Eileen Soper (1905–1990) was a British artist and illustrator celebrated for her charming, detailed drawings of children and domestic scenes. Born in London, she trained at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and developed a delicate pen-and-ink style influenced by early 20th-century British illustration. Soper produced work for books, magazines, greeting cards, and commercial commissions; she is especially remembered for her illustrations for Enid Blyton's children's books--a total of 50 books, including The Famous Five,* over two decades--where her warm, expressive figures helped define mid-century British children's publishing. In addition to commercial work, Soper exhibited watercolors and drawings in regional galleries. Her images—valued for their narrative clarity and keen observation of childhood life—remain collected by enthusiasts of classic British illustration and ephemera. She died in 1990, leaving a legacy as a quietly influential figure in British book and magazine illustration. "Eileen was born in Enfield [north London] in 1905, the daughter of Ada and George Soper. Her father was a famous etcher and engraver and was responsible for his daughter’s artistic training. Her sister Eva, who she lived with all her life, was also an artist whose ceramic figures of birds and animals were commissioned by Royal Worcester. When she was three, Eileen and her family moved to a new house that her father built in the ‘wilds’ of Hertfordshire at Harmer Green. The house was called ‘Wildings’ by Eileen, when she and her sister inherited it. She lived there for the rest of her 81 years and the garden, or more particularly the garden’s wildlife, was to have as profound an effect on her life as her father, the other great influence." [--Catherine Davis] *The Famous Five is a series of children's adventure novels and short stories written by English author Enid Blyton. The first book, "Five on a Treasure Island," was published by Blyton with illustrations by Eileen Soper in 1942. The protagonists of the novels are Julian, Dick, Anne, and George--all young children – plus their dog, Timmy.