We’re jumping about a bit between the years here on Ladybird Tuesday as we’re going from the 1980s last week to a book that was first published in the 1940s – 1948 to be precise (although this is a 1970s reprint I think). Lost at the Fair is part of the Animal Rhymes series (series 401) which was a set of lovely stories, all written in verse, making them perfect to be read out loud to young children.
Lost at the Fair is the story of two little dormice whose mother is woken one morning by Mr Squirrel telling her that the fair has some to town. She wakes up her chidden and as soon as they hear the exciting news they bounce out of bed and rush to eat their breakfast before heading to the fair. On the way there they bump into another little mouse who has been left behind. Mrs Dormouse scoops him up and off they all go to the fair.
Once there they all have a lovely time winning coconuts and buying candy. Then they spot an elephant (possibly the done thing at fairs in the 1940s?) and Mrs Dormouse pays for them to all go for a ride on its back. The children are thoroughly enjoying their ride when one of them spots some acorns on a tree and greedily reaches out to pick them.
The acorns don’t budge and the little dormouse is left hanging there as the elephant plods on. Luckily a friendly blackbird comes to his aid and catches him by the tail before flying back to the fair with him and returning him to his mother.
It’s a lovely, if slightly strange, little tale, but the rhyming text makes it almost sing as you read it out loud. Such a different style of book to those 80s ones that I looked at last week, but still holding a lovely bit of Ladybird magic.
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!
Looks like a lovely book, I’ve not heard of this series! I’m joining in this week with Prehistoric Animals and Fossils http://www.jenniferslittleworld.com/2014/07/ladybird-tuesday-prehistoric-animals.html
Oh my goodness, these posts are a real trip down memory lane for me, my gran had that book in her toy box along with lots of other ladybird books, I loves this book. Happy days