The Ladybird Expert books (series 117) is a series of titles for an adult readership intended to provide clear, accessible and authoritative introductions, informed by expert opinion, to key subjects drawn from science, history and culture. The books, which feature the first new classic Ladybird artworks for 40 years, have a "50/50" split between text and illustration with the latter ranging from literal interpretations of the complex subjects, to more surreal, abstract representations.