Foreign Language Editions

[Capn]

I am currently making a table with the original titles and the translated titles (as well as differing US titles) in each available language.

So far, I have the following languages represented:
Danish
Dutch
Finnish
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese

The most translated books so far are:

An Island in a Green Sea, into German, Japanese and Korean

and

It Happened in Arles, into Norwegian, French, and Portuguese (and has a different title in the US).

Amanda Goes to Italy, Catrin in Wales, The Vine-Clad Hill, Blue Dragon Days, My Family is Not Forever, and Climbing to Danger have each been translated into two or more additional languages.

The Drina series is represented in German, Dutch, Finnish and Japanese, and possibly more (please see the "Fans of Drina.." Goodreads group for the individual titles and more info).

If anyone knows of a good resource that would be of use in this (copyrights, etc.), please do let me know.

I will see if I can enlist a local librarian's help with this in the future, though I first have to make the acquaintence of one.

[Capn]

SUMMARY SO FAR (all Mabel Esther Allan, and pseudonyms Priscilla Hagon, Anne Pilgrim, and Jean Estoril. The Drina books are listed separately):

A Play to the Festival = On Stage, Flory! (US)

A Summer in Brittany = Hilary's Summer on her own (US) = Maud pakt aan (Dutch)

Amanda Goes to Italy = Mandy Naar Italië (Dutch) = Lise en Italie (French)

An Island in a Green Sea = Das Inselmädchen (German) = Aoi umi no uta 青い海の歌 (Japanese) = 외딴섬검은집소녀 Oettan sŏm kŏmŭn chip sonyŏ (Korean)

Blue Dragon Days = Romance in Italy (US) = Een baan in Italië (Dutch) = Laurence à Gênes (French)

Blue Gate Girl = Het leven begint bij 17 (Dutch)

Catrin in Wales = Es War Im Mai (German) = Bakvis op eigen benen (Dutch)

Clare Goes to Holland = Jeunes Filles en Croisière (French)

Climbing to Danger = Gefahr in Wales (German) = Ingen chance for flugt (Danish)

Fiona on the Fourteenth Floor = Mystery on the Fourteenth Floor (US)

Glenvara = Summer of Decision (US) = De Beslissende Zomer (Dutch)

Here We Go Round = Kleuterleidster Linda (Dutch)

Holiday of Endurance = Ontmoeting in Schotland (Dutch)

It Happened in Arles = Mystery in Arles (US) = Édith en Provence (French) = Aconteceu em Arles (Portuguese) = Skygger for Solen (Norwegian)

It Started in Madeira = The Mystery Began in Madeira (US) = Stop in Liverpool (German) (yes, really!)

Kate Comes to England = Kate Goes to England (US)

Missing in Manhattan = Mystery in Manhattan (US)

My Family's Not Forever = Sommer der Enttäuschung (German) = Un bonheur n'est jamais perdu (French)

Mystery at Saint-Hilaire = Castle of Fear (US) = Saint-Hilaire's hemmelighed (Danish)

Mystery at the Villa Bianca = Mysteriet i villa Bianca (Danish)

New York for Nicola = Nicole à New York (French)

Sara Goes to Germany = Luce en Bavière (French)

Signpost to Switzerland = Liliane en Suisse (French)

Tansy of Tring Street = De nieuwe buurjongen (Dutch)

The Amber House = La Coupe d'Ambre (French)

The Ballet Family = Baletowa rodzina : powieść dla dziewcząt (Polish)

The Ballet Family Again = The Dancing Garlands (US)

The Bells of Rome = Mystery in Rome (US)

The House on the Marsh = Tracy zoekt vriendinnen (Dutch)

The Kraymer Mystery = Das Geheimnis des Kraymer-Hauses (German)

The Rising Tide = Gefährliches Erbe (German)
NOTE: This translates directly as "Dangerous Inheritance", and I mistakenly assumed that this book was the original Dangerous Inheritance in English. WorldCat.org says otherwise!

