The Junior Elf books by Rand McNally are my favorite children's books to find. They are small in size, but big on the story. Most of them are the classics. The Little Red Hen, The House that Jack Built. All written the way they were intended to be read and not changed for the politically correct ear. The pages are filled to the gills with words and pictures. No page is left with a minimal view. These are the lucky few that I have found and loved and shared with my kids. Stories that they now find are their favorite.
I safely tuck them inside an old granite ware dish. The kids can get to them easily and read them as they like. I think they display well and often move the front book per the season. I am lucky enough to have some that are Christmas and I slide them in a red granite dish during the holiday season.
By the size of the spine I can usually pick them out at the thrift store just by scanning the shelf. I haven't been lucky in a while.
There are so many titles that I have yet to come across...I hope I get a chance to keep this collection growing. There are no UPC codes on these gems. Most are tagged with 15 cents to 29 cents.
I can't begin to tell you how wonderful the words and graphics are.
The House that Jack Built
The Little Red Hen
Whitman wonders are just slightly bigger, but cute just the same.
A tiny tale that is so cute...at 3 inches by 4.
Just a couple of favorites...children's literature pieces from the days when free time meant reading and playing outside. My kids, now young adults, still get excited when I bring a new one home and slip it in the dish.
These are so worth the pennies I paid to pass the stories along...
Hi Renee,
ReplyDeleteI only have a couple but love them too. The graphics on the cover of Rock a Bye Baby is my favorite. :)
Those books are so not on my radar and they are adorable...will keep my eyes open for them now! You have quite the collection.
ReplyDeleteyour collections make me weak my dear!
ReplyDeleteI checked mine and I have almost all Golden Books. I have one like yours but I picked it up at a library sale and it has the bar code on the back so not as old as yours. However I gave all my kids their books back so they may have some after all in their collections.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful collection. As a former librarian, no children's book is left untouched when I visit my favorite antique store. How nice that your children enjoy them as well. I especially like how you have them displayed in a granite ware dish. Very clever.
ReplyDeleteI have a few Christmas ones that I display during the holidays. But, you have inspired me to put the non-holiday ones out year round! I don't have any little ones around my house any more.
ReplyDeleteYou reminded me of when I was kid. Whenever i went grocery shopping with my mom, she would give us a little bit of money to spend. I almost ALWAYS chose one of those books! I'd take it home and rewrite it as a script for our neighborhood shows. LOL But, alas, my mom did not hold on to anything. She was a major league "pitcher" and tossed anything she felt we outgrew immediately.
I love vintage children's books! Dick and Jane books were always favorites and they have remakes now of the old ones that still have the vintage images in them. I use those for my young ones to learn to read!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to collect these from garage sales and flea markets (cheaply), but they're not easy to come by. I adored these as a child, and still get such a thrill looking through them. The illustrations are just precious. Thank you so much for sharing your collection, and putting a big smile on my face this morning!
ReplyDeletesweet collection, renee. love all of the darling illustrations. 'the little red hen' is especially adorable.
ReplyDeletexo
~molly
Renee! they are all just so sweet. You have such a great collection too. And I love how you have them out for your kids to read. So nice :)
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