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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 8h

Other work by the Ladybird artists. ‘Ludlow Castle’ (Readers Digest magazine) Artist: SR Badmin

Finely-detailed, mixed-media illustration of Ludlow Castle viewed from across the river. The trees on the hill slope are vivid with autumn colours.

Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 19h

“A full harvest moon is rising, though it is still only twilight” (What to Look for in Autumn, 1960) Artist: CF Tunnicliffe Writer: EL GrantWatson

A barn owl is perched on a wall in front of a small Village at sunset

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Harsh. Very harsh ‘Bedtime Rhymes’ (1946) Writer: Geoffrey Lapage Artist: George Brook

Little girl dressed in a red dress is crying. Near her a nurse dressed in old-fashioned uniform stands nearby, protectively but smiling.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

On this day 3rd Oct 1952 the Government announced that tea rationing was soon to end Artist: Harry Wingfield (Shopping with Mother)

Mother, in her smart brown suit, walks into a traditional grocery shop. Two neatly dressed children follow behind.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

London’s thrilling underground network, 1961. “Visitors are always fascinated by the escalators, the brightly-lit stations, and the rush of the trains from the dark tunnels”. Artist: Robert Ayton (1961)

Passengers wait on a platform for a train that is approaching around an unlikely bend in the tracks. Some of the passengers are dressed formally with suits and bowler hats and some are looking very groovy.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Lichen, algae, funghi ‘Plants and how they Live’ (1965) Artist: Ronald Lampitt

An illustration from the book showing different sorts of funghi growing at the base of a large tree in autumn

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Ladybird book in the spotlight. The Sly Fox and the Little Red Hen (1968) Artist: Robert Lumley

The front cover of the ladybird book, featuring a smart red hen winding up the drawbridge on her treetop Home as a fox approaches

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Other work by the Ladybird artists Llangollen Valley Artist: SR Badmin

A view over a green, lightly- wooded valley at Sunset or dawn

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

There’s a Ladybird book for every occasion. “In 1850 there were quite a number of Football Clubs. Each club drew up its own rules at a special meeting. The rules were not the same for every club” From ‘The Story of Football’ Artist: Jack Matthew (Man City)

By the light of yellow gas lamps, a group of men with impressive sideburns sit down at a mahogany table, ready to write notes with quill pens

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

On this day 30th September 1868 the first volume of 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott was published. Artist: Terry Gabbey

Two houses stand at dusk in a snowy street. One is smaller and brightly lit. The other is larger and mainly in darkness.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

When cake decoration meant: 'half a glacé cherry and put them on a doily' #GBBO Cooking With Mother (1977)

Photograph of a plate with doily and a group of simple sponge cakes -each with half a cherry on top

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Beautiful everyday Ladybird things Before the blue Smartie Artist: Harry Wingfield (First Picture Book, 1970)

Photo-realistic illustration of a tube of Smarties with Smarties spilling out onto a white background

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The oldest Ladybird books Before the 2nd World War, so many Ladybird books were about trains.

A collection of large, pre-1940 ladybird books with bright covers all featuring steam trains

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

‘A new bike’ Artist: Martin Aitchison (1977)

Peter opens the door to a young friend proudly showing off his new chopper bike (or is it a chipper?) Behind the boys a milkman delivers milk in his van.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

“The swallows can be distinguished from the martins by their reddish-chestnut throats and foreheads, their beautiful steel-blue backs and wings, and their long, forked tails” Writer: EL Grant Watson Artist : CF Tunnicliffe

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Other work by the Ladybird artists The English Lakes British Railways poster Artist: Ronald Lampitt

Scene of a lake in the Lake District with slanting sunshine breaking through the clouds and highlighting the purple tinged hills

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The modern world in old Ladybird books. ‘The Sports Reporter’ The Story of Newspapers (1969) Artist: Ron Embleton

During a traditional cricket game on an English town cricket ground, a sports reporter in velvet jacket and casual trousers writes in a small notebook. He is standing next to a mother in a deck chair with a child and a picnic.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Ladybird diet, 1977 Artist: Roger Hall

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

‘The Coal Hopper’ In the Train, 1955 Artist: WC Watson

A green steam locomotive stands under a gigantic coal hopper as the coal truck is refilled

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The doorstep milk thief, 1966 Artist: Ronald Lampitt

A blue-tit pecks at the silver top of a milk bottle on the doorstep

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My first avatar (Talkabout Starting School, 1977) Artist: Harry Wingfield

Small child hangs up her coat at school on a hook where each hook is marked by a character or symbol. She looks straight at the viewer.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The modern kitchen. Why serving hatches are a necessity from ‘Look and Learn’ 1963

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

To mark the Autumn Equinox, I offer you a biscuit tin. Designed in 1958 by CF Tunnicliffe

A large rectangular biscuit tin with a decorative lid showing red squirrel perched on a tree stump in front of a vivid blue ground

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Ladybird book in the spotlight ‘Dick Whittington and his Cat’ (1966) Artist: Eric Winter

The front cover of the book showing Dick in a yellow doublet and magenta hose with his white cat.they are standing in a cobbled street - a depiction of mediaeval London

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

How lucky am I? I’m now custodian of this fabulous (and huge) Ronald Lampitt painting - artwork for 1940s Railway poster 😊

Framed oil painting of a view looking down into a village in County Clare surrounded by hills and trees

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

The mastery of artist Harry Wingfield. ‘Peas’ (Yes, it is a painting - from Fifth Picture Book, 1973)

A photo realistic illustration close-up of some pea pods on a white table. Some pods are split with the garden peas already shelled.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Beautiful everyday Ladybird things. Homepride’s Fred the flour grader, nestling among some of my books. (To add to his charms, he was manufactured by ‘Airfix’)

