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This page: A fourth page showing motoring artwork that features on the covers of some children's books.

Page 4 of illustrated children's book covers

Welcome to this fourth page of illustrated book covers, all featuring car-related illustrations as found on old children's books. The earliest ones I have date to the early 1920s, with the latest probably nudging the 1960s, by which time - for me at any rate - the illustrations lost something of their magic, many annuals by then using photographs or poorly drawn illustrations. My favourites therefore were printed upto an including the 1950s, with the best of the lot probably heralding from the 1920s and 1930s.

In all there are five pages in this section, featuring car-related artwork on children's books. This is Page 4.
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

The Wonder Book of Motors
Books of the same title were printed throughout the 1950s, featuring different cover artwork. This cracker shows a Grand Prix car at speed on what looks like a mountain track, or hillclimb. Subtitled inside as 'The Romance of the Road' this book, by Ward, Lock & Co. Ltd, is undated but probably dates to the early 1950s, if the articles inside the book are anything to go by. This was the sixth edition.

Motors - Over 50 Photographs
This slimline hardback book, a Pageant Picture Book, was again printed by Ward, Lock & Co, features images of both cars and motorcycles. Undated once again, it looks like an early 50s publication to me. The cover features a red racing car, perhaps loosely inspired by the Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta, receiving a splash of fuel and some plugs during a pitstop.

The Wonder Book of Motors
Same title as the book shown above, but a different cover illustration and the fourth edition of this title. The contents are similar the that shown above, but are a little earlier in feel. I think this book probably dates to 1946/1947ish. The cover shows Captain George Eyston in his pre-war Thunderbolt Land Speed Record car.

The Modern Book for Boys
The books shown above are about motoring, whereas this is a storybook that happens to feature a motor racing scene on the cover. The books dates to the 1930s, and features at least one story with a motor racing theme to it - "One-Track Parker" by Arthur Groom. Printed on thick card pages, this is quite a heavy old book, printed by Birn Brothers of London.

Motors Large and Small
This is a small, slimline book dating to the 1920s. There is no date, just a note on the rear that it is "British Made" and by "B.B. Ltd No.688". It only runs to a handful of pages, illustrated with pictures of delivery vans, motor-coaches, vintage caravans, motor-cars and racing cars streaking around a banked track. Short poems also feature on each page to accompany the illustrations. Definitely one of my favourites.

Rhymes of the Road
I'm sure this is by the same publisher as the slim book alongside, the only reference I can find is "682" on the back cover. This little book of nursery rhymes, all with a motoring theme to them, is a little cracker once again, with some fabulous full colour, plus some black and white, drawings on every page. The centre page shows an open-top charabanc, loaded with passengers, driving by a vintage petrol pump, and an open-cab petrol tanker.

On The Road
Third in this group of yellow-covered slimline books is On The Road. Again just one small reference number on the back cover, "650", and once more a fine collection of children's illustration and brief poems to go with them. The opening poem goes as follows: "This is the very book for us, So read it quickly through, It tells us of the motor-bus, Of cars and lorries too., The gallant firemen you can see, The flames they'll soon put out, And everybody will agree, There's lots to learn about."

Joyrides
This is another B.B. Ltd book, the Austin charabanc on the cover, and the car shown on the rear, both sport the registration number "BB 1685". This is a "Story Book for Little Ones". All the stories are briefing rhyming tales, all illustrated as with the previous books in this series. If anyone has any more books like this, please get in touch as I'd be interested to hear about them. I've since discovered that B.B. stands for Birn Brothers Ltd, a producer of greetings cards.

A Day On The Road
Another fine children's book in presumably the same series as those shown above, hardback and slightly larger in size this time. It shows a green van (Crossley?) and a tram on the cover, with a red Royal Mail post van and a yellow steam traction engine on the rear. No.205 is printed on the back cover, presumably a B.B. book number. A handwritten note inside advises that is was given as a gift in 1929, and contains stories by Freda Whittaker. I did read somewhere a theory that Ms Whittaker was actually Enid Blyton, writing under a pseudonym, although I've not seen any firm evidence of this.

The Wolf Cub Annual
This annual dates to the early 1950s. It features a group of Cubs charging down a hill in their soap-box derby cars, gravity-powered machines built from available odds and ends, usually by their fathers. The book was published on behalf of The Boy Scouts Association, and features various gripping yarns, plus ideas on things to do over the holiday period. Plans on how to build a model thatched barn, a motor garage, and a toy van, all feature within it's covers. On page 85 is a description of what exactly a soap box derby is, and tells of the first soap box derby to be held in this country, in 1939, with the next taking place in 1950.

Thrilling Stories for Boys
Back to full-size children's annuals now, and a copy of Thrilling Stories for Boys. The cover illustration shows an epic duel between a red racing car, and an orangey-yellow one which is in hot pursuit. A handwritten note inside shows that this copy was given as a Christmas Present in 1940 to a young boy called Gordon. It was published by Dean and Son Ltd of Ludgate Hill in London. I wonder how long annual production carried on for during the war?

Racing Days
Of all the full-size annuals, this is one of my favourites. This was a Christmas gift to a young child in 1937, awarded 1st in class 5, at Gaywood School. This was published by The Sunshine Press of London and Glasgow, and features pedal car illustrations, not just on the cover but also within. The stories themselves are a mixed bunch of adventures, but for me the illustrations are what really appeal.

Racing Cars
Now to a smaller book, printed on card by Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd, in the early 1950s. Throughout the book is artwork by Raymond Groves, and very nice it is too. The cover shows a V16 BRM leading an Alfa and Ferrari down the straight, possibly at Silverstone. Other racing machines making an appearance include Bira in a 4.5 litre O.S.C.A., the JBS 500, Jaguar XK120 (reg. NUB 120), John Cobb in the Railton Mobil Special, John Claes in a yellow Talbot Lago, an ERA racing on the Isle of Man, and the Steyr-Allard at a hillclimb.

Aeroplanes, Trains & Motor Cars
Printed by Purnell & Sons, this pop-up book dates to the 50s and has survived in surprisingly good condition. The first pop-up is of a steam locomotive in it's engine shed, followed by an ocean liner behind a tug boat. Next is a BEA (British European Airways) Vickers Viscount at a Orly airport, being fuelled by a red tanker while it's passengers board - an Air France DH Comet whistles overhead. Two pages on is a pop-scene of an aircraft's cockpit, followed by the final scene, this time of a motor-race. Various cars are shown zipping by the pits, with the British Racing Green car leading naturally.

Motor Storybook
First of two similar children's books now, both by Collins, and both featuring The Bluebird on their covers. Firstly the Motor Storybook, circa 1935, which predominantly features fictional stories, some relating to motoring and motor racing. There are however some factual features, such as racing at Phoenix Park, and an account borrowed from The Autocar about driving in the Llandrindod Wells area of Wales.

Collins' Motor Annual
This book shares the illustration of Bluebird with the Motor Storybook alongside, although the contents do differ in some ways. As the cover suggests, there are some contributions from heroic motorists of the day, including Caracciola and Sir Henry Segrave. F.J. Camm provides an article introducing the young reader to the Brooklands racing circuit, and "Veteran" relates some stories about the early days of T.T. racing on the Isle of Man.

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