"Douglas Keen, the driving spirit behind Ladybird Books, was a publishing visionary and an inspired businessman. In the years following the Second World War, under his editorial direction, the series of children's books became a household name. The Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme alone sold 85 million copies, making Keen an important figure in promoting children's literacy.... One title, The Computer, was used by the Ministry of Defence to introduce its employees to higher technology (although the books' cover was plain, so staff would not realise they were learning from a Ladybird book). The same organisation later bought multiple copies of Understanding Maps to provide help with orienteering for the British Army during the Falklands War.... "

 

To see the full article by Nicholas Tucker: http://tinyurl.com/7n3dxz