Topsy and Tim

To say that Little Miss C loves books would be an understatement. The first things she wants in a morning is for us to read books to her. When we put her to bed at night the main reason she doesn't want to go is because that means no more bedtime stories.

I remember Topsy and Tim books from my childhood and happened to pick up a couple of modern versions in a charity shop recently for LMC and she already loves them. In one day last week we ended up reading about Topsy and Tim visiting the dentist seven times!

Of course today's Topsy and Tim books are somewhat different from the ones I remember from childhood. They are now published by Ladybird and appear either as small square hardback books, or in the more traditional rectangular Ladybird format. When I was a child they were published by a company called Blackie who ceased to exist in the 1990s.

Judging by the sales that I can see on eBay the original ones appear to be very popular, but I'm amazed by how little information I can find out about them online. I can't even find a complete list of all of the ones that were published – so I've decided to try and start my own based on what I can find out.

I do have an old copy of Topsy and Tim at the Zoo which my MIL managed to find in a local charity shop. This was published in 1968, but in a larger format than the ones I remember, but I understand that this was the original, original format (If you see what I mean), before the books became physically smaller.

It does give me a relatively good starting point though on a list of what had been published in the series at that point in time, so here goes:

• Topsy and Tim's Monday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Tuesday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Wednesday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Thursday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Friday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Saturday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Sunday Book
• Topsy and Tim's Birthday Party
• Topsy and Tim's Bonfire Night
• Topsy and Tim on the Farm
• Topsy and Tim Go Fishing
• Topsy and Tim's Foggy Day
• Topsy and Tim at the Football Match
• Topsy and Tim Go on Holiday
• Topsy and Tim Go to Hospital
• Topsy and Tim's Paddling Pool
• Topsy and Tim Go Pony-Trekking
• Topsy and Tim Go Safely
• Topsy and Tim At School
• Topsy and Tim At the Seaside
• Topsy and Tim's Snowy Day
• Topsy and Tim At the Zoo
• Topsy and Tim Take no Risks
• Topsy and Tim Learn to Swim
• Topsy and Tim Go Sailing
• Topsy and Tim Go Hill-Walking

I know that there have been several more titles since then as well as re-issues of some of the above – now I just need to try and work out what else was published when. If you have any hints then I'd love to hear them.