The Ladybird Book of the Shed

by Jason A. Hazeley, Joel P. Morris

This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books which have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them. The large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope. The subject of the book will greatly appeal to grown-ups.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Satire, British Literature, Graphic Novels, Comedy

52 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2015

Reviews

[Karl Orbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A meme appeared on Facebook, highlighting one of the new Ladybird Books for Grown-ups, it was hilarious and I purchased the majority of them quickly and set about reading them on the last day of the year, in a desperate and amusing attempt to meet my yearly challenge quota.

This book, on The Shed, is the first I have read, and most appealing. The book starts with a typical Ladybird introduction laying out who and what the book is for.

This delightful book is the latest in the series of Ladybird books that have been specially planned to help grown-ups with the world about them.

As in the other books in this series, the large clear script, the careful choice of words, the frequent repetition and the thoughtful matching of text with pictures all enable grown-ups to think they have taught themselves to cope. The subject of the book will greatly appeal to grown-ups.

I have never learnt how to cope, so am very excited!

The book really gets to the heart of the love affair men all over time and space have with the humble shed, a refuge from the horror of modern life, and protection against the much-varied nemesis of The Wife.

It covers the many types of shed that exist, and goes some way towards encouraging those that have not adopted sheds, to do so, with haste. Other than the fact that I know many women like sheds just as much in reality, the book is most excellent.

An example funny:

Some animals have evolved to carry their shed with them.

This tortoise will withdraw into its shed if threatened by a predator with a request to help peel the potatoes.

In the winter, tortoises conserve energy by spending extended periods in their shed, fast asleep.

Just like humans.

This was the page that inspired my purchase:

[Ariya · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Ladybird Book in series. Hilarious and thoughtful. How could you manage that, Jason Hazeley?

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh-out-loud funny.

[Lobstergirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a gag gift. I can't imagine why else you would buy it. The authors (J.A. Hazeley, N.S.F.W., and J.P. Morris, O.M.G.) have taken vintage illustrations from Ladybird books of the 50s and 60s and paired them with new text. The "shed" is a male-only space, a refuge from women, wives, and female spaces. The tone is unpleasantly misogynistic - the tortoise, whose shell is his shed, "will withdraw into its shed if threatened by a predator with a request to help peel the potatoes." Neanderthals are shown huddled in their open-air "shed" made from rabbit pelts, where they will hide "until all the flints were washed up."

There are sexual undercurrents delivered in a Dick and Jane style.

"A man needs a private place to do things with his hands.

What would you do with your hands, if you were alone in a shed?"

The British government's underground bunker where scientists respond to a nuclear attack is depicted as a shed ("the Government Research Shed"). Again, a female-free zone.

The creepiest text is paired with an illustration of an ancient Egyptian man next to a statue of a naked-breasted woman holding two snakes.

"A shed is a good place to fix, build and make things.

Omar has made himself a special wooden friend.

Omar's wife cried when she found the plans for this in his shed.

"You won't cry, will you?" says Omar, staring into his friend's painted eyes."

[Shahrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly & sarcastic look at sheds. Each daft comment paired with a classic old school ladybird picture. Some were even quite amusing.

[Kyle Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

100/5

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny book about men and their sheds. The original ladybird illustrations are wonderful.

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

You pretty much get what you’d expect here. This is just a bit of fun, but it’s worth having anyway for lols.

[Alycia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a lot better than The Husband. Got a good chuckle out of it.

[J.R.R.R. Arrtin · Rating 5 out of 5]

FO Funny!

Every dad needs to read this instruction manual on how to escape, how to store ones beloved tat and the truth behind the shed.

Great balls of laughter.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dry humour

[Todd Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best 5 minutes of my life

[Melissa Haylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for my husband for Christmas, he currently has about 4 sheds on our property and is well known for spending hours in them, tinkering or 'pottering' . I loved the ladybird kids books growing up,, so had to buy this one! It is utter brilliance. I am hard pressed to find the page I love the most. The have kept original illustrations and the style of the words and it marries up beautifully

[Rob Veck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting in depth review of the type of people that use sheds and their psychological profile. Missing was any current research as to whether there are any genetic factors that cause a disposition towards the fanatical desire to own / build indeed, live in a shed, and whether the autistic spectrum needs to be extended to accommodate this phenomenon.

[Alex Sarll]

I feared these detourned piss-takes might be infuriating, but based on this one they're pretty funny. All variations on the one joke (and still quite all-ages, in that none of the men seem to have porn in their sheds), but sufficiently inspired variations that they keep working.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may begin each day reading this little book (because who doesn't fantasize about running off to the shed rather than going to work?) I adore the artwork of my youth & the text of my adulthood (nudge nudge wink wink). Well done, lads!

[Ross Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the new series of the humorous series of Ladybird books. This one deals with that great British male institution 'The Shed'. Some very witty text to go with the classic Ladybird illustrations. A very short but amusing read and something you can dip back into again and again.

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shed is another book in the seemingly endless Ladybird series that my partner keeps finding at used bookstores. Like the rest, this makes wry comments about sheds (or man cave in modern parlance), set against retro style illustrations. Good for a chuckle!

[Kerry Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent but inaccurate in one aspect since I am fortunate enough to have a pub closer than my shed

[Basia Korzeniowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite funny. Five minutes worth of reading. My husband received two copies for Christmas. I wonder why? (1 was from me)

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Ladybird books for adults are hilarious!

[Steven Heywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Printed in England, if wet, Italy"

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, brutally true and brilliant.

[K. Carters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fast becoming my guilty pleasure. I want to own the whole set! So funny and so fantastic. It's like upcycling of old images for a new purpose. It's got to be seen to be believed.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny (though dodgy). Oliver and Cyril were the best!

[Adrian · Rating 1 out of 5]

A shed is the perfect place to store things that are not quite useful enough to be in your house, but almost useful enough not to be in your bin.

Part of the new 'ironic' Ladybird books, the shed takes a humours look at the humble British shed. Unfortunately it feels forced and just isn't that good. It's probably a good little stocking filler but I wouldn't buy this or recommend this as a serious present for someone. 1 star.

[SHR · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the way vintage images are paired with new words in this series. This isn't the best example and fell a bit flat for me, but I don't have a shed affinity so perhaps I'm not the target audience.

[Tim Corke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of many Ladybird for adults books I’ve found from my Mum. They’re great little reads that raise a smile especially if you’re familiar with the original language and tone of Ladybird book series from yesteryear. I suspect I’ll enjoy them :)

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really quite brilliant.

[Avşar · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny as always, but not as funny as the other books in the series.