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NOTE: If an example is not known to be part of a series, then listed by publisher. Apologies to non-metric American and British collectors: measurements are given in millimetres (mm), usually to the nearest 5mm, as I only have a mm ruler! ONE INCH=25mm

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ABC
Published by Ian Allan, London, the famous series of transport pocket guides first appeared (I think) in the 1940s. These were small booklets approximately 100mm wide x 150mm high. Sample combined volume 'British Rail Motive Power' published in 1980, has laminated hard covers and runs to over 200 pages. (From Roger) Must be hundreds of titles on trains, planes, cars, ships, commercial vehicles, buses,motorcycles etc. Many volumes updated annually e.g. BRITISH CARS (they also published American Cars and Continental Cars) 1962 edition published at 2/6, soft cover 72pp. Trains and buses were their speciality. Many examples always available on eBay.

ALPINE BOOK SERIES
Published in Austria by Pinguin Verlag, 1960s-70s, 105mm wide x 150mm high, laminated cover, slick paper, 70-plus pages, colour plates, high quality. At least 15 titles. My sample 'An Introduction to Minerals'.

BALLET POCKET SERIES
Published firstly by Newman Wolsey Ltd, then by A & C Black, London, these delightful miniatures are of high quality in dust jackets, (80mm wide x 125mm high) approximately 96 pages with line illustrations. 1949 listing: The Sleeping Princess, Swan Lake, Giselle, Petrouchka, Coppelia, La Boutique Fantasque, Le Beau Danube and Le Tricorne, L'Oiseau de Feu and Scheherazade, Hamlet and Miracle in the Gorbals, Rake's Progress and Checkmate.

BIG BUFFIN BOOKS
Published by Arthur Baker Ltd, London, 110mm wide x 155mm high, embossed cloth in dust jacket, circa 1950s. Children's animal stories, written and illustrated by Robert Hartman. At least 4 titles, one sample only (no.3) includes 4 stories, each story being page-numbered. Were these stories published individually?
9/02/08 10:07:54 AUS Eastern Daylight Time Yes - I have #2 in the series - Shut Eye and the Weathercock - published in 1936 by Barker (blue cloth, dust jacket) - the back flap of the dust jacket lists 8 titles - the first 4 published in 1936, and the second 4 published in 1937 (I believe). Regards, Chris Volk Thanks, Chris.

BIRTHDAY BOOK FOR CHILDREN, A
Published by F Warne & Co, may be a one-off, 95mm wide x 125mm high, 256 pages. My sample dated 1963, no dust jacket but anticipate one was included.

BLANDFORD Colour series
Size 120-130 mm wide, 185 mm high, published by Blandford Press, 167 High Holborn, London WCIV 6PH, UK. From the 1960s onwards. Page counts vary from around 100 to 220 pp. Generally contain an introduction followed by colour illustrations, then the text. Good quality in jackets. Some titles contain artwork but others use all photos. Originally priced from 1 pound 25p to 2 pounds 10p. See the Blandford page.

CLASSICS OF TRANSPORTATION
Published by Macdonald, London, early 1960s, 140mm wide x 135mm high. Illustrated boards, superb quality colour illustrations, 128 pages. Titles known: Aircraft, Trains.

COLLINS 'NUTSHELL' BOOKS
These cover hobbies, sports, practical activities and leisure-time interests. Format a little wider than OPS books (105mm wide x 155mm high). In dust jackets and published around the 1960s in England. Line illustrations only, around 128 pages. A subject covered in one OPS book may take two 'Nutshell' books! Full list of 62 (excluding no.56 which is a mystery) supplied by Robert Turner, to whom we offer our thanks.

DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE POCKETBOOK ('An Australian - -', cover only)
One-off, published by Australian Railway Historical Society, 1973, written by Peter J Clark, 11cm x 16 cm, 151pp, flexible plastic covers, slick paper. Similar format to OPS books: b/w photo at top with specs. below, one per page.

