The Big Little Books, first published during 1932 by the Whitman Publishing Company of Racine, Wisconsin, were small, compact books designed with a captioned illustration opposite each page of text. Other publishers, notably Saalfield, adopted this format after Whitman achieved success with its early titles, priced initially at 10¢ each, later rising to 15¢.
A Big Little Book was typically 3+5⁄8 in (92 mm) wide and 4+1⁄2 in (110 mm) high, with 212 to 432 pages making an approximate thickness of 1+1⁄2 in (38 mm). The interior book design usually displayed full-page black-and-white illustrations on the right side, facing the pages of text on the left. Stories were often related to radio programs (The Shadow), comic strips (The Gumps), children's books (Uncle Wiggily), novels (John Carter of Mars) and movies (Bambi). Later books of the series had interior color illustrations.
History
After the first Big Little Book, The Adventures of Dick Tracy, was published (December 1932), numerous titles were sold through Woolworth's and other retail store systems during the 1930s. With a name change to Better Little Books during 1938, the series continued into the 1960s. Variations such as Dime Action Books were produced by other publishers, as noted by the Collecting Channel's Andy Hooper:
While the format was pioneered by Whitman Publishing, other firms produced big little books between 1934 and 1960: Dell Comics (Cartoon Story Books e Fast-Action Stories); Engel van Wiseman (Five-Star Library Books); Fawcett (Dime Action Books); Goldsmith (Radio Star Series); Lynn (A Lynn Book); Ottenheimer; Saalfield (Little Big Books e Jumbo Books); Waldman (Moby Books) e World Syndicate (High Lights of History Series).[1] Whitman was also the last to abandon the form, publishing big little books about boomer characters like Major Matt Mason into the mid-1960s. Not all big little books adhered to the original format of text on the left side and a large graphic on the right of each page spread, and the earlier, more heavily illustrated books are more valuable as a result... Dick Tracy was the hero of the first big little book, and he was followed by almost every major cartoon, comic and radio character of the 1930s, including Alley Oop, Buck Rogers, Blondie and Dagwood, Li'l Abner, Mickey Mouse, Popeye, Captain Midnight, Tarzan and dozens more. There were also numerous books published that featured original characters created particularly for the Big Little series, and those are now little remembered, usually selling for $10 or less each in any condition. A few titles were ostensibly non-fiction works about famous people, as with Whitman's Billy The Kid (1935) and The Story of Jackie Cooper (1933), which proves that biographies of child movie stars are no recent phenomenon.[2]
Recently, Robert Thibadeau's [3] project at Carnegie Mellon University has made at least two Big Little Books available online. Thibadeau attempts to "capture the entire production" of an old book with facsimile images showing pages with wear and tear. "We're basically trying to eternalize that book as it is," says Thibadeau. The Antique Books Digital Library offers two free Big Little Book titles, Tim McCoy on the Tomahawk Trail and Bronc Peeler The Lone Cowboy. Fred Harman's Bronc Peeler was a Western comic strip character who was a precursor to another comic strip drawn by Harman, the more successful Red Ryder.
Mighty Midgets
From 1939 the British Woolworths Group sold "Mighty Midgets", 32-page books that measured 3+3⁄4 by 2+1⁄2 in (95 by 64 mm) and were sold at the artificially low price of threepence; the price subsidised by a full page advertisement on the back.[4]
In popular culture
Sam Mendes' film Road to Perdition (2002) showed a boy reading The Lone Ranger Big Little Book, but this was an anachronism since the movie is set during 1931, a year prior to the first Big Little Books and two years before The Lone Ranger premiered January 31, 1933 on radio.