The View Beyond my Father = Midori no yubi no mieta hi (Japanese)

The Vine-Clad Hill = Swiss Holiday (US) = Vakantie in de Bergen (Dutch) = Les vacances des Cécile (French)

The Wood Street Secret = Das Altes Haus im Hinterhof (German)

Time to go back = In jenem Frühjahr in Liverpool: eine ungewöhnliche Begegnung mit der Vergangenheit (German)

Tomorrow is a Lovely Day = A Lovely Tomorrow (US)

We Danced in Bloomsbury Square = The Ballet Twins (US)

[Capn]

I have also done the Drina series in German (where she is known as Cindy Adams!).

The Drina Series in German

1. Cindy - Der Traum vom Tanzen
2. Cindy - Dein Auftritt, Ballerina
3. Cindy - Ein neuer Anfang
4. Cindy - Die große Chance
5. Cindy - Im Internat
6. Cindy - Der Weg zum Erfolg
7. Cindy - Das neue Ballett
8. Cindy - Die Entscheidung
9. Cindy - Glück im Unglück
10. Cindy - Die große Premiere
11. Cindy - Die Reise nach New York
12. Cindy - Ein Traum wird wahr

There were also 3 sets of 3 books published as sub-collections:
books 1-3 as Cindy träumt vom Tanzen
books 4-6 under the title Cindys große Chance
books 7-9 as Cindy geht ihren Weg

As far as I know, the remaining 3 were not similarly bundled. Part of the issue is that the German series was stretched into 2 additional books, and I am not exactly sure where the divisions occurred.

In Dutch, it appears possible that either the first two Drina books were later combined into "Ballet voor Drina" (the first half with the (translated) title, 'I want to be a Dancer', and the second, 'Dance with Your Shadow'), OR, the original Ballet for Drina was split in half (and then later re-amalgamated). Either way, the Dutch books are: 1. Ik Will Ballerina Worden, and 2. Dans Met Je Schaduw, and an later edition names book two as "Ballet voor Drina, 2. Dans Met Je Schaduw".

The Dutch versions may have given rise to the following bizarre/apocryphal 'English' titles I found on a German website about the Cindy series, through back-translation or something:

1. Ballet for Drina
Apocryphal: I want to be a Dancer, Dance to your Shadow

2. Drina's Dancing Year
Apocryphal.: Drina Goes to the Dominick School

3. Drina Dances in Exile
US: Drina Dances Alone
Apocryphal: Ballet in Buckinghamshire; Ballet Elsewhere (?)

4. Drina Dances in Italy
US: Drina Dances on Stage
Apocryphal: Ballet in Italy

9. Drina Dances in Switzerland
Apocryphal: A Future Ballerina

10. Drina Goes on Tour
Apocryphal: Ballet in London

[Capn]

Titles to which I cannot find a correspondence in English:

SOLVED: The View Beyond my Father
Credit to user SamSpayedPI who found the info in a Japanese library catalogue. Thanks, Sam!
緑の指の見えた日 Midori no yubi no mieta hi (Japanese), literally, "The day when the green finger was visible", or "Date of the appearance of the green finger". ISBN: 9784889751222 1982 Children's Literature Series of the Heart.
I know some Drina books were translated into Japanese, but I don't really suspect this to be one of them. Generic romance sort of cover - male and female in embrace silhouetted. It is NOT "Island in a Green Sea" as that has another Japanese title (with a 'blue sea' in it, interestingly!).
Another hint I can find is that the kanji for "yubi" (finger) is the same as the one for the index (pointing) finger. So instead of a literal finger, we might also consider a sign, omen, harbinger, etc.
I am attempting to upload 4 more photos (don't know what the exact error is), but in the meantime, I have found the following:
- One is an image of two girls sitting on a bed in a small room, chatting. There is a tree outside a window, a writing desk, and a framed picture on the wall above it (contents unclear). The ceiling beams are exposed. One girl is dark haired and has a hand to her chest (indicating herself), and the other is fair haired, listening.
NB: both images done by Japanese artist, it appears. Probably unique to this translation. Black and white.
- The other is a large double page picture, showing a fair haired girl with longish straightish hair kneeling upright in her bed (wearing a nightgown) and holding her right forearm or wrist. There are flowers on the bedstand, and a photo of what appears to be the Madonna and Baby Jesus. A nun in a full habit is rushing towards the girl, smiling, hands clasped to chest in joy or reassurance. Behind her, a second lady with a servant's cap and apron (I assume?) is similarly relieved or happy, and carries in a tray with food on it (possibly a sandwich or slice of cake, drinks, and bowls with unclear contents)
- Either the back cover or inside flap: The publisher's name Abelard is the only roman lettering. Synopsis, I assume, is below (hiragana over kanji for younger readers).
- the final image shows what must be the back cover. "A NUPPEN BOOK for children and young people" and the price, 200 円