DMC LIBRARY
Published by Mulhouse, France, 100mm wide x 155mm high. Only example held is 'Encyclopaedia of Needlework' by Thérèse de Dillmont, dated 1975, over 780 pages. French, Italian, German and Spanish versions available.

DUMPY BOOKS Updated September, 2018.
With thanks to Colin, John Carter, Robert Turner and Roger, and Barbara Fisher.
(There was a series of early children's books including 'Dumpy' in the title but these are extremely rare. I've never seen a sample, but you will find details at www.marchhousebooks.com - half way down the home page under author/illustrator articles).
First published by Sampson Low, Marston & Co Ltd, circa 1940-50, as a series of fine pocket recognition guides My two samples are:
'His Majesty's Merchant Navy' by E C Talbot-Booth, 135mm wide x 110mm high, a massive 572 pages, in dust jacket. Several coloured plates, b/w plates, line illustrations including multi-folding pull-outs. Cost 12/6 (3rd edition, no date)
'All the World's Fighting Fleets', same author and format but containing a massive 740-plus pages. Other titles listed in the back of this book are:
Early series
Aircraft & the Air -
Aircraft of the World
Fighting Planes of the World
Ships & the Sea
Ships of the North Atlantic
The British Army
Yachts, Yachting & Sailing
Sailing, Dinghies & Yachts (same as above or maybe a later edition?
Dumpy Books re-appeared in the 1950s-early 1960s as a series of much thinner (around 188 page, but there were exceptions - see Robert Turner's note below) pocket books, now aimed at children and including 'Dumpy' in the title. Firstly in dust jackets, later in thin, laminated flexible boards. The paper was of poor quality but the illustrations and information were of a high standard. My examples don't include title lists within, unlike the earlier versions. So we have the following:
Later series (hardcovers approx. 188 pages, flexi covers approx. 320 pages)
Aircraft & the Air - undated, flexi cover, compiled by B Beirman, L E Bradford, F M Hayes, A M Hebgin, E Jeffrey, J W R Taylor
Aircraft & Flight
Air Forces of the World, 1957, flexi cover priced 4/6 net, 320 pp inc cover (Thanks, Colin.)
Cars and Commercial Vehicles, 1960 (Thanks, Roger)
Champion Dogs
Locomotives-British & European, 1961, price 5/- (Thanks, Roger)
Motor Racing
Motors and Road Transport, 1957, flexi cover priced 4/6 net, 320pp inc cover (Thanks, Roger)
Photographers
Railways of the World - flexi cover, compiled by B Beirman, W H Boulton, F M Hayes, A M Hebgin, E Jeffrey, E L Parry and H C Webster
Ships
Ships & The Sea - undated flexi cover, compiled by compiled by B Beirman, R Carpenter, F M Hayes, A M Hebgin, E Jeffrey, C W E Richardson, E C Talbot-Booth
Veterans of Road, Rail, Sea & Air, 1960 (Thanks, Roger)
Visitors to France
Visitors to Italy
World Nature © 1957, Illustrators: J Cummings, Stanley Jackson, Edward Jeffrey, A Jessett, Edgar Sears(as advised by John Carter.)
"I too have the title 'World Nature', published 1957, 320 pages." Robert Turner [Thanks, Robert]

EVANS' POCKET BOOKS
Published by Evans Brothers, London, 1950s, 105mm wide x 170mm high, dust jacket, 160 pages, good quality. At least 20 titles, mainly instructive, e.g 'Angler's', 'Motor Cyclist's'.

FAVOURITE MOTOR CAR STORIES Published by Octopus, 1980s, landscape, approximately same size and format as Rev Awdrey's RAILWAY SERIES. Paperback samples held, also a combined volume of 4 stories: Freddy the Ford, Bertie the Bentley, Micky the MG and Maurice Minor., FLASH BOOKS Published by WPT, Liechtenstein, subtitled 'The Pocket Library of Modern Living'. Card cover, 115mm square, 158 pages, circa 1960s. By 1968 there were 30 titles, similar subjects to NUTSHELL. Ask if interested.

