Children’s books and their illustrators from a distant childhood

Ruby the Robin by Patience Powell. The illustrator isn’t credited but the illustrations have the initials TK.
A Peekobook. Printed and Published by Perry Colour Books Ltd. 11 Buckingham Street, London W.C.2. I think it’s pre-1940s, but there is no date. One of a series.

Ruby the Robin by Patience Powell. Illustration by TK. Published in the 1940s?

Ruby the Robin is a cautionary tale of what might happen if you are a robin and you spend too much time shopping for hats.

Ruby loves shopping for hats.
Ruby the Robin by Patience Powell. Illustration by TK. Published in the 1940s?

While Ruby is in Peter Robin and Sons trying on hats she wishes that she could keep one of the hats on forever. A ‘queer little man all dressed in green’ suddenly appears and grants her wish. But all the other birds laugh at her and the hat won’t come off. Finally the little man relents and grants Ruby her wish to be rid of the hat.

The moral of the story.
Ruby the Robin by Patience Powell. Illustration by TK. Published in the 1940s?

Apparently ‘There are more important things to do in life than buy new hats all day.’ Words to live by surely?! The story ends with the line, ‘Now Ruby is a wiser bird and often goes hunting for crumbs and berries with the other little robins, instead of spending all her time looking in shop windows.

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Publishing lightbulb jokes

How many?

I have just left the publishers I worked for for 13 years. While I was filing my emails I came across these publishing lightbulb jokes. They were doing the rounds in 2005 and I think they deserve another outing…

 

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: I can’t tell whether you mean “change a light bulb” or “have sex in a light bulb.” Can we reword it to remove the ambiguity?

 

Q: How many managing editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: You were supposed to have changed that light bulb last week!

 

Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: Does is HAVE to be a light bulb?

 

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: The last time this question was asked, it involved art directors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent.

 

Q: How many marketing directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: It isn’t too late to make this neon instead, is it?

 

Q: How many proofreaders does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: Proofreaders aren’t supposed to change light bulbs. They should just query them.

 

Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: But why do we have to CHANGE it?

 

Q: How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: Three. One to screw it in, and two to hold down the author.

 

Q: How many booksellers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: Only one, except no one shipped them any.