SOLVED! Finally found an obscure library listing fron Firenze/Florence, which included "The Conch Shell" as an alternative title.
Albergatrice inesperta (Italian), literally, "Inexperienced Hotelier"
1964 Bietti. No ISBN. WorldCat.org

[Capn]

List of Abelard books, at least those in English and first printings, anyway:

Anne Pilgrim:
Clare goes to Holland
First time I saw Paris
Strangers in New York
Summer in Provence
Selina's New Family

MEA:
Time to Go Back
Crow's Nest
The Rising Tide
Trouble in the Glen
My Family's Not Forever
View Beyond my Father
New York for Nicola
Wood Street and Mary Ellen
Strangers in Wood Street
Growing up in Wood Street
The Mills Down Below
Horns of Danger
The Pine Street Problem
Friends at Pine Street
The Crumble Lane Adventure

Solved, as above - The View Beyond My Father
I have tried to read all the reviews and synopses for these, but none mention nuns. I also feel that, and perhaps this a dangerous assumption, if it were a "Girl in " title, surely landscapes or landmarks would be drawn? But maybe not.

Really hoping the nun and the recovery will ring bells for someone!

I also wonder if maybe, since the cover art shows a romantic scene inside a girl's head, if it could be "Time to Go Back" or a book about remembering about a past event (or envisioning a future event)? But that's a long shot - the style seems very 'conventional Japanese' to me and may not have much bearing on the contents!

Never judge a book by its cover, right?!

[Capn]

The Drina Series in Japanese
ドリーナバレエシリーズ

I am very pleased to be able to finally present the complete list of the 10 Drina titles in Japanese, in the correct sequence, and with the very roughly translated title, for interest's sake.

バレエへの夢 - Baree eno yume - A Dream of Ballet (1)
白鳥のように - Hakucho no yoni - Like a Swan (2)
のびゆく悩み - Nobiyuku nayami - Growing Worries (3)
バレエひとすじに - Baree hitosuji ni - For Ballet (4)
バレリーナの道へ - Barerīna no michi e - The Road to Ballerina (5)
はじめての愛 - Hajimete no ai - First Love (6)
夢ははてしなく- Yume wa hateshinaku - Dreams Never End (7)
南国の花園 - Nangoku no hanazono - Tropical Flower Garden (8)
愁いの湖畔 - Urei no kohan - Lakeside of Melancholy (9)
巡業の旅へ - Jungyo no tabi e - Journey to a Tour (10)

These were published 1978-1982, CiNii Books.

