The World of Dick and Jane and Friends (2004, Hardcover)

This book is 9.25" X 9.25" (Differs slightly from pre-filled info about the book.) It is hardback with lavender cover. (Some people may call it blue.)

Although "The World of Dick and Jane and Friends" may look like a replica of the original books, it is not quite the same. On the plus side, it is a gorgeous high quality book that will bring a smile to any baby boomer who remembers learning to read with Dick and Jane! However, if you are a parent or teacher using this book for schooling, you need to know the proper order in which the stories should be introduced. Important differences are noted below for serious Dick and Jane enthusiasts and especially for those who are actually using this book to teach a child to read.

• The three titles that are included in this book are all books that were used in the 1950's Dick and Jane curriculum, but they are all out of order. "The New We Look and See" occurs LAST in this book, but it is actually the very FIRST pre-primer in the series and should be used FIRST if you are teaching your child to read. However, an important note: there are four stories in the original version which have not been included here! In addition, a few stories are not in the same order as they appeared in the original book although the first four are the same.

• "The New We Work and Play" was the 2nd pre-primer used in the 1950's Dick and Jane curriculum, but it is not included in this book at all! (It is present in another title- A Storybook Treasury of Dick and Jane.)

• "The New We Come and Go" was the 3rd pre-primer used in the 1950's Dick and Jane curriculum. It is included in this book as the second title. Please note that although all the stories have been reproduced exactly as they were in the original version and are also in order, one story has been eliminated entirely ("See It Work") that was present in the original title.

• Lastly, "Guess Who" which is the Junior Primer of the series comes next in the 1950's Dick and Jane curriculum (it is to be used after the three pre-primers, and before the primer "Fun with Dick and Jane") although it appears first in this book. Guess Who is identical to the original version.

This would have been an even BETTER book had they introduced the stories in the order they were originally designed to be used! But overall, it is a very good buy and is very nice hardback collectible book.