace
304 Stagecoach Stella
305 Wendy’s Wonder Window
306 “Run Nippers Run”
307 The Time Leapers
308 Out of Her Class
310 Travels of a Tree-House
Numbers: 311-320
314 The Secret of Madge’s Mutt
317 Tess Tempest
319 The Seeker
320 Ollie the Ostrich
Numbers: 321-330
321 Clare of Witch Hill
323 The Pest from the Past
325 Miss Sunbeams
327 A Heart as Cold as Ice
Numbers: 331-340
332 Dream Dancer
333 Robina Hood
334 The Seekers
335 Rita’s Robots
337 Molly the Matron
Numbers: 341-350
346 Bonnie and Claude
349 Diana the Dresser
350 The Magic Wood
Numbers: 351-360
351 Kathy’s Clean Up
354 The Black book
356 My Cousin From Oz
357 The Witch’s Return
358 School’s Out
Numbers: 361-370
363 Invisible Isla
367 School on Skis
370 Lonely Lynn
Numbers: 371-380
373 “That’s My Pony”
377 Return of the Seeker
378 3 Great Stories about Dolwyn’s Dolls
380 Fay of the Footlights
Numbers: 381-390
381 The Four Mary’s- Break Up
383 Looking Out for Jodie
385 White Fire
386 “My Mother’s a Star”
387 Bring on the Clowns!
388 Ski Into Danger!
389 Simply Perfect!
390 Rachel’s Runaways
Numbers: 391-400
391 The Four Marys-Boy, Oh Boy!
394 The Chosen One
397 Friends For Ever!
398 A Class Apart!
399 Luv, Lisa
Numbers: 401-410
404 Born to Dance
406 “Hands Off Our Club!”
407 The Four Marys
408 The New Girl
409 T for Trouble!
410 Phantom in the Saddle
Numbers: 411-420
411 The Comp
412 She’s the Best!
414 Sylvie Must Skate!
415 Hunted!
416 It’s All Go With Jo!
418 Trapped!
420 She’s Guilty!
Numbers: 421-430
424 Born to Teach
426 Star’s Story
428 Unfair to Favourites
Numbers: 431-440
432 Polly of Pickpocket Row
433 Haunted!
434 Penny Ballerinas
435 Mystery in Manor Park
Numbers: 441-450
443 Amy All-Alone
444 Stella’s Step into Time
445 Girls On Film!
446 Captain Shirley
448 The Kidnapped Castaways
449 Double Trouble
Numbers: 451-455
452 Her Downstairs Friend
453 Terri On Tour
455 California Dreaming
Bunty Picture Story Library For Girls was a new initiative by D. C. Thomsons, and despite costing 1/- it was very successful, so much so that a Bunty Judy Bumper Library costing 20p was published in 1977, and devotees of Judy, Mandy and Debbie would get their own Libraries.
The concept itself wasn’t new of course although earlier Libraries, such as those published by the Amalgamated Press, had tended to present their fiction in text form rather than in picture form. Those would include The Schoolgirls’ Own Library at 9d and rather earlier, Football And Sports Library at 4d. The standard length was 64 pages, which was clearly acceptable for Bunty. This latter series was predominantly for boys of course but perhaps surprisingly girls and women did feature as main characters in titles such as The Girl Who Made Good, Bess o’ Blacktown, and Hat-Trick Hilda. The size of all three Libraries was pretty similar, the length being about one and a half inches less than the width of a weekly issue of Bunty.
Sensibly feeling their way into this new format, the first two titles featured Bunty’s two favourite ballet stars, Moira Kent in issue 1, and Lorna Drake in issue 2, but it wasn’t long before the company felt confident enough just to focus on the story, and therefore to introduce a whole host of new friends to their readers, a few of whom were to appear in serials in the weekly such as Dolwyn’s Dolls, the Four Marys, Trixie the Taxi Driver, the Kids from the Comp, and Luv, Lisa. Themes included school, science fiction, mystery, fantasy, highwaymen, horses, birds, nurses, gymnasts, ghosts, circuses, sailing, unusual pets. Something for every girl really.
Hi Lorraine,
When you have had a read through the above, please let me have your thoughts, especially if there is anything that you feel should be added, or indeed subtracted!
Best regards,
Derek
“and therefore to introduce a whole host of new friends to their readers, a few of whom were to appear in serials in the weekly such as Dolwyn’s Dolls, the Four Marys…” I would say the phrasing of that seems a little off, like its implying stories such as the four Mary’s appeared in the picture books before the weekly comic.
I’m not very familiar with amalgamated press books so interesting to hear how it influenced DCT.
