Downy Duckling, 1946, Series 401

Downy Duckling, 1946, Series 401

This was the 7th of the Animal Rhyming stories of series of 401.  The 401 series is significant in the Ladybird story because these books were the first ones published in the format that was to become the classic Ladybird format: small size, with text on the left and a full-page illustration on the right. After the early 1940s, all the books in this series were written in jaunty rhyme by Walter Perring and were illustrated by Angusine Macgregor.  The effect of this rhyme was to lodge in the memory of the young child.  Ask anyone who enjoyed this book as a child and the chances are they can still quote parts of the rhyme decads later.

This copy:

With matt boards in the style of the earliest books, this copy is in VG condition inside and in good condition externally – some wear to edges, especially spine, very nice, clean pages.   It dates to the 1960s and has an original price of 2/6 printed inside.