FOULSHAM'S DO IT YOURSELF SERIES and 1/- series.
Subtitled 'The Amateur's Guide to Professional Workmanship', my sample 'Clock & Watch Repairing for Amateurs' is printed in USA on poor quality paper, has a dust jacket, 60 pages and is 115mm wide x 165mm high. Not dated but appears to be pre-war or early post-war. Other titles listed: Painting, Distempering & Paperhanging, Practical Carpentry, French Polishing & Wood Surface Finishing, The Home Electrician, Plumbing,Soldering & Braising, Bricklaying & Simple Building, Boot & Shoe Repairing.
The 1/- series may be related to the above series but are printed in London, 90mm wide x 140mm high, 120-plus pages in dust jacket. Undated (1930s?) with at least 53 in the series.

GEMS
Published by Collins, London, circa 1920, 70mm wide x 100mm high, wrapper attached to spine, colour frontispiece, 96 pages. My sample 'Gems from Shakespeare'. Cheap but nicely produced on good paper.

GOLDEN GUIDE, A

Attractive, full-colour illustrations (as per Hamlyn), card covers, 100mm wide x 155mm high books, published by Golden Press, USA, 1950s-1970s? 160 pages. Several series as follows:
Golden Nature, 25-plus titles
Golden Science, 12-plus titles
Golden Field, 5 titles
Golden Regional, ?
Golden Handbooks, 8 titles
Golden Leisure Library, 6 titles
Books have 5-figure serial numbers on top of spine. Also published in 'De-luxe' editions. Unseen. 1960s editions quote printing issue and date, have glossy covers and thicker paper than later issues. Later issues quote original copyright date, not date of printing. Only way to distinguish dates may be by cover prices. Early 1960s are $1.00, later $1.50. Information on this series appreciated.

GOLD STAR LIBRARY
Published by Golden Pleasure Books, London, mid-1960s, laminated cover, children's stories, over 230 pages, 95mm wide x 125mm high. Poor paper, simple illustrations. My sample 'Robin Hood', illustrated by B Bodini. Other titles (1967): Spring Tales, Summer Tales, Autumn Tales, Winter Tales, Little Tiger, Puss in Boots, Animal Tales, Woodland Animals, Arabian Nights, Jo's boys, Heidi, Adventure Tales & Rhymes, The Valley of Dreams, Junior Nurse, The Case of the missing Message, Treasure Island.

HANDBOOKS FOR NATURE LOVERS
WHAT SHELL IS THAT?, A guide to the Shell-Bearing Mollusks* [*this is the spelling on the book although both my American and British spellcheckers tell me it's incorrect!] of Eastern North America, was published by D Appleton-Century Co. of New York and London in 1939. Printed on good quality paper similar to OPS books of the period, it runs to 198 pages, the author being Percy A Morris. All illustrations, one to a page, are in b/w. Others in this series included WHAT BIRD IS THAT?, WHAT TREE IS THAT?, WHAT SNAKE IS THAT? and NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY AROUND THE YEAR. This information comes from the back of the dust jacket. Prices varied from $2 through to $4, so the books may be of varying thickness. Any information on this series would be appreciated.

HIPPO BOOKS
Published by Odhams/Longacre Press, 1960s, 125mm wide x 100mm high, 126 pages, laminated boards, numbered and externally attractive. Well-qualified authors but poor paper and reproduction.
The list of the 24 titles (as supplied by Robert Turner - thanks, Robert, and Roger for updates) is as follows:

(From Roger) Series appears to have been "taken over" by Hamlyn, and although HIPPO BOOKS is title on front cover and on title page, on rear it says: "Books in NEW HIPPO series
1. VETERAN AND VINTAGE CARS
2. PASSENGER TRAINS
3. BIRDS OF BRITAIN
4. REPTILES AND AMPHIBIAN
5. HORSES
6. AIRLINERS published 1971 at 25p
7. DOGS
8. ROCKETS AND MISSILES