[Capn]

A kindred spirit in Finnish has provided this information:

These books are worth reading for every girl. Jean Estoril’s lovely books tell the story of an English girl, Anne, who dances ballet.
Five books have been published in Finnish: Anne's Ballet Dream, Anne at the Ballet School, Anne at the Boarding School, Anne in Italy and Anne in Scotland. The series also includes 6 other books that have not been translated: Drina Dances in New York, Drina Dances in Paris, Drina Dances in Switzerland, Drina Dances in Madeira, Drina Goes on Tour and Drina Ballerina.
Anne's books are really good youth books. They don’t just tell about ballet, they’re ketoing Anne’s life. They are very truthful classic books. Great, downright.
If you are interested in Anne's world, I recommend visiting my Anne website:
http://kotivu.mtv3.fi/hutsiputsi/anne...

The Drina Series in Finnish
Annen balettihaave - (1) Anne's Ballet Dream (Ballet for Drina)
Anne balettikoulussa - (2) Anne at the Ballet School (Drina's Dancing Year)
Anne sisäoppilaitoksessa - (3) Anne at the Boarding School (Drina Dances in Exile)
Anne Italiassa - (4) Anne in Italy (Drina Dances in Italy)
Anne Skotlannissa - (5) Anne in Scotland (Drina Dances Again)

Here is another fantastic resource, complete with images of covers:
http://cillainwonderland.blogspot.com...

[Christine]

Before 1998 and access to the Internet, I often went to the university library in Hamburg, Germany, to write down bibliographies of my 50+ favorite authors (Wiki has replaced that fortunately).

Here is what I found out about Mabel Esther Allen:

1. 1948 The Glen Castle Mystery
2. 1949 Holiday at Arnriggs
3. 1948 The Adventurous Summer
4. 1949 Celia of Chiltern's Edge
5. 1950 Chiltern Adventure
6. 1950 Everyday Island
7. 1950 Jimmy John's Journey
8. 1949 Mullion
9. 1950 Over the Sea to School
10. 1950 School Under Snowdon
11. 1950 Seven in Switzerland
12. 1949 Trouble at Melville Manor
13. 1948 The Wyndhams went to Wales
14. 1951 The Exciting River
15. 1952 Clues to Connemara
16. 1952 The McJains of Glen Gillean
17. 1952 Return to Derrykereen
18. 1952 A School in Danger
19. 1952 The School on Cloud Ridge
20. The School on North Barrule
21. 1953 Lucia comes to School
22. 1953 Room for the Cuckoo
23. 1953 The Secret Valley
24. 1953 Strangers at Brongwerne
25. 1953 Three go to Switzerland
26. 1954 Adventure Royal
27. 1954 Margaret finds a Future
28. 1954 Meric's Secret Cottage
29. 1954 New Schools for Old
30. 1954 A Summer at Town's End
31. 1955 The Mystery of Derrydane
32. 1955 Swiss School
33. 1955 Adventures in Switzerland
34. 1955 Changes for the Challoners
35. 1955 Glenvara
36. 1954 Here we go round
37. 1955 Judy teaches
38. 1956 Lost Lorrenden
39. 1956 Strangers in Skye
40. 1956 Two in the Western Isles
41. 1956 The Vine Clad Hill
42, 1956 Adventure in Mayo
43. 1956 The Amber House
44. 1956 Balconies and Blue Nets (The story of a holiday in Brittany)
45. 1957 Murder at the Flood
46. 1957 Sara goes to Germany
47. 1957 Ballet for Drina
48. 1957 Ann's Alpine Adventure
49. 1957 At School in Skye
50. 1957 Black Forest Summer
51. 1956 Flora at Kilroinn
52. 1958 Blue Dragon Days
53. 1958 The Conch Shell
54. 1958 The House by the Marsh
55. 1958 Rachel Tandy
56. 1958 Drina's Dancing Year
57. 1959 Drina dances in Exile
58. 1959 Drina dances in Italy
59. 1960 Hilary's Summer on her own
60. 1960 Shadow over the Alps
61. 1960 A Summer in Brittany
62. 1960 Tansy of String Street
63. 1961 Pendron under the Water
64. 1961 Drina dances in New York
65. 1962 Romance in Italy
66. 1962 Drina dances in Paris
67. 1962 School Days in Skye
68. 1962 Home to the Island
69. 1962 Signpost to Switzerland
70. 1963 A Summer in Provence
71. 1963 Drina dances in Madeira
72. 1963 The Ballet Family
73. 1963 Kate comes to England
74. 1963 The Sign of the Unicorn

The rest is in the next post.

