With sales reaching over 14 million copies in the United States, the top-selling US children’s book of all time is this little gem – number 8 in the first series of Little Golden Books published in 1942, The Poky Little Puppy. Still in print today. [1]
When the first twelve Little Golden Books were published on 1 October 1942, and they defied the traditional model of children’s book publishing. Children’s books of the 1930s and 1940s were usually large, cumbersome, expensive, and a luxury. Little Golden Books changed that with a trim, uniform size, a colourful cover, an eye-catching gold spine, and an initial US25¢ price point. Instead of only being sold in book shops, Little Golden Books were available where children and parents shopped every day – supermarkets, department stores and train stations. They created an instant sensation, and one and a half million books were sold in their first five months.
The initial Little Golden Books consisted of 42 pages, with most pages printed in two-tone colour and fewer in four-tone colour, a tactic which helped reduce costs. One of the most endearing and unique characteristics of the books was the endpapers declaring “This Book Belongs To:” giving children a sense of ownership of their books.
Despite changes in detail, Little Golden Books have maintained their distinctive appearance. A copy of The Poky Little Puppy bought today is essentially the same as one printed in 1942. Both are immediately recognizable as Little Golden Books.
Published today by Penguin Random House, eight-million-plus Little Golden Books are sold annually, and they have helped millions of children develop a lifelong love of reading for 80 years.
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