3 February 2015

These Vintage Ladybird Books Would Probably Shock The Parents Of Today





Many of you may remember reading Ladybird Books as children. But you probably would not have known about how their illustrations documented post-war life in Britain.



Just last week, the Ladybird by Design exhibition opened in England, displaying original Ladybird Books illustrations dating from the late 1950s to early 1970s. The exhibition celebrates 100 years of the children's classics publisher and also offers a glimpse of the social and design history of Britain.



Upon deeper observation, you might come across some rather shocking images of children conducting experiments without any safety or supervision. In Bowood and Newing's 1960s Junior Science Series, a boy is seen making an electric circuit with his tongue, while another runs insulation experiments by dipping his finger into boiling water.



The exhibition is curated by Lawrence Zeegen, professor of illustration at the London College of Communication. He is also publishing a new book with the same name, which you can preorder here. The Ladybird by Design exhibition is free to the public and runs until 10 May 2015 at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, England.