Ladybird books offer wry take on adult issues

The Ladybird book of The Mid-life Crisis by Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley.

They were the wholesome educational aids which taught generations of children the basics of everything from cake decorating to nuclear power.

But now Penguin Ladybird Books have tapped into the "kidult" trend, launching a series of books which promise to help with modern day problems such as "mid-life crises", hangovers and dating.

While the original books reflected an idealised world of happy nuclear families and endless promise, the new editions are darkly comic.

"When we're young we wonder if we'll be a surgeon or an astronaut. We can be anything we want to be. Then one day we can't," begins The Ladybird Book of the Mid-Life Crisis.

Author Joel Morris, who helped write the new books said: "That bit makes me cry. It's too close to the bone."

Morris said he wanted to help adults make sense of the world, just as the original books had helped children fathom the workings of cars and steam engines. Other titles include

The Ladybird Book of The Hipster

, and

Mindfulness

.

To keep the books looking authentic all the new editions use artwork from the Ladybird archive, although Morris admitted that he struggled to find appropriate images.

"In the original books Mum is at home with the kids and Dad is at work fixing a Lancaster bomber," Morris told the Independent.

"It's hard to find images that have men and women in the same picture. Luckily, that's become part of the joke," he said.

Although it is the first time that Ladybird has allowed spoof versions of the books, the internet is awash with imaginary modern titles which include Timmy's First Riot and Bombs Made Easy.

In the 1960s and 1970s the company launched a Key Words Reading Scheme which was heavily used by primary schools and featured Peter and Jane. The books were eventually withdrawn from print.