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A Whole Other Story

Old, overlooked, and outstanding children's books

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CLOSED: Advent Giveaway 2022!

Giveaway November 22, 2022

2022 Advent Giveaway Believe it or not, the first Sunday of Advent is this weekend, 27th of November. Say what?! I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping 🙁 But don’t worry, it just means that it’s time for the Advent Giveway 2022! Yes, to ease you into the holiday spirit, I am giving away a mystery vintage Christmas book, along…

ENDED The Mega Easter Mystery Giveaway

Giveaway April 8, 2022

NOW ENDED! Welcome to the Mega Easter Mystery Giveaway 2022!! Sign up here for a chance to win one of our lovely mystery vintage books. As you can see, the books are wrapped and ready, and I have no idea which is which, so you get a complete surprise 🙂 I’ve chosen a range of books: a mystery, some literary…

Welcome!

This face belongs to me, Ceri. The one on the left. When I am not drinking tea and eating biscuits in a semi-vegetative state, I read books. And buy books. And sell books. And read lots of other stuff about books. And take photos of books.

And sometimes I write about them too. Which is what you’ll find here.

The one on the right is Arlo. He does not read books, and refuses to discuss them with me. So I’m hoping you’ll stick around and chat with me about them instead.

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Meanwhile, on Instagram…

#throwbackthursday 😁 Full marks if you can name this very friendly lion...

Yes, it's Parsley the Lion and Dill the Dog, from the late 1970s show The Herbs. I don't really remember it, though I'm assured by my Mum that it was once a firm favourite. Apparently it had a bit of a Magic Roundabout feel to it, with a mixture of human and animal characters and a wry sense of humour that made it appeal to adults as well as children.

If (after a quick binge on YouTube) Parsley's subtle sense of humour reminds you of something, it's probably Paddington. Both The Herbs and its spin off show The Adventures of Parsley were written by Michael Bond 🙃

Do you remember The Herbs?

#childrenstv #childrenstelevision #70tv #70skid #theherbs #michaelbond #parsleythelion #dillthedog #childrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks # vintagekidsbooks #oldkidsbooks

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#throwbackthursday 😁 Full marks if you can name this very friendly lion... Yes, it's Parsley the Lion and Dill the Dog, from the late 1970s show The Herbs. I don't really remember it, though I'm assured by my Mum that it was once a firm favourite. Apparently it had a bit of a Magic Roundabout feel to it, with a mixture of human and animal characters and a wry sense of humour that made it appeal to adults as well as children. If (after a quick binge on YouTube) Parsley's subtle sense of humour reminds you of something, it's probably Paddington. Both The Herbs and its spin off show The Adventures of Parsley were written by Michael Bond 🙃 Do you remember The Herbs? #childrenstv #childrenstelevision #70tv #70skid #theherbs #michaelbond #parsleythelion #dillthedog #childrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks # vintagekidsbooks #oldkidsbooks

1 week ago

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1/9

The kids are finally back to school and I won't lie, I'm breathing a small sigh of relief 🤣

They're not too happy about it, but I always rather enjoyed the return to school after the summer. I was the one organising my stationery supplies a week in advance and sharpening my pencil crayons ready for colour coding my new timetable.

I would have fit right in at Malory Towers.

#malorytowers #enidblyton #backtoschool #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagebooks #oldbooks #oldkidsbooks #booksfromyourchildhood #oldchildrensbooks

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The kids are finally back to school and I won't lie, I'm breathing a small sigh of relief 🤣 They're not too happy about it, but I always rather enjoyed the return to school after the summer. I was the one organising my stationery supplies a week in advance and sharpening my pencil crayons ready for colour coding my new timetable. I would have fit right in at Malory Towers. #malorytowers #enidblyton #backtoschool #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagebooks #oldbooks #oldkidsbooks #booksfromyourchildhood #oldchildrensbooks

3 weeks ago

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2/9

Last few weeks of being able to sit under trees with your shoes off. Sigh.

This illustration is taken from The Wind and the Sun by Tome De Paola - a retelling of an old fable where the wind and the sun compete to see who is the strongest. Seems entirely appropriate for September, with it's last few hazy days of summer and the slide towards autumn.

It's a bittersweet month really - I generally feel sad that the summer's over and a slight dread that winter's on the way. But also a little excited because, let's face it, the new year starts in September, not January.

#vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #fairytalesandfables #oldbooks #september #september2025 #vintagebooks #tomiedepaola

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Last few weeks of being able to sit under trees with your shoes off. Sigh. This illustration is taken from The Wind and the Sun by Tome De Paola - a retelling of an old fable where the wind and the sun compete to see who is the strongest. Seems entirely appropriate for September, with it's last few hazy days of summer and the slide towards autumn. It's a bittersweet month really - I generally feel sad that the summer's over and a slight dread that winter's on the way. But also a little excited because, let's face it, the new year starts in September, not January. #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #fairytalesandfables #oldbooks #september #september2025 #vintagebooks #tomiedepaola

4 weeks ago

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3/9

Peaceful walking in the country lane behind my house a few weeks ago resulted in these beauties. Sometimes it is convenient to always be loaded up with poo bags 🐕

Country hedgerows never fail to make me think of Brambly Hedge, and the Summer Story is so cute 😊 I always loved all the intricate little drawings and would pore over them for ages as a child. I think it would definitely be in my top 10 fictional places to live. How about you?

#bramblyhedge #jillbarklem #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #vintagepicturebooks #hedgerowposy #oldbooks #childrensillustration

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Peaceful walking in the country lane behind my house a few weeks ago resulted in these beauties. Sometimes it is convenient to always be loaded up with poo bags 🐕 Country hedgerows never fail to make me think of Brambly Hedge, and the Summer Story is so cute 😊 I always loved all the intricate little drawings and would pore over them for ages as a child. I think it would definitely be in my top 10 fictional places to live. How about you? #bramblyhedge #jillbarklem #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #vintagepicturebooks #hedgerowposy #oldbooks #childrensillustration

1 month ago

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4/9

Me on my holidays* 🍹☀️ Sorry about the grainy photo 📷🍹

*Actually an illustration from Dear Dragon by Sesyle Joslin, illustrations by Irene Haas.

#vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #sesylejoslin #irenehaas #oldbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks

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Me on my holidays* 🍹☀️ Sorry about the grainy photo 📷🍹 *Actually an illustration from Dear Dragon by Sesyle Joslin, illustrations by Irene Haas. #vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #sesylejoslin #irenehaas #oldbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks

1 month ago

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5/9

So somehow I've been away for 2 years.

I didn't mean to. I was only going to have a short break because IG was sort of doing my head in. But that was 20 August 2023, and now here we are, exactly 2 years later.

Tbh I thought long and hard about coming back at all. Over the years, the bookshop (still going) and blog (hanging in there) has been a bit like having children. Hard work, long days, lots of lugging things around and taking endless, endless pictures. And not always getting that much back 😬. On more than one occasion I have been somewhat exasperated with the whole thing and have questioned the moment of madness that got me into it in the first place 🙃

And yet. I have loved it. I'm quite proud of it. And I've missed it. So maybe not quite ready to let go just yet. So I'm still going.

And maybe one day it will mature and start paying its own way, you never know.

Thanks for sticking around x

#vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #oldbooks #vintagebooks #vintagebook #vintagepuffin #backinthegame #vintagebooks #retrobooks

•

So somehow I've been away for 2 years. I didn't mean to. I was only going to have a short break because IG was sort of doing my head in. But that was 20 August 2023, and now here we are, exactly 2 years later. Tbh I thought long and hard about coming back at all. Over the years, the bookshop (still going) and blog (hanging in there) has been a bit like having children. Hard work, long days, lots of lugging things around and taking endless, endless pictures. And not always getting that much back 😬. On more than one occasion I have been somewhat exasperated with the whole thing and have questioned the moment of madness that got me into it in the first place 🙃 And yet. I have loved it. I'm quite proud of it. And I've missed it. So maybe not quite ready to let go just yet. So I'm still going. And maybe one day it will mature and start paying its own way, you never know. Thanks for sticking around x #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #oldbooks #vintagebooks #vintagebook #vintagepuffin #backinthegame #vintagebooks #retrobooks

1 month ago

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6/9

Ameliaranne Keeps School by Constance Ward, Illustrated by S.B. Pearse, 1940

This sweet series of books was published between 1920 and 1950, and features the kind and resourceful Ameliaranne Stiggins. Ameliaranne is often left in charge of her five younger siblings while her mother is at work as a washerwoman. Needless to say, things rarely go smoothly, but Ameliaranne always manages to work things out.

The series is slightly unusual because they were all illustrated by Susan Pearse, but the stories were written by around eight different authors. One of the writers was Eleanor Farjeon, who contributed Ameliaranne's Prize Package and Ameliaranne's Washing Day.

