King Penguin Books Checklist and History – The King Penguin book series, a pioneering initiative by Penguin Books, was launched in 1939 with “British Birds on Lake River and Stream” by Phyllis Barclay-Smith. Drawing inspiration from the high-quality illustrated books of the past, the series became known for its distinctive blend of art, scholarship, and affordability. Over a span of two decades, it offered readers a diverse collection of 76 titles, each covering an array of subjects including natural history, art, and cultural heritage.
Notable titles include “A Book of Ships” (1941) by Charles Mitchell, “Caricature” (1941) by E.H. Gombrich, and “British Butterflies” (1951) by E.B. Ford. The series also ventured into historical and artistic territories with books like “Bayeux Tapestry” (1943) by Eric MacLagen and “Portraits of Christ” (1941) by Ernst Kitzinger.
The series was characterized by its small, pocket-sized format, high-quality illustrations, and thoughtful curation by leading authors and scholars. Editors like Noel Carrington ensured that each book was meticulously designed, often employing striking color plates. They were normally hardback but some soft cover variations were also produced. The King Penguin series played a pivotal role in democratizing access to beautifully illustrated and intellectually stimulating books, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of publishing.
King Penguin Books Checklist of Books 1 to 76
The books all included colour printing with illustrations or book plates. Illustrators have been added where known.
| No. | Title | Author | Illustrator | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K1 | British Birds on Lake River and Stream | Barclay-Smith, Phyllis | John Gould | 1939 |
| K2 | Book of Roses | Ramsbottom, John | Pierre-Joseph Redouté | 1939 |
| K3 | A Book of Ships | Mitchell, Charles | Mitchell, Charles | 1941 |
| K4 | Portraits of Christ | Kitzinger, Ernst & Senior, Elizabeth | – | 1941 |
| K5 | Caricature | Gombrich, E.H & Kris, E | – | 1941 |
| K6 | British Shells | Duncan, F. Martin | – | 1943 |
| K7 | Fashions and Fashion Plates | Laver, James | – | 1943 |
| K8 | Elizabethan Miniatures | Winter, Carl | 1943 | |
| K9 | Microcosm of London | Rowlandson, T & Pugin, A C | Rowlandson & Pugin | 1943 |
| K10 | Bayeux Tapestry | MacLagen, Eric | – | 1943 |
| K11 | Fishes of Britain’s Rivers and Lakes | Norman, J.R. | – | 1943 |
| K12 | Poets’ Corner | Beerbohm, Max | – | 1943 |
| K13 | Edible Fungi | Ramsbottom, John | – | 1943 |
| K14 | Book of Lilies | Stoker, Fred | – | 1944 |
| K15 | Seashore Life and Pattern | Stephenson, T.A. | – | 1944 |
| K16 | Children as Artists | Tomlinson, R.R. | – | 1945 |
| K17 | Leaves of Southwell | Pevsner, Nikolaus | – | 1945 |
| K18 | Some British Moths | Riley, Norman | – | 1945 |
| K19 | Garden Birds | Barclay-Smith, Phyllis | – | 1945 |
| K20 | English Ballet | Leeper, Janet | – | 1944 |
| K21 | Popular Art in Britain | Carrington, Noel | – | 1945 |
| K22 | Heraldry in England | Wagner, Anthony | – | 1946 |
| K23 | Poisonous Fungi | Ramsbottom, John | – | 1945 |
| K24 | Birds of the Sea | Lockley, R.M. | – | 1945 |
| K25 | Ur: The First Phases | Woolley, Leonard | – | 1947 |
