I-Spy (Michelin)

The I-SPY books are spotters' guides written for British children, and particularly successful in the 1950s and 1960s in their original form and again when relaunched by Michelin in 2009 after a seven-year gap in publishing.

Concept

The I-SPY books are a series of around forty small volumes that have sold hundreds of thousands of copies each, totalling sales of 25 million worldwide by 2010.[1] Each book in the I-Spy series covers a different subject, such as I-SPY Cars, I-SPY on the Pavement, I-SPY Churches, I-SPY on a Train Journey, and so on. As children spot the objects listed, they record the event in the book and gain points, varying according to how unusual the sight. In the early years of the series, completed books could be sent to Charles Warrell, (known as Big Chief I-SPY) for a feather and order of merit. The children participating in the game were known as The I-SPY Tribe, and by 1953 the I-SPY Tribe had half a million members.[1]

History of the series

The company was supposedly run by a Red Indian chief called Big Chief I-Spy. The original Big Chief I-Spy was Charles Warrell, a former head master who created I-Spy towards the end of his working life. He retired in 1956, but lived until 1995 when he died at the age of 106.[1] After Warrell's retirement his assistant Arnold Cawthrow became the second Big Chief, and served in this role until 1978. For part of this time he also worked as an antiques dealer in Islington. He died in 1993, and is commemorated by a stone plaque placed on the outside of the Boatmen's Rooms, the house where he spent some of his last years in Deal, Kent.

The books were originally self-published in 1948[2] by Charles Warrell but, after a brief period when they were published by the Daily Mail (the initial four being At the Circus, Secret Codes, Dogs and In the Country), they were taken over by the now defunct News Chronicle newspaper and based in the paper's building in Bouverie Street.[3] The regular I-SPY column, which appeared in the News Chronicle, reverted to the Daily Mail when the News Chronicle ceased publication, and continued to appear until the late 1980s. The books have had various publishers over the years including the Dickens Press, a company set up to continue the book publishing interests of the 'News Chronicle', and Polystyle Publications, a publisher of children's comics.

The books became very popular, with print runs well into six figures. Big Chief I-Spy had a succession of assistants, usually known as "Hawkeye". In the early 1970s, this position was held by Ralph Mills. Earlier assistants included Max Heinz and John Tagholm. In the 1980s, following a short-lived third Big Chief, Robin Tucek, David Bellamy replaced Big Chief I-Spy as the person to whom completed books were sent, and the earlier Red Indian connections were quietly dropped.

Michelin Travel Publications acquired and published the series from 1991 until 2002 when they effectively ceased publication, there were ad-hoc sales after that date to clear stocks.

I-Spy books were relaunched by Michelin Travel Publications on Monday 7 December 2009, with 12 new titles and a further 12 in Spring 2010. The Bookseller announced the new launch in its 9 October 2009 issue with an interview with Michelin Commercial Director Ian Murray.[4] Mr Murray confirmed that the initial 12 titles will include I Spy Birds, Cars, Trees, On a Car Journey and On a Train Journey. The new I-Spy titles are faithful to the original concept but are fully updated and include all new colour images.

The relaunch of the books and subsequent multiple expansions of the title list suggested that their popularity is being enjoyed by a new generation of children.

News Chronicle Series

I-Spy 6d Series

These followed the same basic format as the early spotter books, as well as keeping the concept of a Big Chief I-Spy, but were issued in a more standard ‘portrait’ format 4” by 5” (13cm by 10cm). Pocket sized, with thinner covers, each I-Spy title had fifty pages or so of pen drawings and descriptive text. The Daily Mail dropped their involvement after the previous spotterbook series, and the new look books were launched in conjunction with The News Chronicle newspaper around 1951. By 1952 the first six of the new titles were in print, with four more planned. The series was in print until 1966, with older titles refreshed every so often and updated.

The News Chronicle was taken over by The Daily Mail in 1960 and closed, but the I-SPY books were by now so popular that The Daily Mail decided to re-associate themselves with the publication once more. The covers were redesigned to remove the News Chronicle name but The Daily Mail logo was only seen inside the books. Around 1963 even this was removed and the titles were simply published by The Dickens Press (who printed The Mail). With all these changes, up to five distinct editions of some titles exist.

