Downy Duckling, 1946, Series 401 (DJ)

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:

This copy still has its original, unclipped DJ and both book and DJ are in great condition.  There is surprisingly little wear to the DJ and the colour is bright.  Inside the book has a brown line drawing on the cover and blue, open-wing endpapers.  The pages are clean and unmarked.  An unusually good copy of a much-loved book.