A First Ladybird Book of Nursery Rhymes, 1965 (scruffy)

A First Ladybird Book of Nursery Rhymes, 1965.  This book, illustrated by Frank Hampson, was the first book in the set of 3 Nursery Rhymes books published in the 1960s.   It includes the rhymes Hush-a-bye Baby, Little Bo-Peep and Little Jumping Joan.

The rhymes are traditional so these books are all about Frank Hampson’s wild, pretty disconcerting images.  The books appeal and alarm in equal measure – with odd perspectives, bright colours and odd juxta-positioning of the every-day and fantasy.

This copy:

It’s hard to find any of these 3 Nursery Rhyme books in good condition – especially this one: the first book.  They were usually read to bits or given to the youngest of children.  This one has had a hard life, although it had the later glossy-finish boards which provide more protection. Scratches and bumps to the covers and inside the endpapers are lightly stained with a crack to the back joint which has been repaired (all pages secure).  The pages, though well turned, are in pretty good shape.  A good reading copy but not one for the collector. It dates from the 1980s and has the original price of 70p on the back.