1. At the Seaside
2. On the Farm
3. History
4. On a Train Journey
5. Dogs
6. In the Country
7. At the Zoo – Animals
8. At the Zoo – Birds and Reptiles
9. In the Street
10. On the Road
11. The Sights of London
12. Horses and Ponies
13. Ships and Harbours
14. Boats and Waterways
15. Aircraft
16. Cars
17. The Army
18. The Wheel
19. Sport
20. People and Places
21. Musical Instruments
22. Men at Work – Building
23. Antique Furniture
24. The Unusual
25. Road Transport
26. Town Crafts
27. Country Crafts
28. The Sky
29. People In Uniform / People
30. Motorcycles and Cycles
31. Bridges
32. Sports Cars
33. Roadmaking
34. The Land
35. Everyday Machines
36. In Hospital
37. Pets
38. On the Pavement
39. Churches

I-Spy Colour Series

A companion range of 1/- books, the I-Spy Colour Series was the same size and actually had the same number of pages as their 6d cousins, but used better, thicker quality paper and some inside pages in full colour. Launched probably in 1952 with the first two titles, the colour series issued two new titles each year for a while. The colour books were all natural history subjects and the aim seems to have been to emulate similar but more expensive offerings from publishers like Ladybird and Observers. Eight titles were issued with the News Chronicle name, and only with the last did they move into more familiar I-Spy territory with In The Garden. When the News Chronicle closed, four further colour titles followed under the Dickens Press name. These were new editions of titles which had originally appeared in the 6d black and white series but been discontinued. The last title came out in 1963 and the 12 books were never numbered. The listing below is the order in which the titles were released. The covers of some of the titles were later updated, and then appeared without the News Chronicle logo.

Birds
Wild Flowers
Butterflies and Moths
Wild Fruits and Fungi
Trees
Insects
In Pond and Stream
In the Garden
Horses and Ponies
Zoo Animals
Dogs
Fish and Fishing

I-Spy Super Series

A larger format launched around 1965 that was very short lived.

Abroad
All the Year Round
Animals in Danger
Archaeology
At the Zoo
British Wild Animals
Cars
Garden Flowers
On a Car Journey
On a Train Journey
On the Seashore
Ships and Boats

The Dickens Press / Polystyle Publications Limited / Ravette Limited

Published from 1967 to 1982. The 1974 price was 12p.

Animals at the Zoo
Archeology
At the Airport
At the Seaside
Birds
Birds and Reptiles at the Zoo
British Coins
British Wildlife
Buses and Coaches
Butterflies & Moths
Car Numbers
Cars
Churches
Civil Aircraft
Cricket
Dogs
Farm Animals
Fishing / Fish and Fishing
Football
Foreign Coins
History
Horses and Ponies
In Spring and Summer
In the Country
In the Hedgerow
In the Street
In the Wood
Industry
London From Trafalgar Square
Lorries and Vans
On a Car Journey
On a Train Journey
On the Motorway
On the Road
On the Seashore
On the Street
Pets
Ships and Boats
The Sky
Stamps
Starter Book
Trees
Wild Flowers

I-Spy with David Bellamy

Published from 1983 to 1985.

Archeology
At the Airport
At the Art Gallery
Birds and Reptiles at the Zoo
British Coins
British Wildlife
Car Numbers
Cars
Civil Aircraft
Creepy Crawlies
Dinosaurs
Fish and Fishing
Garden Birds
Garden Flowers All the Year Round
Membership and Code Book
Night Sky
On a Car Journey
On a Day at the Seaside
On a Train Journey
On the Farm
Pets
Pond Life
Supermarkets
Trees
Wild Flowers

Michelin Series

Michelin Original Launch (February 1991 to May 2000)

Includes four 'Mini Atlases' and a special colour edition for the opening of The Channel Tunnel (£1.25).

Aircraft
At the Airport
At the Seaside
Bicycles
Big Diggers and Working machines
Birds
Birds of Prey and Owls
Buses & Taxis
Butterflies and Moths
Caravans and Motor Caravans
Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches
Cars
Cars II
Castles
Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches
The Channel Tunnel
Classic Cars
Computers
Creepy Crawlies
Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Animals
Dogs
Fishing and How To Do It
Flags
Football
Ghosts, Mysteries and Legends
Green Britain
Hadrian's Wall
History
Horses and Ponies
In France
In Scotland
In the Country
In the Lake District
In the Night Sky
In the Town
Inn signs
London (96 pages)
Michelin Mini Atlas Britain
Michelin Mini Atlas France
Michelin Mini Atlas Italy
Michelin Mini Atlas The World
Minerals, Rocks and Fossils
Motorcycles
Motor Sport
Music
On a Car Journey
On a Car Journey II
On a Ferry
On a Train Journey
On the Motorway & Car Numbers
On the Seashore
Nature
Pets
Ships and Boats
Sports
Steam Engines and Locomotives
Stonehenge and Historic Wessex
Surrey
Trees
Trucks and Trucking
Trucks and Working Vehicles
The Weather
Wild Flowers
Zoos and Wildlife

Michelin Relaunch (Dec 2009 to June 2013)

Includes three boxed sets (one of which is made up of 70 individual cards).

