How old is your ladybird book?

Putting an accurate date to a Ladybird book is not straightforward. Often in shops or or on the internet books are described as older than they are because the owner has assumed that the FIRST PUBLISHED date on the title page means that the book is a 1st edition. It doesn't!

In some of the older books, the actual date of a volume's issue IS stated, but not on the title page. Instead it is stated on page 3 (on the back of the front endpaper). But for most of books this is not the case. To give you a starting point in dating your book - try following the prompts below.

(Knowing the age of a book is part of the process of finding out how much it's worth - although other factors such as condition, scarcity and nostalgia value are as important or more important).

First of all, does your book have a dust jacket (a DJ) also known as a dust wrapper (DW)?

Yes it does

If it does not, look at the back of the book.

Are the covers matt, with a colour picture on the front cover and probably writing (or at least a logo) on the back?

Perhaps information about other books?

Yes they are

Does the book have coloured boards with a 'wipe-clean' shine to them

Yes it does

Are the back boards of the book completely plain? If so, your book probably once had a dustjacket (dj) a DJ

Perhaps the boards are buff coloured but in the centre of the (otherwise completely plain) back board there is a closed-wing ladybird logo

If so...