[Christine]

75. 1964 The Ballet Family again
76. 1964 Fiona on the 14th Floor
77. 1964 It happened in Arles
78. 1964 Drina dances in Switzerland
79. 1964 Mystery in Arles
80. 1965 A Summer at Sea
81. 1965 Drina goes on Tour
82. 1966 In Pursuit of Clarinda
83. 1966 Skiing to Danger
84. 1966 Cruising to Danger
85. 1966 Mystery of the Ski Slopes
86. 1967 The Mystery began in Madeira
87. 1967 Selina's New Family
88. 1967 We danced in Bloomsbury Square
89. 1967 Dancing to Danger
90. 1967 Missing in Manhattan
91. 1966 The Way over Windle
92. 1968 The Dancing Garlands
93. 1969 The Kraymer Mystery (German title: Das Geheimnis des Kraymer Hauses)
94. 1968 Mystery at Saint-Hilaire
95. 1969 Mystery at the Villa Bianca
96. 1969 Climbing to Danger (German title: Gefahr in Wales)
97. 1970 Mystery in Wales
98. 1970 The Mystery of the Secret Square
99. 1971 The Secret Dancer
100. 1972 Behind the blue Gates
101. 1973 An Island in a green Sea (Das Inselmaedchen)
102. 1972 Time to go back (In jenem Fruehjahr in Liverpool)
103. 1973 A Formidable Enemy
104. 1974 Mystery in Rome
105. 1974 The Chill in the Lane
106. 1974 The Night Wind
107. 1974 Ship of Danger
108. 1975 Away from Wood Street
109. 1975 Romansgrove
110. 1975 The Bells of Rome
111. 1975 Bridge of Friendship
112. 1975 The Flash Children
113, Trouble in the Glen
114. 1976 The Wood Street Group
115. 1976 The Wood Street Helpers
116. 1976 The Wood Street Rivals
117. 1976 The Wood Street Secret (Das alte Haus im Hinterhof)
118. 1977 My Family is not forever (Der Sommer der Enttaeuschung)
119. 1977 The View beyond my Father
120. 1976 The Rising Tide (Gefaehrliches Erbe)
121. 1978 The Pine Street Pageant
122. 1979 New York for Nicola
123. 1979 Tomorrow is a lovely Day
124. 1979 A Lovely Tomorrow
125. 1979 Wood Street and Mary Ellen
126. 1980 The May Day Mystery
127. 1980 The Mills down below
128. 1980 Pine Street goes camping
129. 1981 The Pine Street Problem
130. 1981 The Haunted Valley and other Poems
131. 1981 A Strange Enchantment
132. 1982 Goodbye to Pine Street
133. 1983 A Dream of Hunger Moss

[Christine]

And I missed these titles:

134. 1949 Trouble at Melville Manor
135. 1959 Catrin in Wales (Es war im Mai)
136. 1961 Holiday of Endurance
137. 1962 Clare goes to Holland
138. 1981 Strangers in Wood Street
139. 1982 Growing up in Wood Street

[Primrose]

What an amazing number of books Mable Esther Allan wrote! A long time ago I bought a copy of Jimmy John's Journey (number 7 on your list) and was surprised to find it was a picture book. I haven't come across any more of hers that are.

[Capn]

Wow, danke, Christine! :D So nice to see them all like this, and in order - a valuable resource!

[Christine]

You are very welcome! ♥

[Christine]

I'm reading "Das Geheimnis des Kraymer Hauses" (The Kraymer House Mystery") (1969) right now. It takes place in New York City.

[Capn]

Christine wrote: "I'm reading "Das Geheimnis des Kraymer Hauses" (The Kraymer House Mystery") (1969) right now. It takes place in New York City."

