And she’s right. Her satire – a combination of original painting and mixed media – perfectly encapsulates the conceptual vacancy that is, unfortunately, at the heart of many of our arts institutions. She explains:

So far I’ve been referring to these books as thought there were only one versions – the 1960s version. However, in 1970, only 6 years after first publication, Ladybird decided that the books needed some up-dating. The good news is, if you want to acquire a set of these books to help a child to read, it doesn’t matter which version you get – just go for the cheapest. The text is just about the same throughout the versions. It is only the artwork, layout and design that change.If you want to collect a particular version or all the different versions, then read the section below: ‘How can I tell the difference between the different versions?’. Peter and Jane and social history: Why were the books revised?

In some Asian countries, particularly those which are also part of the British Commonwealth, the books are still widely used as a teaching aid in nurseries, preschools and kindergartens. Links reading with writing and phonics. All the words that have been introduced in each 'a' and 'b' book are also reinforced in the 'c' books Ladybird Books to close Loughborough plant". 30 November 1998. Archived from the original on 27 September 2003 . Retrieved 24 February 2014.

In October 2015, it was announced that Ladybird books would be publishing its first series of books for adults. The eight books, which parody the style and artwork of the company’s books for children, include the titles The Hangover, Mindfulness, Dating and The Hipster, and were written by television comedy writers Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris. They were published on 18 November 2015. [10] The series follows a trend of other spoof Ladybird books including We Go to the Gallery by Miriam Elia who had previously been threatened with legal action by Penguin. [11] On 5 July 2016, Touchstone Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced that they would publish American adaptations of the Ladybird Books for Grown-ups, called The Fireside Grown-Up Guides. [12] Well, I’m a teacher and a linguist and a mother – but I don’t want to weigh into this argument except to say that it seems to me that different children learn to read in different ways. Some reading schemes suit some children, others suit other children. My own son responded well to the “look and say” method and was turned off reading by “jolly phonics”– yet I have heard very compelling research that phonics is more successful overall. So be it. All I can say is that the Key Word scheme was amazingly successful. First issued in 1964 it is still in print today – over forty years later!By August 1914, Wills & Hepworth had published their first children's books, under the Ladybird imprint. [1] From the beginning, the company was identified by a ladybird logo, at first with open wings, but eventually changed to the more familiar closed-wing ladybird in the late 1950s. The ladybird logo has since undergone several redesigns, the latest of which was launched in 2006. You can now explore a whole new world of adventures in this edition of Key Words with Peter and Jane, based on tried and tested methodology. For one reason or another, people seem to mix up the characters ‘Janet and John’ with ‘Peter and Jane’. ( I think the late lamented Terry Wogan had a hand in adding to the confusion). You see the pictures on the right? Not Ladybird. The two children in the best-known Ladybird reading scheme were Peter and Jane. I just thought I’d clear that up from the start.

And that’s just the books. The ‘childen’ will, of course, be even older since they were meant to be between 5 and 10 years old when they were created, in 1964. This will be a worrying thought for most of us Brits aged between 30 and 45 (and a good many younger) who will remember Peter and Jane as childhood aquaintances who where charged with the task of teaching us to read. The stories are fun and engaging, and Peter and Jane’s world represents life in modern Britain. From swimming to trips to the park, beach clean-ups to a street party, Peter and Jane’s antics will feel familiar and keep children entertained. The detailed illustrations support children’s learning as the pictures reflect the stories and the Key Words in the book. What to expect inside the books The company traces its origins to 1867, when Henry Wills opened a bookshop in Loughborough, Leicestershire. Within a decade he progressed to printing and publishing guidebooks and street directories. He was joined by William Hepworth in 1904, and the company traded as Wills & Hepworth.

The first books were issued in 1964. Ladybird employed a number of different artists to bring to life Murray’s text: Harry Wingfield , Martin Aitchison, Frank Hampson, Robert Ayton and John Berry. These artists all had very different painting styles (Aitchison and Frank Hampson had previously worked on the classic comics The Eagle and The Marvel) but the brief was to produce appealing, naturalistic artwork and obviously the main characters, Peter and Jane, had to be recognisable throughout. Gani, Aisha (12 October 2015). "Ladybird books introduce Peter and Jane to hipsters and hangovers". The Guardian . Retrieved 30 December 2015.

Applicability of cancellation rights: Legal rights of cancellation under the Distance Selling Regulations available for UK or EU consumers do not apply to certain products and services. There are extra resources available to support you and your child as you read Key Words with Peter and Jane. Peter and Jane’s world is familiar to children today. As your child learns the Key Words and follows Peter and Jane on their various adventures, they’ll get to know the words they’ll use most in everyday life. By reading the books through from 1a to 12c, children can return to a cast of characters they’ll love and a world they’ll want to explore! Perhaps t he biggest changes in the first few books are all to do with sweet consumption. Whereas the Peter and Jane of the 1960s would visit the sweet shop…

Not the first

In November 2014, Ladybird signed up to the Let Books Be Books campaign and announced that it was "committed" to avoiding labelling books as "for girls" or "for boys" and would be removing such gender labelling in reprinted copies. The publisher added: "Out of literally hundreds of titles currently in print, we actually only have six titles with this kind of titling". Its parent company, Penguin Random House Children's division, would also be following suit. [6] [7] Skelton, C. (1997). Revisiting gender issues in reading schemes. Education 3-13, 25(1), 37–43. Chicago joint venture with Leonine Holding, The Walt Disney Company, Bauer Media Group and Hubert Burda Media.