The Ladybird phenomenon: the publishing craze that's still flying

The Books for Grown Ups series is worth nearly £30m – so it’s no wonder that retro books for ‘kids’ have spread to other publishers. Now, serious subjects are getting the toilet-book treatment, too In 1971, a book about the computer was published under the children’s imprint Ladybird as part of a series designed to show schoolchildren “How it Works”. In common with 645 other titles published between 1940 and 1980, it was a small hardback with 56 pages. It was one of the first Ladybirds to be sold in decimal currency, costing 24p, after decades of the books being pegged at 2/6.“If you are interested in computers, their function and operation, but are discouraged by their complexity, you should read this book,” said the introduction. “It deals as simply as possible with the principles and does not delve too deeply into electronics.” Though it was intended for “older students,” which means ages 7+ in Ladybird parlance, legend has it that it was so well regarded that 100 copies were ordered by the Ministry of Defence to be circulated among its staff in plain wrapping so they wouldn’t know they were reading a book intended for kids. Related: The best Ladybird illustrations ever! Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #imprint ladybird

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Ladybird phenomenon: the publishing craze that's still flying'


Mitchell Beazley to publish second BrewDog book

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley will publish a second book by BrewDog titled BrewDog: Craft Beer for the Geeks. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-28 02:18:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mitchell beazley


News Corp Australia to Cut ‘Up to a Third of Workforce’ in Move Towards Digital-Only Publishing

News Corp Australia is poised to cut hundreds of jobs as it moves towards digital-only publishing for many of its Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-05-27 14:51:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cut hundreds #news corp


The Crisis Below the Surface: How the Pandemic Weighs on Women in Publishing

Recently, a colleague experienced an irksome response from a coworker when she could not meet with him at short notice. She felt frustrated that he seemed to show little compassion or understanding when she’s currently balancing a full-time job and homeschooling two young children. She’s not... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2020-05-27 12:00:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short notice #full-time job #young children #publishing industry


News Corp to cut hundreds of jobs in move towards digital-only publishing

Publisher of the Australian, the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun is expected to stop publishing as many as 100 titles News Corp Australia is poised to cut hundreds of jobs as it moves towards digital-only publishing for many of its local and regional papers and more copy sharing among its... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-27 10:53:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stop publishing #cut hundreds #daily telegraph #herald sun #regional papers #metropolitan mastheads #executive chairman #michael miller #news corp


J.K. Rowling Begins Publishing ‘The Ickabog,’ for Children in Lockdown

The Harry Potter author said her new fairy tale would go online in installments, starting Tuesday, and published as a book in November. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-05-26 14:47:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fairy tale #harry potter


J K Rowling to publish The Ickabog fairy tale online

J K Rowling is releasing a standalone fairy tale called The Ickabog for free online and is asking children to illustrate the published edition for her. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-26 10:46:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Little Tiger to publish key worker tribute for Independent Bookshop Week

Little Tiger is to publish a picture book celebrating the work of key workers, to raise money for the NHS during Independent Bookshop week. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-26 01:38:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #key workers #raise money #picture book #independent bookshop


Society of Young Publishers reopens London mentorship scheme

The Society of Young Publishers London branch is reopening its mentorship scheme for 2020, with a host of professionals from across the trade ready to share their knowledge. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-25 20:51:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Lockdown diaries: the children's publisher

One evening a week or so ago, I was speaking to a friend in another publishing company, sitting at the kitchen table, glass of wine in hand, in today’s sad Zoom substitute for meeting up for a post-work drink. She referred obliquely to the famous WW1 recruitment poster, the one with the little... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-22 09:54:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #great war #lockdown diaries #kitchen table


Daunt rush-publishes Fisher crisis cooking classic

Daunt Books Publishing is rush-publishing How to Cook a Wolf, MFK Fisher’s classic book on shopping, cooking and eating with courage during a crisis.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-22 07:44:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mfk fisher #classic book #books publishing


Gibson Square to publish book on Prince Andrew and Epstein

Gibson Square will publish Prince Andrew: The End of the Monarchy and Epstein by Nigel Cawthorne.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-22 03:45:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #gibson square #prince andrew #publish book


How The Publishing World Is Staying Afloat During The Pandemic

Quarantine may be a golden opportunity to finally read "War and Peace" — but it's not an easy time for the book industry. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2020-05-21 09:45:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book industry #publishing world


Hot Key to publish standalone addition to Black's Folk of Air series

Hot Key Books, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, will publish How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black, a standalone book from the same universe as her Folk of Air children's series. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-20 06:55:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #holly black #hot key #standalone book #bonnier


ACE 'just saved indie publishing', say presses

Indies The Bookseller has contacted have spoken of their "huge relief" after receiving funding from Arts Council England's £160m emergency coronavirus pot, though for many the grants are not a "fix-all". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-20 06:53:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #huge relief


Hutchinson to publish Bananarama memoir

Hutchinson has acquired Bananarama's memoir Really Saying Something in a "strong" six-figure deal, and will publish this October. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-20 05:26:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


Mirror Books to publish Martin and Shirlie Kemp's love story

Mirror Books has acquired Martin and Shirlie Kemp's joint autobiography in a world rights deal to publish this October. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-19 20:52:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mirror books #love story #world rights


Confirmed: Audiobooks are the brightest place in publishing right now.

Remember March? You know, a million years ago? During the month in which most places in the US began to shut down and enforce social distancing, book sales, unsurprisingly, suffered, with one notable exception: audiobooks. The Association of American Publishers released its sales numbers for... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-05-19 17:45:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sales #sales numbers #publishing right


French publishers warn of 'severe and lasting damage' from pandemic

The French Publishers Association (Syndicat National de l’Edition, SNE) said on Tuesday (19th May) that the Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted “severe and lasting damage” to French publishers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-19 15:13:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #covid-19 pandemic #french publishers #publishers association


The Flying Pig Games (shelftalker)

Promoting the fourth book in the Hunger Games series during COVID-19 invited a little video intervention. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-19 10:49:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fourth book


Publisher Sales Fell 8.4% in March

Industry sales fell 8.4% in March compared to a year ago at publishers that report to AAP's StatShot program. Sales in the trade segments has small increases in the month, but sales in all other categories declined. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #march compared #trade segments