OK. Sorry. I think if you change ‘a few of whom were to appear’ to ‘and a few who had already appeared in serials in the weekly such as’ I think that will better express what I wanted to say.
Hello there,
I’m trying to track down “Debbie’s Dolphin”, which I thought was serialised in Bunty, though I am struggling to locate it! Any ideas?
Debbie’s Dolphin started in BUNTY 751 (June 3 1972), and ended either in 763 (August 26 1972) or in 764 (September 2 1972). It is in 762 but not in 765. Unfortunately I can’t check further for you, Rosa, as I don’t have issues 763 or 764 in my collection.
You’ve listed a Grappling Gertie story in the Bunty annual of 1994. Was that a reprint or a brand new story? I thought I had all the Grappling Gertie stuff so this was a pleasant surprise.
I don’t have every episode of Grappling Gertie, but I think it was a new story for the annual. I don’t have the annual on hand, but I think it involved the girls looking after some royalty/VIP student, taking her to a match of Gertie’s, where she is kidnapped. There was another Gertie appearance in 1992 where Gertie is being blackmailed. Though I may be mixing the two stories up! Thinking about it there was a kidnap plot in one of the picture library books too, so either it was similar plot or i may be getting confused with all the stories!
Thank you for replying. I have “Grappling Gertie’s Schooldays” which does have a VIP student being kidnapped. There’s no reason they couldn’t use the same storyline again though. 🙂
Either way, I plan to pick the 1994 annual up when I get chance so many thanks for the heads-up.
(PS I have some pages from the 1992 story up on my blog if you’re intrested.)
I have no record of any serial in any of DCT’s story papers for girls, whose title contains the words Grappling Gertie.
That panel where “Gertie” flips the two students was clear in my head, but been a while since a read those stories, good to see!
Derek just checking my own story lists, it must have just been annuals and picture story library that Grappling Gertie appeared, seems to be a few cases of that!
It seems strange that Gertie did not appear in a serial as well. The usual pattern is for a character to start with a serial and become so popular she moves on to appearances in annuals/picture libraries.
was there ever a bunty story called “big ben and little lena ” about a group of girls and their ponies having a competition and the winner won the riding stables all the girls had their own ponies and lena had a large cart horse .it will have been sometime in the 1970s
I haven’t come across this story, but I have seen one which might be a possible. Bunty Picture Story Library #193 is called “Betty’s Great Big Ben”, and although I haven’t read it, it seems to be about a girl who rides a carthorse. Here’s a picture of the cover.
https://www.comics.org/issue/1130666/cover/4/
Could this be the one?
“Big Ben and Little Lena” was a Bunty Serial instead of a Picture Story Library. It began in Bunty #970 (August 14, 1974) and ended in Bunty #980 (October 23, 1976). The owner of a riding stable dies in an accident and he wills his stable to one of the girls who attended riding lessons at his stables. The will states that there is to be a marathon pony trek around Brittain with the girl scoring the most points inheriting his stables. The will states that each girl must ride their own horse and as Lena has no pony, she rides her father’s work horse (Big Ben). She ends up winning the stables in the end although the other girls try to stop her from winning.
Bunty 970 is dated August 14, 1976, not 1974. I accidently typed in the wrong year and didn’t notice it.
Has anyone got a copy or scan of Bunty PSL #324 “My Brilliant Friend”? Many thanks to anyone who can help.
Has anyone got a scan or copy of “The Comp” Bunty PSL #348? Many thanks for any assistance.
I have this one. I’ll do a scan and send it to you – may be a couple of days or so, however.
Thank you so much!
Can someone send me a copy of secret star from the bunty 1996?
Does anyone remember the one about the London fire? I can’t remember the name of it! Thank you!
Hi, that’s a bit vague, do you mean a story around the Great Fire of London? Do you have any other details about story and when you would have been reading it?
There is some stories around that period, a girl looking after orphans in the aftermath of the fire: https://girlscomicsofyesterday.com/2019/07/annies-orphans-1967/
There’s a short text story in Debbie where two children try to escape the fire: https://girlscomicsofyesterday.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/flames.jpeg
There is also a story in an annual I can’t recall which one, where a girls’ brother who works at a bakery is responsible for the fire.
There was a Shop at Shudder Corner story in one of the Debbie annuals where the magic torch transports the girls to the Great Fire of London. Maybe that was the annual story you were thinking of?
There is a Jinty story, “Bridey Below the Breadline”, where Bridey and her father are on the run after he is wrongly accused of starting the Great Fire. https://jintycomic.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/bridey-below-the-breadline-1976/
Ah, the Shop at Shudder story on the Great Fire of London appears under the alternate title “London’s Burning!” in Debbie annual 1980.