IN PRAISE OF Books
Small (106mm wide x 138mm high) anthologies published by Frederick Muller Ltd, London, circa 1950. Sample 'In Praise of Travel' compiled by Elizabeth Nicholas with illustrated boards, some internal illustrations. This book lists the following for 1952: Westminster Abbey,Ireland,England, Scotland, Devon,Sussex,Yorkshire,Country Life, Kent,Mountains,Ballet, The British,Good Living,Freedom,Humour,Music,Christmas, Love, Friendship,Churchill,Bernard Shaw, Shakespeare, Children,Dogs,Cats,Golf,Cricket,The Theatre, Cambridge.

JACARANDA POCKET GUIDES
Published by Jacaranda Press P/L, Brisbane, circa 1960, 100mm wide x 130mm high, card covers, colour and b/w plates, usually but not always text on left, plates on right, variable page count, 100 to 128 pages, good gloss paper. All related to Australian flora, fauna and minerals. In the early 1960s 'Jacaranda Pocket Guides', sometimes in a coloured strip, ran bottom to top of cover next to spine. URE SMITH, the Sydney publisher, took over in the 1970s. The coloured strip remained - blank - then was removed, otherwise the covers stayed the same. Usually. The front covers of some titles, 'Western Australian Wild Flowers' for example, are exactly the same from both publishers. The Jacaranda version will list other titles on the back cover while the Ure Smith version is blank. AXIOM BOOKS also re-published some titles in a similar manner. I believe that at this point both the re-publishers were part of the Hamlyn publishing group, but this is open to confirmation. The following title list has been compiled from title lists in samples held

Australian Butterflies
Australian Minerals
Australian Moths
Australian Native Gardens & Birds
Australian Weather
Corals of the Great Barrier Reef
Insects of Australia
Marine Fishes(2 volumes)
Marsupials of Australia
Native Freshwater Fishes/Freshwater Fishes
Sharks & Predatory Fishes
Shells of the Sea-Shore
Snakes & Lizards of Australia
Some Bush Birds of Australia
Some Trees/Trees of Australia
Spiders of Australia
The Australian Sky
Western Australian Wildflowers, vols A & ?
Wildflowers of Central Australia
Wildflowers of the Adelaide Hills
Wildflowers of NSW
Wildflowers of Tasmania
Wildflowers of the ACT
Wildflowers of the Warm East Coast
Wildflowers of Victoria

The following titles were noted in various books as being 'in preparation'. In some earlier books the same titles were listed as being available, so we can assume some went in and out of print.

Animal Life in New Guinea
Barrier Reef Shells
Birds of the Sea & Swamp
Eucalypts
Furred Mammals
Life in Rock Pools
Pond Life

JOHNSTON'S CLAN HISTORIES
Published by Johnston & Bacon, London and Edinburgh, 90mm wide x 120mm high, dj, slick, high quality paper. Sample 'The Scottish Clans & Their Tartans', is not dated, nor are the pages numbered. Price 8/6 but other Clan histories, detailed on the dj flap, are priced at 5/- each.

LADYBIRD BOOKS
A huge range of children's books (115mm wide x 175mm high), in many series. Originally published by Wills & Hepworth Ltd, Loughborough, England, these first appeared in the 1930s. Dust jackets and stuck-on colour cover plates, later embossed covers, later still laminated covers. Approximately 48 to 64 pages with text left and illustration right hand page. See the page elsewhere on this site.

LIBRARY OF POCKET CLASSICS
Published by Collins, from early this century, 105mm wide x 155mm high, in dust jacket. Noted here as certain titles published as movie tie-ins, e.g. 'Wuthering Heights', with special jacket and b/w stills throughout the book.

