COLLECTION #197: Vintage Macmillan Readers

Is there any end to my elementary readers? Well, no. I still have lots more! Today's reader collection are the Macmillan Readers from the early 1950s. I have several books from both the 1951-52, and 1957 series. I never tire of looking at these books, and enjoying the simple stories and sweet illustrations.  I will refrain from editorializing about the homogenous ethnic makeup of the children and families in these books, it was a different time, and that doesn't negate the messages and educational value of the books.

I was pleased to see that in one of the books called Tommy Little, which is about a little boy who moves from the farm to the city, there is some teasing and conflict resolution. Tommy doesn't like a little girl who calls him Tommy from a Little Farm. In the book he actually says he doesn't like her! Wow! Pretty controversial for 1951!

Enjoy the pictures and covers of my series of books.

COLLECTION #192: Vintage Heath & Company Readers Part 2

Last Friday I featured my fun 1940s editions of the Heath Reading for Interest elementary readers.  Today, I'm sharing part two, or the 1955 editions of some of the same readers. I only have 6 of these, but they look entirely different. It's funny, the 1940s books have such adorable covers, graphic and colorful. Each one slightly different but with consistent motifs and a unified look. These 1955 books look like they were published by six different publishers! The fonts are all different, the covers were done by different artists, and they have such a different feel. As a designer myself, I'm not sure what they were thinking- but perhaps they just wanted to make each book unique and colorful, and stand alone on its own merit as a book. The insides are much the same as the 1940s editions.

They are fun books, no matter what their covers look like, and I hope you enjoy looking at them!