Sunday, November 23, 2014

Ladybird drops branding books ‘for boys’ or ‘for girls’

Much-loved publisher of books for youngsters says it does not want ‘to be seen to be limiting children in any way’

Ladybird book
Old ideas … an illustration from a 1960s Ladybird children’s book. Illustration: © Penguin
Ladybird, the iconic publisher of children’s books including the classic Peter and Jane reading scheme, has vowed to remove any “boy” or “girl” labels from its books because it doesn’t want “to be seen to be limiting children in any way”.
The publisher, which is due to celebrate its centenary next year, is the latest to sign up to the Let Books be Books campaign, which argues that labelling books with titles like The Beautiful Girls’ Book of Colouring or Illustrated Classics for Boys sends the message “that certain books are off-limits for girls or for boys, and promotes limiting gender stereotypes”.
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