LITERARY PRESS
Published in London, no date but appears circa 1940, 100mm wide x 160mm high, lurid dust jacket. Poorly bound on poor paper. Mystery, crime, romance and western titles, at least 50.

LITTLE MUSIC LIBRARY, THE
High quality series published in the USA by Grosset & Dunlap, 276 pages in dust jacket, 90mm wide x 130mm high. Available 1955: The Story of a Hundred Operas, The Story of One Hundred Symphonic Favourites, The Story of One Hundred Great Composers, The Story of Orchestral Music & its times, The Little Dictionary of Musical Terms, The Little Book of Music Anecdotes, The Little Guide to Music Appreciation, The Little History of Music, The Story of American Folk Song, The Story of Jazz.

MILITARY HANDBOOKS
Outside the scope of this page but listed for interest's sake. AUSTRALIAN MILITARY HANDBOOKS circa 1940, published by Angus & Robertson Ltd, measure 100mm wide x 135mm high, card covers 170-220 pages, quality paper. Samples held 'Soldier in Battle' by Capt G D Mitchell and 'The Fighting Soldier' by Maj W A S Dunlop. At least 13 titles. John Murray, London, also published a series of similar-sized handbooks during WW2. These had rounded open ends. Sample held 'Small Arms Manual' by Brig J A Barlow & Lt Col R E W Johnson. At least 2 other titles in series.

MILLAR & LANG, LTD
This Glasgow publisher produced 'The Scottish Tartans' in a landscape 155mm wide x 110mm high format, full-colour, 120 page, no date. Illustrated cloth, dust jacket appears likely. Part of a series?

ORBIT BOOKS
Lovely children's books published by Collins, London, circa 1950s, 100mm square, full-colour, illustrated boards in matching dust jackets, 25-plus pages, text on left, illustration on right. All transport subjects, illustrations signed 'Timmis'. At least 24 titles. See separate page.

OXFORD
Pocket editions of regular titles, laminated card covers, 115mm wide x 150mm high, 200-plus pages, text on left, colour plate on right. Excellent quality but text is almost microscopic! Published by OUP 1970s. Only titles known: Birds, Wildflowers (1977)

PETER RABBIT BOOKS
Published by F Warne & Co Ltd, this famous series written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter measures 105mm wide x 145mm high. In dust jackets with illustration affixed to front board until the 1980s, now in laminated boards; also available in paperback. First published around the turn of the century. 23 titles. Also available as a boxed set. Page count varies. Full-page colour illustrations alternate with text. French, Italian and Spanish versions currently available of certain titles.

PITMAN'S
Terms & Abbreviations series? 75mm wide x 125mm high, 120-plus pages. No other details.

PUPPYDOG SERIES, THE
Smaller, shorter version of the famous New Zealand Murray Ball 'Footrot Flats' comic strip books, landscape format 170mm wide x 105mm high, card covers, stapled, 48 pages, b/w comic strips, as seen in newspapers around the world. Featuring 'Dog', Wal Footrot and friends. Number of titles not known.

RAILWAY SERIES
Published by Kaye & Ward Ltd, London, being the famous set of 26 books from which Thomas the Tank Engine sprang. By the Rev W Awdry, these landscape format 140mm wide x 110mm high books, 50+pages, text on left, colour illustration on right, originally came in dust jackets but moved to laminated boards.

ROUTLEDGE'S MINIATURE REFERENCE LIBRARY
Lovely series of tiny (70mm wide x 105mm high) reference books, 270-plus pages in tiny print. My sample 'Classical Mythology' is annotated '1928'. Approximately 50 titles listed on subjects such as Shakespeare, Who Said What, languages and so on.

RIGBY JUMBO INSTANT BOOKS
Published by Rigby Ltd, Australia, card covers, 64 pages, 85mm wide x 130mm high. Good quality, 8 pages of colour plates. Two samples 'Keeping Siamese Cats' (1976) and 'Cacti & other Succulents' (1977 reprint). 46 titles listed. All have 5-figure reference numbers.

