Family

Ladybird books – reminiscing for World Book Day

We’ve always loved sharing books with the children at bedtime, but as well as finding new stories and authors to read together we also like looking at some of the stories we enjoyed ourselves as kids. Some of our favourites are the original Ladybird books – the small, hardback books which had their heyday in the 1950s through to the 1970s and 80s. There is a 10-year age gap between my husband and I, but we still both loved the Ladybird books and were both read some of the same ones as kids. In amongst our favourites are Five Little Kittens, Lost at the Fair and the Garden Gang series, including (aptly) Roger Radish, Percival Pea and Penelope Strawberry. One of the best for classic Ladybird illustration is our copy of The Princess and the Pea, which was first published in 1967. The drawings of the Queen as she goes to check on the princess the morning after she sleeps on a million mattresses are priceless. Talk about the mother-in-law from hell! 

Add to that the killer lines about the rejected princesses having something the matter with them, such as them being “too tall, too small” and even “too gay”. I’m not sure that page would be printed in today’s version! 

What are your favourite books? Do you share any you liked as children with your little ones?

X Julia

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12 Comments

  • Reply
    International Elf Service
    March 4, 2015 at 9:44 am

    Oh these do take me back, what a lovely nostalgic picture. Real classics – I’ve still got our little hardbacked Peter Rabbit books that we all read. I love them – rips and all!
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  • Reply
    Karen
    March 4, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    Ooh this bought back some memories!!
    I had Ladybird Cinderella – she went to the ball three times in it and therefore had three different gorgeous dresses. I LOVED it.
    I bought a collection of Ladybird Classics for Freyja recently and I was pleased that it had the same version of Cinderella – although going to the ball three times makes it a very long story to read!!
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  • Reply
    Caro | The Twinkles Momma
    March 4, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    LOVE THIS!!! OMG — I had the Garden Gang books!!!!!! In fact I bet they’re still at my mom and dad’s!! thanks SO much for giving me a brilliant pang of nostalgia!! And also for making me laugh… old queen, haha! Hilarious 🙂

    Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk
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  • Reply
    sarah christie
    March 4, 2015 at 9:25 pm

    Omg Julia what a trip down memory lane I had that exact version princess and a pea, i used to read it all the time, I also had roger radish and polly pomegranate I loved the garden gang x
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  • Reply
    You Baby Me Mummy
    March 4, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    Wow what incredible books! Ha ha they are gorgeous if not PC! 🙂 x
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  • Reply
    Jenny
    March 6, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Ahhh lovely books to share for world book day. It’s really a big deal here in the UK, I can’t remember ever dressing up and celebrating it in the states. These are fab. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
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  • Reply
    Mini Travellers
    March 6, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    I have read all of these, I love this post. I love re-reading old books with the kids but get a bit precious about them spoiling them!
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  • Reply
    Little Treasures
    March 8, 2015 at 7:22 am

    This is such a nice post, so lovely to be sharing these with your children and creating more lovely memories linked to them. I still have some Winnie the Pooh books my mum used to read me and Osbourne firstword books which have lots of cellotape but are still great! And we’ve just rediscovered the Meg and Mog stories, which she loves! #sundaystars

  • Reply
    Anna busby
    March 8, 2015 at 7:55 am

    oh wow! the garden gang! haven’t seen those for years these were my favourite books as a child so much nostalgia came flooding back just now! recently started reading the jeremy james series to my boys brings back good memories ! #sundaystars!
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  • Reply
    Kat | Beau Twins
    March 8, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    Princess and The Pea & Five Little Kittens – I still have! I have so many books from the 80’s! I love the fact I kept them as i means I can pass them down to the girls! Charlotte’s Webb, Secret Garden, all the Roald Dahl books and so many more!! Great post lovely – gotta love a bit of nostalgia! Thank you for linking to #SundayStars fellow hostess xxxxx
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  • Reply
    Mrs H
    March 11, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Ahhhh, I love Ladybird books. I definitely had The Princess and the Pea. I seem to remember having Puss in Boots too, but that might be a dream. Sadly, I don’t have them anymore. But I do still have all my Anne of Green Gable books. They are my priced possession. Thanks for linking up to #SundaysStars. Hugs Mrs H xxxx
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    • Reply
      Rainbeaubelle
      March 11, 2015 at 10:58 pm

      I’d love to hear about your Anne of Green Gables books! Fab xx

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