There are many, many reasons why I love my husband. One particular one has to be the fact that he now only rolls his eyes when I ask him to pop into the charity shop that he's about to pass to see if there are any vintage Ladybird books waiting for me there. Just last week he came home with a particularly good haul – a nice mix of half a dozen fiction and non-fiction titles for which he paid less than £2 in total!
One of these titles was one that I've not actually seen before, Water from the Ladybird Leaders series, series 737. The aim of this series was to provide "first information books" that were aimed at stimulating reluctant readers. The idea behind them was that the fascinating subjects would encourage children to pick up a book and then want to read it. The subjects covered was wide ranging, very wide ranging. Everything from Chocolate and Cocoa, to Roads, via Islands and Soldiers.
Water was one of the first books published in series 737 in 1973 and it covers so many different topics related to water. The importance of water in life is detailed along with a description of where rain comes from. It then goes on to show how people used to get their water supply and compares it with the modern day system of water pipes and taps in homes. There are so many different uses for water at home and work from drinking, to washing, to heating systems and in industry.
Some of the physics behind water are also demonstrated and accompanied by the common style Ladybird illustrations. These physics principles then lead us to hydroelectric power and how water can exist in solid, liquid and gas forms. Despite being a life source the book also points out just how dangerous water can be – either as a scalding risk from boiling water, or causing floods and dangerous high tides.
Looking through this book I'm fascinated and amazed at just how much they have to say about water. It makes me wonder just how much knowledge there must be in the Ladybird Leader series as a whole, especially when you consider that there were 38 titles in total in the series. I only have five in my collection at the moment – so many more to look out for!
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 category here on Being Mrs C. Thank you!
I own the entire “People at Work” series which was published late 50’s-early 60’s and was a series of 20 books showing various trades and professions. These ranged from the armed forces, emergency services, industry, hotels, building, even pottery and department stores. I loved them all and hopefully I can pass them on to my children (if I have any, which isn’t likely at the moment considering I’m 40 and just finished another failed relationship)
Wow – the whole People at Work series is impressive! There are people out there who might marry you just for that (joking aside a friend fathered his first child at 60, so think positive…)
Wow, what a find to just stumble across this post. I loved this particular book in the series, and seeing the pictures took me right back.
During my year out from uni, I worked for Yorkshire Water on the engineering side. Loved it, seeing all the workings from start to end and everything between so to speak