Ladybird, Ladybird...

 ...fly away home.

Kirsten's gift of the Ladybird book set me thinking about this book series for children. I knew that Henry Wills company was founded in Loughborough, just north of Kirby Muxloe, in 1867. In 1904 he joined with William Hepworth, and they printed their first children's book in 1914 . But "Ladybird" books as such really began in 1940, the first one being Bunnikins Picnic Party. They were slim, small volumes, easy for a child to hold - and the size was chosen because it made most efficient use of a sheet of printers' paper, and there was no wastage [this was Wartime!]

Here is my much thumbed copy from 1958. I was three and a half! The dust jacket has long disappeared. My Mum has written my name and the date inside the cover. Look at the pattern on the paper- the ladybirds have their wings open. Later the company changed to the familiar insect with 10 spots

In 1963, I got Things To Make.  Mum marked it again - but she had obviously acquired a multicoloured biro as 

she's written my name in rainbow hues! Within a few years they were starting to make the covers coloured, and no longer supplied dust jackets. I have a few remaining on the shelf - Kings and Queens of England, and some other historical characters, and a book of British birds,. My Bible Stories have gone awol, maybe I donated them to somebody. 

Now here's a thing - if you ask people about the Ladybird Reading Scheme, many will mention Janet and John. But J&J were written in 1949/50 and published by James Nisbet. The Ladybird Scheme came out in 1964, just in time for my brother starting school, and the children were Peter and Jane. The books remained in print for half a century, and the characters gradually changed [no more golliwog toys, and \mummy gets to wear jeans!]

I continued to acquire Ladybird books - their simple format and cleat presentation of facts made them useful in the classroom and with my own children. On one very long journey, we stopped at the motorway services and bought a copy of Mervyn Mouse to read to the children.

Like the Gruffalo for today's parents, many of us Mums and Dads of the Millennial Generation, knew this one by heart. In it, Mervyn swims the Channel and needs to insulate himself against the cold. I remember a Summer Barbecue, when Bob picked up the butter dish and declared "I will grease you" Lucy said and many of the assembled company chorused back "I've got a pound of lard"

I have a fondness for these little books. Except The Ladybird Book of the Royal Wedding [1986 - Andrew and Sarah] There was an escape situation in the Manse and one of the pet gerbils made a dash for the door. A quick thinking daughter endeavoured to block his way with this book. Unfortunately his head and the book collided, and we had one less gerbil!

Do you have any favourite Ladybird Books?