Little Golden Books

The museum’s collection not only includes toys and games, but also series of children’s books. Little Golden Books have been read by children since 1942 and produce fond nostalgia in many adults. Designed to be colorful, cheap, and sturdy enough to be played with, Little Golden Books were an instant hit despite their introduction in the middle of a wartime scarcity of paper. The postwar baby boom produced a huge market for the books, which were sold through more than 120,000 retail outlets nationwide. Classics like The Poky Little Puppy sold more than 15 million copies, and in 1986, Whitman Publishing and Golden Press printed their 1 billionth Little Golden Book!

 

Rebecca Zorn, a 15-year-old participant in the museum’s Museum Apprentice Program, has strong memories of this story.

 

“The Poky Little Puppy was not one of the books I saw in school as a young kid. However, I vividly remember my mom showing me this book, and she read it to me as a . . . bedtime story. I remember finding myself asking my mom and dad to read it to me constantly. I truly loved that book and continue to love it.”