Publisher to give Madonna Blyton books

The firm which owns the rights to Enid Blyton’s works announced it was sending Madonna a consignment of books after the American diva admitted she had never heard of the children's author.

The singer made the confession as she launched her first children's book, The English Roses, in London.

Madonna will be able to leaf through the Noddy and Amelia Jane stories as well as the Faraway Tree and Enchanted Lands series.

The company, Chorion, said the star’s ignorance of the world’s most famous children’s author could be excused.

“It is not surprising that Madonna did not know about Enid Blyton because, despite the author’s worldwide success, her books have never been widely published in the United States,” a spokesman said.

Blyton has sold more than 400 million books worldwide and annual sales are still around seven million, 36 years after her death.