I regularly talk to people about my vintage Ladybird collection and one subject that seems to come up time and time again are the natural history books that they used to publish. Loads of people seem to remember not only the Natural History series (number 536) but also the later Conservation series (number 727). Strangely I don't seem to have written about many of there here on Ladybird Tuesday yet, but I hope to rectrify that by this week looking at British Wild Animals from series 536.
Originally published in 1958 British Wild Animals was written by George Cansdale and the illustrations were done by Roland Green. The book devotes each double page to an animal or two and tells the reader about how and where they live and also what they eat.
Sadly things have changed somewhat for some of Britain's wild animals since this book was published. Water voles are quite a rare sight now along our rivers and there's been plenty of press coverage of the ongoing badger culls too. The books does still provide a child (and plenty of adults) with a good overview of animals that they may still find here, and a reminder of those that aren't quite so common any more.
The quality of the illustrations in this book really is fantastic. Books on similar topics today normally contain photographs instead and it's all too easy to forget the level of detail that illustrators have put into pictures like those found here.
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!
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