Janet and John seem to get all the credit and glory for their sterling work in helping the children of the UK to become literate. In fact they have now been revamped and a series of new books are available deemed relevant in content and language for the 21st Century. I would like to put forward a plea on behalf of the actual pair who encouraged reading, writing and lifestyles amongst the easily influenced under 10's in the 1960's- that dynamic duo Peter and Jane, accompanied by the overactive and bonkers Pat the dog.
I assumed at the time of original reading of the Ladybird books that Peter and Jane were brother and sister. I had no experience of, or exposure to, other alternative relationships beyond a typical and traditional post war family unit. Such was my nice, comfortable and sheltered life. I express complete thanks to my loving parents for this environment to grow up in and thrive.
I took great comfort in the solid ,reliable and family values championed by Peter and Jane. They were always nicely dressed and appropriately so for the many varied activities that they were involved in. Jane had an old face, she was quite mature looking for an under 10, coiffured blonde hair probably a weekly shampoo and set at a High Street Salon and usually a very bright daffodil yellow frock. Peter was a scaled down version of a 40 year old accountant with pullover and large grey school uniform shorts.
The Ladybird format for assisted reading consisted of a page of pastel water colours with a scene from the very busy daily activities of Peter and Jane and with a facing page with a large print sentence describing what they were doing. At the foot of the page was a summary of the key words or phrase from the sentence. In this way there was a reinforcement through repetition but with some interesting and potentially rebellious, subversive and downright dodgy implications. Frankly, and with hindsight Peter and Jane were not really very nice children.
Peter was quite selfish and very dismissive of the fair Jane. He always got to play on the swings first leaving Jane standing around in a rather flirtatious pose. He was also quite an attention seeker always saying 'Look at me'. Jane often had to tag along with Peter and at the seaside had to just look on as he had all the fun in the water and on a conveniently placed and upturned rowing boat. Peter spoke in kinder tones to the dog than to Jane. In the 1960's gender roles were obviously no further on than in the 1930's and 1950's. Jane played the mother role if there was a picnic. I could imagine her burdened down with travel rug and hamper and struggling to find a good place to set up whilst Peter skipped ahead and pulled the wings off insects. He was quite demonstrative and demanding but clever enough to appear polite with an over frequency of please's and thank you's.
Jane got dragged off to spot trains at the station because Peter liked trains, train, trains. He will have had quite a temper if Jane was slow or dim witted in his railway related role playing back at home. Jane however was pliable and easily manipulated by her scheming brother. He even made her ask if she could play. Peter was clear in establishing that it was his train set.
Going to the shops and in particular the pet shop represented another nightmare scenario for Jane. She probably hated rabbits but Peter always got his own way. He was a complete bully to the shopkeeper whose subsequent expression would certainly make him the prime suspect should Peter have gone missing over the ensuing days.
Jane only comes into her own when she is with her Mother but again a throwback to the old regime. She is a good girl but it her desire to help that is so cruelly exploited in that dysfunctional family. Peter is nowhere to be seen when it comes to the chores. He immediately goes to find his Father and washes the car. The father is similarly absent from most of the domestic scenes although as principal breadwinner that was obviously allowed. He was however reckless with the children allowing them to sit up front in the car with no belts or restraints on the road. From memory that was how it was in the 1960's.
Towards the end of the Ladybird book some normality returns to the nuclear family. All is right and rosey. Peter and Jane play in the garden and delight in the large and well tended garden.
It is an idyllic scene but under the surface considerable problems were developing that will keep the respective lawyers of the adult Peter and Jane well and lucratively employed for many, many years. I am pleased only that Pat the dog and various rabbits passed away before the two children reached legal age and thereby escaped the shameful indignities of a messy custody battle.
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