Need to Identify Remembered Illustrated Children's Book from the 1970's

November 10, 2021 6:55 AM

Multiple people remember this book, with specific details so it defiantly existed. 1970's Children's book titled "Don't Panic" (or some variation thereof). Roughly speaking, a kid's guide to dealing with household emergencies & covered stuff like 'how to replace a fuse' and 'how to sort dinner for your younger siblings if your parent is unconscious'.

Twitter thread collating multiple people's recollections of the book here: Thread

Details:
• Was originally published in the 1970's might have been reprinted in the early 80's but all recollections of it are firmly from the 70's.
• One remembered direct quote: Cartoon of small kid whining 'why mummy gone sleepies? I want my tea!'
• Another half remembered section: What To Do When Someone Has Had An Electric Shock (you should always know where the main power switch in the house is so you can turn it off)
• One of the illustrations featured someone falling asleep in a chair with a baby in their shoulder, singing "golden slumbers"

Defiantly NOT any of the following:
• "Don't Panic! What to Do and What Not to Do in All Kinds of Family Emergencies" by Ruth Winter - because that appears to have been written for specifically for Adults
• "Don't Panic: What To Do When Things Go Wrong" by Dr Trevor Weston,
• Probably not "S.O.S. The Don't Panic Book by Dian Dincin Buchman - although it's difficult to find pictures of this books interior?

Any help tracking down this tome much appreciated!

posted by Faintdreams to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

I don't think that this is it either Don't Panic: A Book About Handling Emergencies by Jules Older, but I'm throwing it in just in case.
posted by scorbet at 8:01 AM on November 10, 2021

Best answer: Another possibility would be "Don't Panic" by Audrey Coppard which was described in a 1975 Times Educational Supplement as:

"An attractively written book telling children of eight to eleven what steps to take in an emergency, and
dealing in a calm, reassuring way with the real and imagined terrors that worry many of them. Witty
cartoons by Alison Prince and Samantha Parry £2.90"

But I can't find even a front cover for it, unfortunately.
posted by scorbet at 8:34 AM on November 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: No idea if it's the same illustrators, but I think this is the Finnish edition of the same book (the one by Audrey Coppard), in case it's any help.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:17 AM on November 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: No idea if it's the same illustrators

Worldcat thinks that they are the same illustrators.
posted by scorbet at 9:28 AM on November 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: THANK YOU EVERYONE.

The Book was indeed the Audrey Coppard one - only the English edition !

AskMefi to the rescue again.

Thank You all !
posted by Faintdreams at 12:41 PM on November 10, 2021 [2 favorites]