SHIP SERIES
Published by Adlard Coles Ltd in assoc.with George Harrap & Co Ltd, same format as RAILWAY SERIES above, 80 pages in dust jacket, early 1950s, recognition books, colour illustrations mostly. Only sample held is 'Flags, Funnels & Hull Colours' by Colin Stewart. At least 5 other titles in this series.

SOURCE BOOKS
Published by Ward Lock, London, circa 1970. Landscape format, 165mm wide x 115mm high, dust jackets, around 144 pages, matt paper, b/w illustrations. Good all-round reference for the period, if inferior to OPS books both in terms of content and quality.
(From Roger)
MOTOR CARS published 1970
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES compiled by Olyslager Organisation, published 1972
PASSENGER VEHICLES compiled by Olyslager Organisation, published 1973 at 95p
CANALS, LOCKS AND CANAL BOATS published 1974
CLASSIC CARS published 1977
MILITARY SUPPORT VEHICLES compiled by Olyslager Organisation, published 1980 at £2.95. This has a laminated cover and was originally published as "MILITARY WHEELED VEHICLES".
Others in series
AIRCRAFT, DOGS, FOOTBALL, HORSES AND PONIES, LOCOMOTIVES, MILITARY TRACKED VEHICLES, POLICE, RACING AND SPORTS CARS, ROCKETS SPACECRAFT AND SPACEMEN, SHIPS, STAMPS, SUBMARINES AND SUBMERSIBLES, TANKERS AND SUPERTANKERS, 20TH CENTURY WARSHIPS, UNUSUAL VEHICLES, VETERAN CARS, VINTAGE AND POST VINTAGE CARS, WILD ANIMALS

SUNNY SERIES
Published by Blackie & Son, London. Cheap but strongly-constructed children's fiction with colour frontispiece, pre-war, 105mm wide x 155mm high, 48 pages. No other details known. My sample is 'Edie's Adventure' by Geraldine Mockler.

THEY DIED TOO YOUNG
Produced by Magpie Books, London. Current series, high quality in dust jackets, 75 pages, 85mm wide x 110mm high. Colour and b/w plates. Late entertainers featured. No listing. Samples held: 'Marilyn Monroe' and 'Marc Boland'.

TOLD TO THE CHILDREN SERIES
Published by Thomas Nelson & Sons, Edinburgh, 105mm wide x 160mm high, around 120 pages, dust jacket, colour plates, no date. Attractive children's classics. At least 19 titles.

URE SMITH
This Sydney publisher reprinted JACARANDA titles in the 1970s under their own name. Some listed the publishing history; others didn't. See JACARANDA.

WAR PLANES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Published by Macdonald, London, circa 1960. Landscape format, 135mm wide x 125mm high. High quality, dust jackets, b/w illustrations on slick paper, written by an expert in the field, William Green. Around 180 pages.
According to Jon Noble, volumes 1-4 were fighters, 5 was either floatplanes or flyingboats and 6 was the other, 7-10 covered bombers but were incomplete as the series only covered countries alphabetically to Germany, which suggests another 10 volumes may have been planned. There was also a series on World War 1 aircraft which ran to 4 or so volumes (all on fighters).
(From Roger) Vol. 1 was in fact published in 1960 at 12/6. See below for further information.

