1950s science book (The World of the Children?)

[Stephen]

When I was a boy, my grandparents would give me all these old and rare second hand books whenever I visited them. One was a huge dark green hardback book written in the 1950s which would teach science to children, but do so in story form. It was about a brother and sister - Peter and Mary, and how everyday situations would be explained scientifically to them by their father. For instance, they're on a long, boring car journey, so to pass the time Father explains how, given the distance, they can work out how much time they will take to get to their destination at various speeds. On another occasion, Peter wades into a pond to retrieve something, doesn't realise how deep it is and gets his trousers wet. When he gets home, Mother is all ready to scold him, but Father points this is a common mistake and explains all about light refraction and how water is often deeper than it appears. The book was illustrated with simple, but delightful drawings.

I wish I could remember the name of this book. I think it might have been something as simple as 'The World of the Children'. But does this ring any bells?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Peter wades into a pond to retrieve something, doesn't realise how deep it is and gets his trousers wet. When he gets home, Mother is all ready to scold him, but Father points this is a common mistake and explains all about light refraction and how water is often deeper than it appears.

I bet it wasn't Father who had to wash the trousers!

I don't know that book, Stephen, but it does sound interesting and I hope you're able to identify it.

[Stephen]

I bet it wasn't Father who had to wash the trousers!

You say that as though it's a bad thing!

[Stephen]

Sorry about reviving such an old thread that I started in the first place, but thanks to a bit of internet research and http://www.abebooks.com/books/Welcome/index.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, I got The World of the Children (Volume 3) by Stuart Miall (first published September 1948!) as a belated birthday present. As well as the Guinness Book of Records 1986, a WHSmith Rainbow Encyclopedia from the late 1970s, and two Ladybird books; I have a lot of childhood nostalgia to catch up on!

[Anita Bensoussane]

What wonderful presents, Stephen! Funnily enough, I picked up Volume 2 of The World of the Children for £2 in a local charity shop eighteen months ago. There are very interesting sections on 'London - the Greatest City in the World', 'Voyage Round the World' and 'The Night Sky'.

My sister and I used to have The Guinness Book of Records 1981 but I don't think either of us still have it, which is a pity. As for Ladybird books, they've been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

[dsr]

Sorry about reviving such an old thread that I started in the first place, but thanks to a bit of internet research and http://www.abebooks.com/books/Welcome/index.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, I got The World of the Children (Volume 3) by Stuart Miall (first published September 1948!) as a belated birthday present. As well as the Guinness Book of Records 1986, a WHSmith Rainbow Encyclopedia from the late 1970s, and two Ladybird books; I have a lot of childhood nostalgia to catch up on!

There were four volumes, and I think it was very old fashioned even for the time. About half of the first volume is about nature, very interesting and practical I dare say, but the information was piggybacked onto a story where a posh little girl had been ill and was pushed around in a bathchair by the gamekeeper's son who called her "Miss Jenny" or whatever her name was!

Though in the science and astronomy sections, I do remember that the girl was involved on more than just making the tea!!! She was allowed to know and to do things!

I liked the books, though. I still have mine. If I had been paying attention to this board in 2010 I could have saved you some time!

[Stephen]

I didn't realise there was more than one volume until a few years ago when I spotted one in a Welsh charity shop, only to see that it clearly wasn't the one I had had. But while the one I do have does feel quaintly dated in the way that an Enid Blyton might - bearing in mind they were written around the same time - there's something very different in the way that the reader is basically learning science through these little, everyday stories of this cheerful, humorous, child-friendly father explaining things to his fascinated children.

Could you imagine Uncle Quentin behaving like that?