Charles G. Wright Collection of Big Little Books 1933–1943 at NCSULibrary
August 23, 2023
little, book, series, little, books, first, published, during, 1932, whitman, publishing, company, racine, wisconsin, were, small, compact, books, designed, with, captioned, illustration, opposite, each, page, text, other, publishers, notably, saalfield, adopt. The Big Little Books first published during 1932 by the Whitman Publishing Company of Racine Wisconsin were small compact books designed with a captioned illustration opposite each page of text Other publishers notably Saalfield adopted this format after Whitman achieved success with its early titles priced initially at 10 each later rising to 15 Darrell McClure s Little Annie Rooney on the Highway to Adventure Whitman 1935 Contents 1 Format 2 History 3 Mighty Midgets 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksFormat EditA Big Little Book was typically 3 5 8 in 92 mm wide and 4 1 2 in 110 mm high with 212 to 432 pages making an approximate thickness of 1 1 2 in 38 mm The interior book design usually displayed full page black and white illustrations on the right side facing the pages of text on the left Stories were often related to radio programs The Shadow comic strips The Gumps children s books Uncle Wiggily novels John Carter of Mars and movies Bambi Later books of the series had interior color illustrations History EditAfter the first Big Little Book The Adventures of Dick Tracy was published December 1932 numerous titles were sold through Woolworth s and other retail store systems during the 1930s With a name change to Better Little Books during 1938 the series continued into the 1960s Variations such as Dime Action Books were produced by other publishers as noted by the Collecting Channel s Andy Hooper While the format was pioneered by Whitman Publishing other firms produced big little books between 1934 and 1960 Dell Comics Cartoon Story Books e Fast Action Stories Engel van Wiseman Five Star Library Books Fawcett Dime Action Books Goldsmith Radio Star Series Lynn A Lynn Book Ottenheimer Saalfield Little Big Books e Jumbo Books Waldman Moby Books e World Syndicate High Lights of History Series 1 Whitman was also the last to abandon the form publishing big little books about boomer characters like Major Matt Mason into the mid 1960s Not all big little books adhered to the original format of text on the left side and a large graphic on the right of each page spread and the earlier more heavily illustrated books are more valuable as a result Dick Tracy was the hero of the first big little book and he was followed by almost every major cartoon comic and radio character of the 1930s including Alley Oop Buck Rogers Blondie and Dagwood Li l Abner Mickey Mouse Popeye Captain Midnight Tarzan and dozens more There were also numerous books published that featured original characters created particularly for the Big Little series and those are now little remembered usually selling for 10 or less each in any condition A few titles were ostensibly non fiction works about famous people as with Whitman s Billy The Kid 1935 and The Story of Jackie Cooper 1933 which proves that biographies of child movie stars are no recent phenomenon 2 Recently Robert Thibadeau s 3 project at Carnegie Mellon University has made at least two Big Little Books available online Thibadeau attempts to capture the entire production of an old book with facsimile images showing pages with wear and tear We re basically trying to eternalize that book as it is says Thibadeau The Antique Books Digital Library offers two free Big Little Book titles Tim McCoy on the Tomahawk Trail and Bronc Peeler The Lone Cowboy Fred Harman s Bronc Peeler was a Western comic strip character who was a precursor to another comic strip drawn by Harman the more successful Red Ryder Mighty Midgets EditFrom 1939 the British Woolworths Group sold Mighty Midgets 32 page books that measured 3 3 4 by 2 1 2 in 95 by 64 mm and were sold at the artificially low price of threepence the price subsidised by a full page advertisement on the back 4 In popular culture EditSam Mendes film Road to Perdition 2002 showed a boy reading The Lone Ranger Big Little Book but this was an anachronism since the movie is set during 1931 a year prior to the first Big Little Books and two years before The Lone Ranger premiered January 31 1933 on radio References Edit Big Little Book amp Comics ERBzine Hooper Andy Collecting Channel 2000 Antique Books Mighty Midgets WWII booklet from Woolworth s Further reading EditTom McCoy on the Tomahawk Trail The Big Little Book Price Guide 1983 James Stuart Thomas Big Big Little Book Book 2004 Arnold T BlumbergExternal links EditBiglittlebooks com Big Little Books at Lileks Title index at Broward org Big Little Book Collection at Library of Congress Charles G Wright Collection of Big Little Books 1933 1943 at NCSU Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Little Book series amp oldid 1140187224, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
