Fun with Dick and Jane

Dick and Jane are iconic American books (1930s-1970s) used to teach reading through simple, repetitive sentences and watercolor illustrations.  The books follow siblings Dick, Jane, younger sister Sally, mother and father along with their dog, Spot and cat, Puff in daily suburban adventures.  These books are considered staples of Amercian nostalgia, representing a specific idealized mid-century lifestyle.

Zerna Addas Sharp was an American educator and book editor who is best known as the creator of Dick and Jane.  Published by Scott, Foreseman and Company of Chicago, Illinois.  The series, which included such titles as We Look and See, We Come and Go, We Work and Play,  Fun with Dick and Jane, war marketed until 1973 and used the look-say or the "sight words"method to teach reading.  Dick and Jane was written by William S. Gray. He was an  American educator and literacy advocate who was commonly referred to as "The Father of Reading".  Sharp developed the Dick and Jane characters and edited the series of books.  Gray authored and Eleanor B. Campbell did most of the illustrations for the early readers. The characters of "Dick" and "Jane" made their debut in 1930 reaching the height of their popularity in the 1950s until the series was retired in 1965. Today, the Dick and Jane characters have become icons of mid-century American culture for many from the baby boomer generation and the books have become collector's items.

The books have been reissued in various formats including hardcover boxed sets making them available for a new generation of young readers.