The Garden Gang Explained

The Garden Gang
Author:	Jayne Fisher
Cover Artist:	Jayne Fisher
Language:	English
Publisher:	Ladybird Books
Pub Date:	1979-1983

The Garden Gang is a series of books for children written by Jayne Fisher. They were published by Ladybird Books during the late 1970s and early 1980s as Series 413 and later re-issued as Series 793.^[1] Fourteen story books were written, each containing two short stories about a group of characters who were anthropomorphic fruit and vegetables living an almost human life, selling over 8 million copies. In addition to the fourteen story books, there were also three other books - an annual and two colouring books. Fisher's books were not dissimilar to the popular Munch Bunch series.

At the age of 9 years, Jayne was the youngest author to ever write for Ladybird Books.^{[2] [3]} Her writing and illustrating has been an inspiration to others.^{[4] [5]}

Books

There are fourteen story books:

• Penelope Strawberry and Roger Radish (1979)
• Percival Pea and Polly Pomegranate (1979)
• Oliver Onion and Tim Tomato (1979)
• Wee Willie Watermelon and Betty Beetroot (1979)
• Lucy Leek and Bertie Brussels Sprout (1979)
• Gertrude Gooseberry and Belinda Blackcurrant (1979)
• Colin Cucumber and Patrick Pear (1980)
• Peter Potato and Alice Apple (1980)
• Pam Parsnip and Lawrence Lemon (1980)
• Grace Grape and Robert Raspberry (1980)
• Sheila Shallot and Benny Broadbean (1980)
• Avril Apricot and Simon Swede (1980)
• Pedro Pepper and The Cherry Twins (1983)
• Oscar Orange and Augustus Aubergine (1983)

A larger and relatively hard-to-find story book (or annual):

• Meet The Garden Gang (1981)^[6]

Two colouring books:

• The Garden Gang Have Fun (1979)
• The Garden Gang At Home (1979)

See also

• Munch Bunch

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Garden Gang. 2012-06-29. Easy on the eye. https://web.archive.org/web/20130114011323/http://www.easyontheeye.net/ladybird/70s/garden/793.htm. 2013-01-14.
2. Web site: Why age is not a barrier to writing. Maria C. Collins. 2009-12-27. helium.com.
3. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20110303073712/https://www.theweeweb.co.uk/public/ladybird_authors.php?id=965. 2011-03-03. Jayne Fisher biography and books at The Wee Web.
4. News: Why I Write. Dorothy. Koomson. 2011-05-08. Huffington Post. 2012-06-29.
5. Web site: How Jayne "Garden Gang" Fisher was my inspiration to write. Damon. Lord. 2009-01-17. 2012-06-29. damonlord.net.
6. Book: Meet the garden gang / by Jayne Fisher; additional material, based on Jayne Fisher's characters, created by Lynne Bradbury and Graham Marlow. 2012-06-29. National Library of Australia. 9780721475172. 1981.