From horn book to battledore to primer: all were devised to instruct children in the letters of the alphabet, and help them towards literacy. By the late 19th century, cheap colour printing processes enabled a proliferation of brightly coloured and accessible reading materials for children.

Alphabet books could be a simple match of letter and word, such as 'a-apple', or be thematically based, for instance animals or trades. With The Royal alphabet the publisher has based its alphabet on the rulers of England: B Boadicea, J John and so on. The last page of text provides additional information to assist the learner: 'B Boadicea, a brave British Queen'; 'J John, signing the Magna Carta'. Some of the relationships are perhaps a little strained such as 'T Trial of King Charles I by the Rebels' and 'X Xmas, merrymaking in the time of Henry VIII'.

This copy, donated by G Story, shows sign of heavy usage with soiled pages and some paper losses on the front cover and A-D, but the book has also been strenghtened by hand-sewn tape along the spine.

'From apple to abstraction in alphabet books', Children's literature in education, vol. 9, number 4, December 1978

McLean, Ruari (ed.) The Noah's ark A.B.C. and 8 other Victorian alphabet books in color, New York: Dover Publications, 1976

Muir, Percy H. English children's books, 1600 to 1900, London: Batsford, [1954]

Whalley, Joyce Irene. Cobwebs to catch flies: illustrated books for the nursery and schoolroom, 1700-1900, London: Elek, 1974

Zipes, Jack (ed.) The Oxford encyclopedia of children's literature, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006 See: Volume 1: ABC books