Ancient Britain
Animals
At the Airport
At the Seaside
Bath
Birds
Book of Facts
Cambridge
Camping
Car Badges
Car Collection (4 book boxed set containing Cars, Car Badges, Classic Cars, Every Vehicle on the Road, Notebook)
Cars
Castles and Battles
Classic Cars
Cool Cars
Cotswolds
Creepy Crawlies
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals
Dogs
Edinburgh
Every Vehicle on the Road
Explore London (126 page edition)
Flags
Football Grounds
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Great Britain
Green Britain
High Weald: Things to spot in the countryside of Kent, Sussex and Surrey
History
In the Countryside
In the Garden
In the Street
Isle of Wight
Kings and Queens
Lake District
London
London's Transport
Minerals, Rocks and Fossils
Mini World Atlas
Modern Britain
Nature
Nature Collection (4 book boxed set containing Nature, In the Garden, Trees, Wild Flowers, Notebook)
The Night Sky
Noteboook
On a Car Journey
On a Car Journey in France
On a Ferry
On a Road Trip
On a Train Journey
On the Motorway
On the Water
Out and About Car Set (boxed set of 70 cards and Notebook)
Oxford
Paris
People and Places
Scottish Nature
Sports and Games
Trees
Wild Flowers
Working Vehicles

HarperCollins

What can you spot? (2016 to 2018)

At the Airport
At the Gallery
At the Museum
At the Seaside
At the Shops
At the Zoo
Birds
Butterflies and Moths
Camping
Car Badges
Cars
Cool Cars
Creepy Crawlies
Dogs
Every Vehicle on the Road
Flags
Football Grounds
Garden Birds
Holiday Sticker Book
In the City
In the Countryside
In the Garden
In the Night Sky
In the Street
London
Nature
On a Car Journey
On a Car Journey in France
On a Ferry
On a Road Trip
On a Train Journey
On the Motorway
Something Beginning With...
Trees
Wild Flowers

Spy It! Solve It! (2020)

At the Airport
At the Airport Activity Book
At the Seaside
At the Seaside Activity Book
Birds
Car Badges
Cars
Creepy Crawlies
Every Vehicle on the Road
In the Countryside
In the Countryside Activity Book
In the Garden
In the Night Sky
Nature
On a Car Journey
On a Car Journey Activity Book
On a Train Journey Activity Book

I-SPY for Grown Ups

Spoof series released by HarperCollins in 2016.

Signs and Instructions You Must Obey
The UK While It Lasts
At the School Gate
Pets When Human Friendship Is Not Enough

gollark: I think you just need to put quotes around multiple-word arguments.

gollark: It's some internet meme with what looks like a big worm-type thing (which is apparently just a stomach or something from an animal of some kind), captioned with some text about not feeding it tap water because something something fluoride.

gollark: Have you not seen a garloid before?

gollark: Running at high temperatures does cause throttling and maybe possibly reduces lifespan, though.

gollark: The thermal shutoff temperature for most computing stuff is around 105 degrees C.

References

"Big Chief I-Spy's Legacy in 2010". BBC News Online. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
I-SPY SPOTTERBOOKS 1948 series, Easy on the Eye. Retrieved on 4 October 2018.
I-SPY (Daily Mail; News Chronicle; Michelin; etc.) - Book Series List, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
Felicity Wood (9 October 2009), Michelin spots series and gets to play I-Spy again, The Bookseller

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[bbc10-1] "Big Chief I-Spy's Legacy in 2010". BBC News Online. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2016.

[2] I-SPY SPOTTERBOOKS 1948 series, Easy on the Eye. Retrieved on 4 October 2018.

[3] I-SPY (Daily Mail; News Chronicle; Michelin; etc.) - Book Series List, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 4 October 2018.

[4] Felicity Wood (9 October 2009), Michelin spots series and gets to play I-Spy again, The Bookseller