Ladybird Tuesday: Shapes

Tuesday keeps catching me by surprise. I should know by now that it comes round each week, but I’m still managing to be somewhat unprepared when it comes to Ladybird Tuesday. Sorry about that.

This week we’re looking at a book that both Little Miss C and Master C have been showing quite a bit of interest in over the last few weeks – Shapes. This title was published by Ladybird in 1978 and was part of a series of five books (alongside abc, telling the time, counting and colours) that were designed “to help parents to amuse, interest and at the same time to teach”. On the spine they are identified as “Early Learning” and I think they were originally part of series 563, although this is obviously a later version as the original series was published in the 1950s.

The artwork in this book is very much of the era – lots of bright colours and some of it really quite “arty”. It’s interesting to note that the book was written by Ethel Wingfield and designed by her husband Harry, yet the illustrations are credited to John Scott and Harry Wingfield. I may be wrong, but I’m guessing that Scott was responsible for the modern looking parts and Harry for the more classical looking shell pictures that I’ve featured below.

I find 1970s Ladybird books quite fascinating as there was this obvious desire to update everything and modernise it in some way rather than appreciate the older book designs and illustrations for the wonderful works of art that they were. A shame really, but I suppose it gives collectors like myself more to collect!

There have been some excellent finds in local charity shops lately that I want to share here on Ladybird Tuesday. I just need to get myself a bit more organised and actually write all the blog posts.

If you have a collection of old Ladybird books then please feel free to join in with Ladybird Tuesday. There are no formal rules to follow, just leave a link to any post you write in the comments below and if you’re feeling kind link back to my Ladybird Tuesday index page here on Being Mrs C. Thanks!