How is it so far? :) I haven't come across that one yet.

[Christine]

It's pretty good. The female lead is the daughter of an actress who is from the UK, but right now playing on Broadway. She and her daughter live in New York City, the daughter wants to find out more about her American ancestors.

[Capn]

Interesting! I've read Bridge of Friendship, and I think that's the only states-side one of hers I've read. :)

Looking forward to your review!

[Christine]

I have 20 more pages to read, then will write the review.

[Louise]

It always surprises me how much Mabel Esther Allan loved New York, because it is so modern and she always seemed to love old historic places so much, yet she took to New York like a duck to water.

[Christine]

Well, it's about an old house in NYC which is about to be torn down.

[Capn]

This was also a theme in Bridge of Friendship. :)

[Christine]

I've never read that one and am not sure if it was translated into German?

[Louise]

Christine wrote: "Well, it's about an old house in NYC which is about to be torn down."

It was the whole city she fell in love with though. She writes in The Background Came First “I did fall in love, deeply, with a city, and, if things had been different in the mid sixties, the chances are that I would be an American citizen,”

[Capn]

Christine wrote: "I've never read that one and am not sure if it was translated into German?"

I don't think so. Although, as I said earlier, there doesn't seem to be any central repository of rights and translations, etc. :S So it's possible there was, but I don't know of it.

The only two other NYC based ones that have either been translated, or have a U.S. title, are:

New York for Nicola = Nicole à New York (French)
Missing in Manhattan = Mystery in Manhattan (US)

[Christine]

Thank you, Louise and Capn.
In the mid 1960's I very much longed to immigrate to the US. In 1970 I begged my parents to let me go on a year to the US via students exchange program (they had enough money, but refused to let me go).
Finally in 2002 I immigrated to the US and never regretted it.

Here I have access to thousands of old movies from the 1940's and 1950's (thanks to TCM) which unfortunately never were aired on German TV.
My English has improved so much that I can read those hundreds of novels which were never translated into German without the help of a dictionary.

Last, but not the least: American men treat their wives so much gentler than German men do. They don't mind helping with chores. I found the man of my dreams over here.

[Capn]

Oh, I'm happy to hear your Happily Ever After story! :) Wonderful that you found a good man, too. :) Sounds like you knew exactly what you wanted and needed.

[Louise]

Christine wrote: "Thank you, Louise and Capn.
In the mid 1960's I very much longed to immigrate to the US. In 1970 I begged my parents to let me go on a year to the US via students exchange program (they had enough ..."

That’s nice. I’ve never been to America but my husband used to go a lot when he was working, he didn’t like New York though, San Francisco was his favourite American city. I don’t get TCM, but I watch a lot of old films on YouTube, , I’ve been able to see a lot of films I’d never seen before,

[Christine]

Capn wrote: "Oh, I'm happy to hear your Happily Ever After story! :) Wonderful that you found a good man, too. :) Sounds like you knew exactly what you wanted and needed."

Oh yes, I knew exactly what I wanted. But I was not sure if I could find it. Falling in love again with 51 years certainly was beyond my imagination. :)

[Christine]

Louise wrote: "Christine wrote: "Thank you, Louise and Capn.
In the mid 1960's I very much longed to immigrate to the US. In 1970 I begged my parents to let me go on a year to the US via students exchange program..."

I love film noir and TCM has lots of them and Youtube has some film noir movies. I can highly recommend "The Reckless Moment" with Joan Bennett and James mason. It's in full length on Youtube.

[Louise]

Christine wrote: "Louise wrote: "Christine wrote: "Thank you, Louise and Capn.
In the mid 1960's I very much longed to immigrate to the US. In 1970 I begged my parents to let me go on a year to the US via students e..."

I don’t think I’ve seen Reckless Moment, I must look out for it. James Mason is always good. I really like comedies best, but I do enjoy some noirs,