Well Loved Tales 32 titles- published
between 1940 and 1980
If
you spent your childhood in the UK between 1964 and the 1980s
then this series probably needs no introduction at all. At least
one of the books from this popular series would have graced
your book-shelf at home or lived in a bookcase in your nursery
or primary school.
Series 606d, commonly known
as the Well Loved Tales, are among the most popular
of all Ladybird books. Up to, and including 1980, there were
32 titles published in this series with another 16 being added
during the 1980's.
'Tom Thumb', the 28th title listed in this series, saw a change
to the style in illustration and cover design - the artwork
in this book, and in later additions to the series, is not
nearly as captivating as the Eric Winter and Robert Lumley
(and Capaldi) illustrations of the first 27 books. The original
27 titles were reprinted in the 1980s but again using different
artwork and updated texts.
Ladybird's popular fairy tales have been translated into more
than 25 languages and have sold over 80 million copies worldwide
Each book in the series was graded for certain reading levels
starting from Grade 1 through to Grade 3.
The first of the series was Cinderella
which was published in 1964. This was immensely popular with
younger readers and has now become a collectors' item - a
first edition, which was the only one of this series to have
a dust wrapper, can fetch as much as £150.00. Originally
priced at 2'6 this title was revised and reprinted many times
in later years.
Change
in style
The following books in
this series see a change to the style - the artwork is
not nearly as captivating as the Eric Winter and Robert
Lumley (and one by Capaldi) illustrations of the first
27 books.
