For 80 years, Puffin has been feeding curious minds with great non-fiction books. Tastes have changed a bit over the years though, as these covers and illustrations attest.
The first Puffin books were published to explain the war to children. Whilst they were very factual and filled with wonderful illustrations, they were also an important form of propaganda.
With so many city kids evacuated to the countryside during WWII, there was a focus on the natural world. Both Animals of the Countryside and Great Deeds of the War were published in 1941.
This illustration from The Clothes We Wear, published in 1947, was all about promoting industry, despite this terribly grim scene.
The first Puffin books were numbered. As the series progressed, medieval history become popular. A Book of Armour, Puffin Book No. 97, was published 1953.
By 1956 kids were having a bit more fun and How to Play Cricket by Alf Gover, an English Test cricketer, was released. Unsurprisingly, it was very popular in Australia.
In 1975 Puffin Australia launched a series called Practical Puffins, which went on to sell more than 3 million copies across 22 titles. Presents: Making Them to Match People came out in 1978.
In 1981 when the Rubik’s Cube trend was at fever pitch, Puffin quickly produced You Can Do the Cube, by schoolboy cube master, Patrick Bossert. It sold a million copies.
One of last year’s stand-out non-fiction titles was Stand Up for the Future, a subject that is right on trend.
In a nod to those first factual books produced, and the proud history of Puffin non-fiction publishing in Australia, the Puffin Little series is being released in July to celebrate the 80th anniversary. One of the first three titles released is Puffin Little Environmentalist: Composting.
Happy 80th anniversary Puffin books. Thanks for the memories, and thanks for helping us look toward the future.
To see more great Puffin stories click here.
Leave a Reply