ADDITIONS and CORRECTIONS
From: david.hamilton @amec.com
Date: 23/08/05 7:37:20 AUS Eastern Standard Time
I ran into your web site while looking for information about Dumpy books and was slightly gobsmacked at the extent of the other pocketbooks that you listed. I was more surprised that I actually recognised a good few of the series mentioned. I am not a collector as such but because of my interests I seem to have picked up a fair number of bits and pieces from most of them. If I can expand a bit on some of your notes.

a/- MacDonald - Warplanes of the Second World War - exactly as you say -1-6 published 1961-2, 7-10 published 1966-7
b/- MacDonald - Warplanes of the First World War - 5 volumes as below - exactly the same size as Second World War series. Contents vary considerably from nearly 190 pp to under 130pp.
1.- Fighters - British (1965)
2.- Fighters - British (1968)
3.- Fighters - British (1969)
4.- Fighters - French (1972)
5.- Fighters - French (1972)
c/- MacDonald produced another series contemporary to the Warplane series called "Navies of the Second World War" These books were slightly smaller than the aircraft books at 155 x 110 landscape and generally had a content of about 160 pp.
Japanese Battleships and Cruisers (1963 as Pocket Pictorial - later published as part of series)
Japanese Aircraft Carriers and Destroyers (1964 as Pocket Pictorial - as above)
German Surface Vessels - 1 (1966)
German Surface Vessels - 2 (1966)
German Submarines - 1 (?)
German Submarines - 2 (?)
American Battleships, Carriers and Cruisers (1968)
American Fleet and Escort Destroyers - 1 (1970)
American Fleet and Escort Destroyers - 2 (1970)
French Navy - 1 (1969)
French Navy - 2 (1969)
Soviet Navy - 1 (1972)
Soviet Navy - 2 (1972)
Royal Netherlands Navy (1967)
British Battleships and Aircraft Carriers (?)
British Submarines (?)
British Fleet and Escort Destroyers - 1 (1970)
British Fleet and Escort Destroyers - 2 (1970)
British Cruisers (1973)
(?) published at unknown date
Noted as in preparation but may not have been published
Italian Navy 1 & 2
Soviet Navy 3 & 4
British Sloops and Frigates
American Gunboats and Patrol Craft
British Landing Ships and Craft
American Landing Ships and Craft
Also - American Submarines ????

d/- Batsford produced a really nice short series of pocketbooks 140 x 110 of 256pp with numerous black & white illustrations.
The Vintage Motor Car Pocketbook (1959)
The Historic Locomotive Pocketbook (1960)
The Sportscar Pocketbook (1961)
The Racing Car Pocketbook (1962)
The Fighter Aircraft Pocketbook (1962)
The Veteran Motor Car pocketbook (1963)
The Bomber Aircraft Pocketbook (1964)

e/- Brockhampton Press of Leicester produced a small run of railway pocketbooks in 1949-50. These were uniform at 64 pages and had an odd shape being landscape at 160 x 90 with stiff card covers and glossy paper contents. They had a generic title of "Famous Trains and Their Routes" and the following were definitely published.
The Irish Mail
The Flying Scotsman
The Royal Scot
The Cornish Riviera
The Red Dragon
The Golden Arrow
The Devon Belle

Then there is the I-Spy series both the 50s and 60s News Chronicle series and the new Michelin series, and the Collins Gem series that you mention from the thrirties but is still being published and seems to have now developed a sub - Observer type following from collectors.

Regards
David Hamilton

INFORMATION, and HELP REQUIRED
From: rachel_kear@iprimus.com.au (Rachel)
Date: 7/07/09 6:29:13 AUS Eastern Standard Time
I came across your page Dumpy and other Pocket-Sized Books and found it very interesting. I have recently started collecting children's books and I thought I'd mention another series of small children's books that were very popular from the '50's through to the mid/late '70s. These were called Pixie Books and they featured hardcovers with dust-jackets and made a comeback in the mid 70s as softcovers. They were lovely little stories, maybe slightly old fashioned (by today's standards) but charming and beautifully written - superb first reading books for the little hands for which they were designed! I suspect that many of your collector friends would be familiar with them. I would also be very happy to know of anyone that has some to sell.
The Gold Star Library was a personal favourite of mine. They were definitely cheap and cheerful (as evidenced by the princely sum of 20 pence per book at the time!) but quite well written for all that. If anyone has some to sell, please feel free to pass on my details.

Any problems or questions? Email John at chiefchook@gmail.com

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