FeedTimeless Thursdays: Little Golden Books are Still Here!
October 22, 2009 in Picture Book, Preschool to 1st grade teachers, Reading Skills, Timeless Thursdays Tags: Little Golden Book Lists, Little Golden Books, Little Red Caboose, Random House, The Poky Puppy
photo by jelene www.flickr.com
When I was little, I loved my Little Golden Books, and I had a bunch. From The Poky Little Puppy to The Little Red Caboose to my favorite–We Like Kindergarten, I listened to my parents read me those stories over and over again until I could read them myself. I also remember looking at all the titles of those books and thinking, I have to get all the Little Golden Books. They even used to sell them at the grocery store—and they were so cheap. If I am remembering correctly, didn’t they cost between 29 and 49 cents?
In the summer of 2008, I went to the SCBWI-LA conference and learned that Little Golden Books are not dead. An editor from Little Golden Books (now owned by Random House) was there and talking about the new line. Some of the Little Golden Books Classics, reprinted in 2001, are:
So, Little Golden Books are the perfect Timeless Thursday topic because 1. they are still around; and 2. kids still love the stories. My stepson happens to have a Little Golden Book with Simba and his lovable friends from The Lion King. He loves to read this book with us before he goes to bed, and he is in third grade, reading chapter books like Charlotte’s Web for school. There’s just something about Little Golden Books.
And one of the best things–they aren’t 29 cents anymore, but most are $2.99 or less. That’s about 29 cents in today’s economy. WOW!
Happy Reading Little Golden Books!
Margo
Do you or your child have a favorite Little Golden Book?
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:51 am
Great post! Little Golden Books are a classic for certain. My favorite as a child (and probably still today if I have my copy hidden away somewhere) was The Pokey Little Puppy. What can I say? I identified with the curious little pup…just stayed out of trouble a little more than the main character. =0)
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:10 am
I love them too! I have a collection of old Little Golden Books that were illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. There are a few I still can’t find! I think that Baby Dear book in the picture is one of them–they all might be! I have the We Like Kindergarten one and I remember reading it when I was little.
great blog Margo!
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
Hi Margo! We had tons of Little Golden Books growing up, and now my girls have their own collection. Some are classics, and some are new ones. I still love those books!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:53 am
We discovered Rupert the Rhinoceros at my parents house. My son, then three or four, found it hilarious and I found it touching. I don’t have the book on hand so this is from memory. The plot follows a big lumbering Rhino who lives in Africa and everybody was afraid of him because he kept crashing into things. Somehow he ends up in a city and gets a pair of eyeglasses. And everything turns out all right. Also, I seem to remember a book called The Saggy, Baggy Elephant. But I can’t recall what that one was about.
Another favorite: The Poky Little Puppy.
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Thanks for sharing. When I was writing this post I kept thinking about how much I loved We Like Kindergarten. And what a simple title and message!
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Not sure which one was my favorite, my fondest memory of the books though is looking at the train of characters on the back of each book and being able to name them all and identify the stories that went with them. Maybe Peter Rabbit was my favorite, or the one about the train that hopped the track, he was definitely my favorite character, such a rebel! (Not actually the point of the story though).
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I am not so much a Golden Book fan as I am an Eloise Wilkin fan. I have a large collection of her Golden Books. Baby Dear was always my favorite!
October 24th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I love that you posted about the Golden Books! My favorite from childhood was The Little Engine That Could. It’s the only book I vividly remember from my preschool years. I can’t wait to share the Golden Books with my little girl, and was excited to see them for sale in our local grocery store!
October 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
My fave was always the Sesame Street one with Grover, *There’s a Monster at the End of this Book.* Clara’s is actually one that was my Mom’s..*Tootles* about a train that doesn’t want to stay on the tracks. Fun topic!!
October 26th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Marta,
I love that book–”There’s a Monster at the End of This Book.” I forgot that was a Little Golden Book. That book is hysterical. It makes me want to go find it right now and read it. I love GROVER!!!
Margo