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] Not to be outdone, they had Hazeley and Morris create a series of spoof Ladybird books just for Penguin. Depressing comedy

Ladybird Books to close Loughborough plant". 30 November 1998. Archived from the original on 27 September 2003 . Retrieved 24 February 2014. Based on Head teacher William Murray’s system of teaching reading using key phrases and words, apparently over 80 million of us have learnt to read with them. And some of the books are still in print; I still see them for sale in my local bookshop. 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.So all very systematic and methodical. Basically the child is expected to learn through repetition of exposure to recognise these words on sight – and word flash-cards were a key component of the Key Word reading scheme. This is what’s known as the “Look and Say” method. You often hear people in the media today discussing the best way to teach reading and contrasting: “Look and Say” with “Phonics” where a child is helped to work out or ‘decode’ the sound of the word by building up an awareness of the patterns. This debate is not a new one, and Murray was familiar with it in the 1960s. He says,

The sale of customised goods or perishable goods, sealed audio or video recordings, or software, which has been opened. Ladybird: A Cover Story: 500 iconic covers from the Ladybird archives. London: Ladybird. 2014. ISBN 978-0-71819-391-1. Jump to navigation Ladybird books updated: Spot the difference in these Peter and Jane illustrations Ladybird books were originally conceived in 1915 by a Loughborough company called Wills & Hepworth. Their ownership has changed over the years, moving to the Pearson group in 1972 and then absorbed by the publishing behemoth, Penguin in 1999. 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.Johnson, Lorraine; Alderson, Brian (2014). The Ladybird Story: children's books for everyone. London: British Library. p.13. ISBN 978-0-7123-5728-9. Now, I love Ladybird books – and I love a good spoof. So I really wanted to like the four review copies kindly provided by Ladybird HQ. For which I am grateful, I really am. But I just can’t bring myself to like them. Original 1964 front cover, illustrated by Harry Wingfield Peter and Jane Book 1a Play with Us, ISBN 1-84422-360-4. Spoof Ladybird books target adult market". BBC News Online. 12 October 2015 . Retrieved 12 October 2015. Gani, Aisha (12 October 2015). "Ladybird books introduce Peter and Jane to hipsters and hangovers". The Guardian . Retrieved 30 December 2015.

The series methodology was created by the original researcher and author of the first Key Words series, William Murray. His research found that: joint venture with Funk & Fernsehen Nordwestdeutschland, Antenne Niedersachen and Niedersachsen Radio. Two more characters, Simon and John, were introduced further into the series, as the books developed in length and detail to become targeted at growing children who had developed further reading skills. These two characters are cousins of Peter and Jane.

PETER AND JANE 3A THINGS WE LIKE

The books were first published in 1964, with a firmly 1950s feel to the illustrations provided by the furniture and clothing depicted, and the social context reflecting the life of a white, middle-class family. The books were revised and updated in 1970, and again in the late 1970s, to reflect changes in fashions and in social attitudes. For example, golliwogs were airbrushed out; Daddy takes a more active domestic role; and Jane moved out of skirts and dresses into jeans, and abandoned her dolly for rollerskates. However, Peter still goes out to help Daddy, or actively plays with a ball, while Jane stays indoors to help Mummy, passively watches Peter, or plays with her doll. Current edition, with cover styling updated in 2004 and the more contemporary late 1970s underlying artwork History [ edit ] 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.

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.This is not intended to be a full statement of all your rights under the Distance Selling Regulations. Full details of your rights under the Distance Selling Regulations are available in the UK from your local Citizens' Advice Bureau or your Local Authority's Trading Standards Office. Ladybird Books is a London-based publishing company, trading as a stand-alone imprint within the Penguin Group of companies. The Ladybird imprint publishes mass-market children's books. 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 As your child progresses through the series, they’ll become familiar with the characters who inhabit Peter and Jane’s world! If you spot a character that has appeared before, ask your child if they can remember who they are and which story they appeared in. This starts a conversation about a previous story they’ve read and encourages them to use the Key Words again, increasing their familiarity with them. The first column shows the original 1960s version. The second column shows the first revision books produced in the early 70s and the last column shows the late 70s books, when the remaining artwork was given a makeover and the layout of the covers was changed to give the framed picure on the front. The revised books kept the colour distinction to show a,b or c books although the colour red became orange).