Recently, while looking for books similar to the Golden Nature Guides, I came across the Ladybird Nature Books from England. I picked up a copy of What to Look for in Summer from ebay and am really enjoying the illustrations by C. F. Tunnicliffe. I like seeing what’s common between the U.S. Midwest and England, and the differences.

Love this bit of trivia on the printing size:

The pocket-sized hardback Ladybird [book] measured roughly four-and-a-half by seven inches (11.5 cm by 18 cm). Early books used a standard 56-page format, chosen because a complete book could be printed on one large standard sheet of paper, a quad crown, 40 inches by 30 inches, which was then folded and cut to size without waste paper. It was an economical way of producing books, enabling the books to be retailed at a low price which, for almost thirty years, remained at two shillings and sixpence (12.5p). Ladybird Books, Wikipedia

I have strong memories of poring over the pages of the Golden Nature Guides books I had: Trees and Weather. The series has been updated but seem to be the same subjects with the same kind of information.