The books were republished as Picture Lions in the 70s, but even the reprints can be hard to find. The first edition hardbacks can get up into the hundreds 😬🤑

#vintagechildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks #vintagebook #vintagebooks #vintagebookinstagram #vintagechildrensbook #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks
#childrensbookillustration #childrensbookillustrator #childrensbookillustrations #childrensbookillustrators #vintagebookillustration #eleanorfarjeon #ameliaranne

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Ameliaranne Keeps School by Constance Ward, Illustrated by S.B. Pearse, 1940 This sweet series of books was published between 1920 and 1950, and features the kind and resourceful Ameliaranne Stiggins. Ameliaranne is often left in charge of her five younger siblings while her mother is at work as a washerwoman. Needless to say, things rarely go smoothly, but Ameliaranne always manages to work things out. The series is slightly unusual because they were all illustrated by Susan Pearse, but the stories were written by around eight different authors. One of the writers was Eleanor Farjeon, who contributed Ameliaranne's Prize Package and Ameliaranne's Washing Day. The books were republished as Picture Lions in the 70s, but even the reprints can be hard to find. The first edition hardbacks can get up into the hundreds 😬🤑 #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks #vintagebook #vintagebooks #vintagebookinstagram #vintagechildrensbook #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensbookillustrator #childrensbookillustrations #childrensbookillustrators #vintagebookillustration #eleanorfarjeon #ameliaranne

2 years ago

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7/9

Full marks if you know who this week's #throwbackthursday is...!
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.
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It's Marmalade Atkins!

I have never read a Marmalade book, but I am old enough to remember watching her on TV, played by the late great Charlotte Coleman. For those that don't remember, Marmalade was "the naughtiest girl in the world" - a completely uncontrollable teen rebel who was so bad that her parents tried to get rid of her by blasting her into space. Charlotte Coleman's life wasn't actually far removed from Marmalade's. She was also a teen rebel, who started smoking at 12 and was expelled from school and left home at age 14. Was she inspired by Marmalade? Or did she bring Marmalade to life through her own character? Who knows.

The books and the TV series were brought to life by Andrew Davies, who went on to adapt a number of other books for TV and film, including House of Cards, Bridget Jones, and Pride and Prejudice (yes the Colin Firth version). It won't mean much to people over/under a certain age, but I was very excited to discover that he also wrote Badger Girl for BBC's Look and Read 🦡😯

Marmalade's mother in the TV show was originally played by Lynda Marchal, otherwise known as Lynda La Plante. Apparently she was also in Rentaghost. Who knew?!

Isn't it amazing where one illustration leads?! Do you remember Marmalade?

Image taken from Danger Marmalade At Work by Andrew Davies illustrated by John Laing, 1984.

#vintagechildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks #vintagebook #vintagebooks #vintagebookinstagram #vintagechildrensbook #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks
#childrensbookillustration #childrensbookillustrator #childrensbookillustrations #childrensbookillustrators #vintagebookillustration #andrewdavies #lyndalaplante #marmaladeatkins #1980stv

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Full marks if you know who this week's #throwbackthursday is...! . . . . . . It's Marmalade Atkins! I have never read a Marmalade book, but I am old enough to remember watching her on TV, played by the late great Charlotte Coleman. For those that don't remember, Marmalade was "the naughtiest girl in the world" - a completely uncontrollable teen rebel who was so bad that her parents tried to get rid of her by blasting her into space. Charlotte Coleman's life wasn't actually far removed from Marmalade's. She was also a teen rebel, who started smoking at 12 and was expelled from school and left home at age 14. Was she inspired by Marmalade? Or did she bring Marmalade to life through her own character? Who knows. The books and the TV series were brought to life by Andrew Davies, who went on to adapt a number of other books for TV and film, including House of Cards, Bridget Jones, and Pride and Prejudice (yes the Colin Firth version). It won't mean much to people over/under a certain age, but I was very excited to discover that he also wrote Badger Girl for BBC's Look and Read 🦡😯 Marmalade's mother in the TV show was originally played by Lynda Marchal, otherwise known as Lynda La Plante. Apparently she was also in Rentaghost. Who knew?! Isn't it amazing where one illustration leads?! Do you remember Marmalade? Image taken from Danger Marmalade At Work by Andrew Davies illustrated by John Laing, 1984. #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks #vintagebook #vintagebooks #vintagebookinstagram #vintagechildrensbook #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensbookillustrator #childrensbookillustrations #childrensbookillustrators #vintagebookillustration #andrewdavies #lyndalaplante #marmaladeatkins #1980stv

2 years ago

View on Instagram |

8/9

Can't seem to concentrate today so had a little #timeouttuesday to watch the birds. We don't get as many as we used to, because I have been neglecting the garden and the feeders 😬 I'll sort them out eventually.

Have you had some time out today?

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Can't seem to concentrate today so had a little #timeouttuesday to watch the birds. We don't get as many as we used to, because I have been neglecting the garden and the feeders 😬 I'll sort them out eventually. Have you had some time out today?

2 years ago

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9/9

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