| K26 | Book of Toys | White, Gwen | – | 1946 |
| K27 | Flowers of Marsh and Stream | Williams, Iolo | – | 1946 |
| K28 | Book of English Clocks | Symonds, R.W. | – | 1947 |
| K29 | Flowers of the Woods | Salisbury, E.J. | – | 1947 |
| K30 | Wood Engravings | Bewick, Thomas | Thomas Bewick | 1947 |
| K31 | English Book Illustrations 1800-1900 | James, Philip | – | 1947 |
| K32 | A Christmas Carol | Dickens, Charles | John Leech | 1946 |
| K33 | Russian Icons | Rice, David Talbot | Cover design by Enid Marx | 1947 |
| K34 | English Tradition in Design | Gloag, John | – | 1947 |
| K35 | Book of Spiders | Bristowe, W.S. | – | 1947 |
| K36 | Ballooning | Gibbs-Smith, Charles | – | 1948 |
| K37 | Wild Flowers of the Chalk | Gilmour, John | Irene Hawkins | 1947 |
| K38 | Compliments of the Season | Ettlinger, R.D. | – | 1947 |
| K39 | Woodcuts of Albrecht Durer | Barlow, T.D. | Albrecht Durer | 1948 |
| K40 | Edward Gordon Craig | Leeper, Janet | – | 1948 |
| K41 | British Butterflies | Ford, E.B. | – | 1951 |
| K42 | British Military Uniforms | Laver, James | – | 1948 |
| K43 | Prospect of Wales | Rowntree, Kenneth | – | 1948 |
| K44 | Tulipomania | Blunt, Wilfred Jasper | – | 1950 |
| K45 | Unknown Westminster Abbey | Tanner, L.E. | – | 1948 |
| K46 | Highland Dress | Collie, George | – | 1948 |
| K47 | British Reptiles and Amphibia | Smith, Malcolm | – | 1949 |
| K48 | Book of Scripts | Fairbank, Alfred | – | 1949 |
| K49 | Some British Beetles | Taylor, Geoffrey | – | 1949 |
| K50 | Popular Art in the United States | Christensen, Erwin O. | – | 1949 |
| K51 | Life in English Village | Edward Bawden | – | 1949 |
| K52 | Isle of Wight | Jones, Barbara | – | 1950 |
| K53 | Flowers of the Meadow | Grigson, Geoffrey | – | 1950 |
| K54 | Greek Terracottas | Webster, T.B.L. | – | 1951 |
| K55 | Romney Marsh | Piper, John Egerston | – | 1950 |
| K56 | Early British Railways | Barman, Christian | – | 1950 |
| K57 | Book of Mosses | Richards, Paul | – | 1950 |
| K58 | Book of Ducks | Barclay-Smith, Phyllis | Peter Shepheard | 1951 |
| K59 | Ackermann’s Cambridge | Williamson, Reginald Ross | – | 1951 |
| K60 | Crown Jewels | Chadwick, Paxton | – | 1951 |
| K61 | Atlas of Tudor England | Speed, John | – | 1951 |
| K62 | Medieval Carvings in Exeter | Cave, C.J.P. | – | 1953 |
| K63 | Book of Greek Coins | Seltman, Charles | – | 1952 |
| K64 | Magic Books from Mexico | Burland, Cottie | – | 1953 |
| K65 | Semi-Precious Stones | Wooster, Nora | – | 1953 |
| K66 | Birds of the Plata | Hudson, W.H. | S. Magno | 1952 |
| K67 | Mountain Birds | Lodge, G.E. | – | 1952 |
| K68 | Animals in Staffordshire Pottery | Rackham, Bernard | Peggy Jeremy | 1953 |
| K69 | Ackermann’s Oxford | Colvin, H.M. | – | 1954 |
| K70 | Diverting History of John Gilpin | Cowper, William | – | 1953 |
| K71 | Egyptian Paintings | Davies, Nina | – | 1954 |
| K72 | Misericords | Anderson, M.D. | – | 1954 |
| K73 | Picture of Cricket | Arlott, John | – | 1955 |
| K74 | Woodland Birds | Barclay Smith, Phyllis | Peter Shepheard | 1955 |
| K75 | Monumental Brasses | Mann, James | – | 1957 |
| K76 | Sculpture of the Parthenon | Corbett, P.E. | – | 1959 |
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