BABY ANIMALS

illustrated by Mary Cameron. 

1st Published: New York, Random House © by Artists & Writers Guild Inc. 1941 LCCN 41019430 [48] p. illus. (part col.) 24 x 21 cm.unpaged; Pictorial end papers & Original DJ MC*

FIRST EDITION NOTES: Baumgarten Price Guide states:1st. Oblong 8vo, Illustrated paper covered boards, color, Pictorial End Papers, DJ/ 50/50 The back flap has Random House ad for Favorite Nursery Songs written by Inez Bertail.

My Notes: It cracks me up that MWB never mentions baby animals in this book. It focuses on 6 animals activities at morning noon and night, then ends abruptly. Very odd. In the early 40’s it was difficult to get a book published in full color- and this is no exception – it only has a few full color pages , the rest are duotone.

BAD LITTLE DUCK HUNTER

Illustrated by Clement Hurd. 

1st W. R. Scott, 1947 Published: [New York] Description: [32] p. col. illus. 20 x 26 cm. LC Call No.: PZ7.B8163 Subjects: Duck shooting — Fiction. Other authors: Hurd, Clement, 1908- illus. Control No.: 6478817

FIRST EDITON NOTES : Baumgarten Price Guide states:1st. Oblong 4vo, Illustrated paper covered boards, color, Pictorial End Papers, DJ/ 1.50Bad Little Duckhunter — mine is an emerald green plain cloth cover, 9.5″ x 7.5″. The spine has the title and author in gold and a JP near the bottom, which seems to make it a library printing. The title page gives the title and author and a sketch of a boy shooting a rifle at a flying duck that looks to be about six feet away (gruesome!). Below the sketch it says “With illustrations by Clement Hurd” and below that “William R. Scott, Inc., publisher”.On the page facing the title page, it says in small print across the bottom “copyright mcmxlvii by margaret wise brown . made in u. s. a.” all in caps.Jacket with $1.50 flap price.

My Notes: This bad little duckhunter disturbs everyone and everything around him by shooting his gun – finally he gives up and enjoys his surroundings instead of shooting at them. I love Clement Hurds illustrations, but this is his weakest effort- probably because the story is difficult to follow let alone illustrate.

BIG DOG LITTLE DOG

Written as Golden MacDonald. Illustrated in black and white by Leonard Weisgard 

1st Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran Co., 1943 MC* Facsimile DJ

Back Endpaper says ” This book manufactured under wartime conditions in conformity with all government regulations controlling the use of paper and other materials.”

Description: [36] p. incl. front., illus. 24 x 24 cm. LC Call No.: PZ8.3.B815Bi Other authors: Weisgard, Leonard, 1916-2000. Control No.: 6454329 Dust Jacket on First edition Baumgarten Price Guide states:1st, sm ob4to, ipcb 30pgs color pep DJ/1.50

My Notes: This was printed in 1943- this book suffers by the war effort to spare paper and ink . It’s a cute story, one of the ones where the text is small and large to make a point that it’s the Big dog barking and the little dog barking – I like that but I always wonder if when the book is read to a child – do they get that? I’m a huge Leonard Weisgard fan – I love everything he does. The Dad dog is clearly in charge- it’s adorable.

THE BIG FUR SECRET

Illustrated by Robert DeVeyrac 

1st Published: New York, Harper & Brothers [1944] MC*

I haven’t seen any evidence that this title came with a dust jacket- Because I have never seen one listed with one. My friend JeNeal, who is a Librarian and collector – says that it didn’t come with one- so that is good enough for me. The reason may be that is was 1944 and during the war, colors were cut to a minimum and there were less books with DJs. Many just had kraft paper covers with just the title. This could be the case with The Big Fur Secret.

Description: [32] p. col. illus. 30 x 23 cm. LC Call No.: PZ10.3.B7656Bi 

Notes: “First edition.” Other authors: De Veyrac, Robert, illus. Control No.: 7396050

My Big Fur Secret books don’t have dust jackets. They’re both red cloth with an imprint of a bear on the front and nothing on the spine.

My Notes: I absolutely love Robert de Veyrac’s illustrations. He hand writes the text and it’s perfect- a printed text would have been wrong. The overprinting of the 4 colors are rich and deep – The story keeps you wanting to read the next page- MWB really hits the nail on the head with this one- it’s in my top 10 favorite MWB books. This book should be re-printed.

BIG RED BARN

Illustrated by Rosella Hartman

1st HC New York: W. R. Scott, 1956. MC*

First published in Good Housekeeping Magazine July 1948.

Description: 1 v. (unpaged) illus. 19 x 22 cm. Series: Young Scott books LC Call No.: PZ10.3.B7656Bj Dewey No.: [E] Control No.: 1221009

Baumgarten Price Guide states: 1st, ob8vo, unpag, 2 color, pep, DJ/2.25

My Notes: This is clearly a Barn version of Goodnight Moon – that rhymes. The illustrations are weak. Clement Hurd would have been a better choice. The reprint illustrated by Felicia Bond does a terrific job of bring the story to life.

BLACK AND WHITE

Illustrated by Charles G. Shaw.

New York and London: Harper & Brothers, 1944.

As many books printed during the war- Black and White was printed in just black & white.

Description: [32] p. illus. 28×21 cm. LC Call No.: PZ7.B8163Bl Other authors: Shaw, Charles Green, 1892- illus. Control No.: 9737172

First Edition Notes by JeNeal (THANK YOU)

Black and White has the title in white on a black cloud on the title page. Below that is a silhouette of a town (I suppose) with letters in white: “by Margaret Wise Brown (line) Pictures by Charles G Shaw (line) Harper & Brothers New York and London (line) Copyright, 1944, by Margaret Wise Brown. Printed in the United States of America.

Baumgarten Price Guide states:

1st, 4to, ipds 32pgs fp black & white DJ/1.25

Facsimile Dummy & DJ MC*

My Notes:

BUMBLE BUGS AND ELEPHANTS

A BIG AND LITTLE BOOK

Illustrated by Clement Hurd.

1st New York: W. R. Scott, 1938. First DJ photo from Internet search.

Second edition : Harper Collins 2006, 1st stated , unpaginated, MC*

*MC= My Collection