Photograph of Fred in his black suit and black bowler hat smiling out from a bookcase
Where he is surrounded by vintage ladybird books

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

“September is the time for hop-picking, when large numbers of people come from the towns to help harvest them” (1960) Artist: CF Tunnicliffe Writer: EL GrantWatson

A man and a woman in colourful clothes stand around a large hop basket picking the hops. A small girl in a blue cardigan and green wellingtons looks on.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Other work by the Ladybird artists ‘September’ (1958) Artist: Ronald Lampitt

In a walled Orchard, which seems to belong to a large, half timbered house, a couple stand on ladders or reach up with a fruit picker to pick apples

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Ladybird wisdom Camping (1977) "Heavy rain need not be a problem" Artist: Martin Aitchison

This illustration is in the form of a detailed cartoon showing a dark and stormy day with heavy rain. Inside a tent a camper looks very pleased with himself in a dry and cozy set up with simple furniture. The rain is kept off the tent by careful pitching and the construction of a most with drawbridge!

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

‘Model-making’ (1977) This picture was clearly captured in the 4-minute interval between opening the packet and the plasticine colours getting mixed up. Artist: Harry Wingfield

Two children are playing with plasticine . One child has made a yellow dinosaur and the other boy has made a blue… Maybe elephant?

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Ladybird cover stories. The 'How it Works' series (1965 -1971) Remember any of them? Artist: BH Robinson

A selection of the first 12 books in the series, laid out in a grid to show their covers

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Other work by the Ladybird artists ‘September’ Shell Nature Studies, 1956 Artist: Rowland Hilder and Maurice Wilson

A rather bleak view across windswept moorland to low seacliffs. In the foreground are brown brambles and damp corn stooks. In the mid ground, a small white, low crofters cottage.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Hadrian's Wall ‘Julius Caesar and Roman Britain’ (1959) Artist: John Kenney

Artists impression of the wall in Roman times, with a group of soldiers patrolling along it

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Beautiful everyday Ladybird things Brownie uniform (1976) Artist: Gerald Witcomb

A brownie uniform typical of the early 1970s, including brown dress with a couple of badges, yellow cross tie and dark brown beret

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The mastery of artist Harry Wingfield 'Wooden train' (Second Picture Book, 1970)

Photo-realistic illustration of a colourful toy wooden train (like Brio) on a kitchen floor

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

‘Oak’ Ladybird Book of Trees, 1963 Artist: SR Badmin

In the foreground we just see a little of the leaf and fruit of the tree. In the mid ground, the large trunk of an ancient oak displays the bark. In the background we see the full tree canopy in all its splendour.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

‘The Pottery Makers’ 1969 The potteries laboratory, Stoke-on-Trent. Artist: John Berry

Two women wearing white lab coats test and evaluate the properties of the ceramics produced

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Other work of the Ladybird book artists. ‘Yorkshire fishing village’ Reader’s Digest, 1972 Artist: Ronald Lampitt

The fishing village of Staithes. A cluster of houses, some small boats and a bridge across the river

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

In the garden Artist: Harry Wingfield (Helping at Home, 1961)

In a breezy garden, a mother and child bend over towards a colourful flower bed to tend and collect dahlias

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The Ladybird living-room (Picture Reading, 1973) Artist: Harry Wingfield

A father plays with his young son. They have spread out a scalextrics set. In the room also is a doll‘s house, an old-fashioned television and lots of books and pictures.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

“The starlings in this picture are at the halfway stage between their juvenile and adult plumage” Artist: CF Tunnicliffe Writer: EL Grant Watson ‘What to Look for in Autumn’ (1960)

A group of five juvenile starlings perched on brambles, picking at ripe blackberries

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A wonderful haul today. Most in great condition. A previous young owner wrote his name in pencil - thank you for looking after them so well L J Brough.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

On this day 12th September 1940 four teenagers, following their dog, discovered the Lascaux cave paintings. Artist: John Kenney

The illustration shows a scene from the book Stone Age Man in Britain. Two cavemen are putting the finishing touches to the beautiful, elaborate hunting scenes.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Old Ladybird Books updated. Granny gets a place at the table (1964 & 1976) Artist: Harry Wingfield

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

‘September’ Artist: Eppo Doeve (Not a Ladybird artist - but what a striking image)

A tangle of brightly coloured, slightly surreal September plants have been set under a mysterious grey, forbidding sky. In the background, we see a gardener walking away, his back to us.

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The rubber glove hat (Sleeping Beauty, 1965) Artist: Eric Winter

Prince in a very tight fitting jerkin, doublet and hose in a fetching shade of teal contemplates the forest of thorns. On his head is a hat a dawned with what looks like a pair of purple marigold gloves

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I was always very envious of Peter and Jane’s multi-coloured bucket. Clearly I wasn’t alone in my admiration. Apparently there’s an identical bucket on display in the collection of The Science Museum. Very proper too. (Above: Martin Aitchison)

The trunk of a willow tree has grown leaning over a small river. Peter is climbing the trunk to drop water from a colourful bucket onto his sister below

Photograph against a black bucket of a colourful rubber bucket and spade

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Party clothes The Party (1960) Artist: Harry Wingfield

A girl in a bright yellow satin party dress with an enormous bow and matching shoes opens the door to 2 young friends of the same age who stand on the doorstep holding birthday presents

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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Peter and Jane (1965) original reference photo and finished artwork Artist: John Berry

Photograph of a boy and a girl in a back garden posing with a jug and a toy rabbit

Artwork from the book ‘things we like’ in the Peter And Jane reading scheme. The rabbit is now a pet.

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