The alphabet of musical bogeys (R228521)
Alphabets in Context
Windows into a Changing Society
Alphabet books tell us as much about society as they do about reading. Between the mid-Victorian era and the early 20th century, they mirrored profound changes in how childhood, education, and creativity were understood. In earlier decades, primers—simple books used to teach children how to read—reflected a society that treated children like miniature adults, expecting them to learn their letters while also practising obedience and self-control. By the late 19th century, however, childhood was increasingly seen as a time for curiosity and play, and alphabet books responded to this shift, moving away from stern moralising towards humour, fantasy, and visual delight. In the process, the alphabet book became a legitimate art form, showing that learning could also enchant and entertain. In this context, X no longer had to stand for anything at all; it could simply be part of the fun!
More Than Child’s Play
At the same time, alphabet books became a space where illustrators tested the limits of their craft. Some offered charming domestic visions, others turned the ABC into nonsense verse or political satire, while still others experimented with theatrical design, surreal imagery, or even abstraction. Yet looking at some of the wackiest examples in this exhibition, we can’t help but wonder: how did children make sense of these often strange or illogical pairings of letter and image? Did they laugh, feel puzzled, or come up with their own explanations? What seems like nonsense to adults may have offered children a very different kind of lesson but not necessarily the one that parents expected!
The Art of the Alphabet
Seen in this light, the alphabets in this exhibition show us more than just the evolution of children’s publishing. They hint at the role these books may have played in shaping the imagination of the next generation of artists and designers. Indeed, if the first encounter many children had with art was through an alphabet book, who’s to say that these pages didn’t help to inspire the artistic revolutions of the 20th century?
So, as you explore the exhibition, don’t just read these books. Look at them, wonder about them, and enjoy the fantastic creativity that leaps off every page.
A Note on Historical Context
Alphabet books often mirror the cultural values and assumptions of their time. Some of the examples shown here include imagery and language that are now understood to be stereotyped or offensive, particularly in depictions of race and difference.
We have chosen to reproduce these works in full, as omitting them would obscure important aspects of the history of children’s publishing. Showing them allows us to confront and reflect on the prejudices of the past, to understand how they were shaped, and how they continue to influence cultural attitudes today.
We invite visitors to approach these materials with care and critical awareness, recognising both the creativity they represent and the harm such representations can cause.