Janet and John (Alice and Jerry) Books

[Warden]

Come on folk’s time to own up, who learnt to read with Janet and John books?

This nuclear family featured Father - slicked hair, grey slacks, blank expression - and Mother - surprising Hepburn-esque cropped hair and primary colour clothes.

Then there was Janet - blonde hair in bunches, typically seen in a dress or a skirt - and John - curly reddish hair and always in shorts.

(At least Janet and John where not health and safety-obsessed).

Any way the reason for the post BBC online has put up a little feature about the books,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7092601.stm

Some facts from the article:

Made UK debut in 1949
Published in US as Alice and Jerry
It is claimed 70% of UK adults learned to read with them

Well I am one of those 70%. Compulsory reading in all the schools I attended.

Harry

 

[Flivver]

I believe that the U.S. equivalent of these books was the "Dick and Jane" series. I'll bet most U.S. Baby Boomers learned to read with these.

Father, Mother, Dick, Jane and Baby Sally.

See Dick run.
Run Dick, run.
Run, run, run.

 

[Edward]

For some odd reason, Dick and Jane rings a bell. I know we never had Janet and John in my day (I started school Autumn 79), but I'm familiar with their exitence, at least. The ones that stick in my mind were about Lok and Shan, two stoneage kids who (among other things), invented the "cart", the wheel, fire and cooking meat.