Contemporary Collectibles by Linda Rosenkrantz

With childhood favorites like "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" now starring on the silver screen, thoughts of baby boomers — and their successors — turn to these and other well-remembered books of their mid-century childhoods.

One of the first that many people might remember is a favorite Little Golden Book, be it "The Poky Little Puppy," "Doctor Dan the Bandage Man" or one of the hundreds of other titles in the series. From their introduction in 1942, those inexpensive but sturdy hardback books have been enormously popular — becoming the most successful mass-produced children's books series ever. Published by the Western Publishing Company — which innovated the concept of selling kids' books in outlets like Woolworth's — it was a man named George Duplaix who came up with the idea of producing cheap, durable children's books, dubbing them Little Golden Books for the distinctive color of their spine. The first dozen titles appeared in the fall of 1942, priced at 25 cents, and were an instant hit: In the first five months, a million-and-a-half copies were sold. Some of the later volumes had gimmicky enhancements — Band-Aids were glued to the pages of "Doctor Dan" and "Nurse Nancy," and "Little Lulu and her Magic Tricks" came with a mini-packet of Kleenex.

If you're wondering if they have any worth beyond the sentimental, some do. Those of highest value include the initial volume in the series, "Three Little Kittens," the first edition of "The Poky Little Puppy," the 1947 "The Happy Family," the "Katie the Kitten" puzzle edition, and, with its crossover interest for black memorabilia collectors, the 1948 "Little Black Sambo."

The 1950s saw the arrival of several future classics, including E.B. White's touching story about the friendship between a piglet named Wilbur and a spider, "Charlotte's Web," published in 1952. Another enduring children's book of the decade was Dr. Seuss's 1954 "The Cat in the Hat," written when author Theodor Seuss Geisel was challenged to compose a book using only the 250 words on a list supplied to him (a few years later, he won a bet that he couldn't write a book using only 50 words, resulting in "Green Eggs and Ham").

Michael Bond's endearing "Paddington Bear" books, the first of which appeared in 1958, introduced children to the polite, overly curious British teddy, dressed in duffle coat, battered hat and Wellington boots, who was found in-and named after — London's Paddington Station.

There was a seismic shift in children's books in the 1960s, reflecting the cosmic changes in the culture in general. Though there were still plenty of happy talking animals, all was not completely idyllic in storybook land. This was most evident in Maurice Sendak's 1963 "Where the Wild Things Are," with its rebellious antihero Max and elements of nightmarish fantasy. This new sophistication was also reflected in Norton Juster's allegorical fantasy, "The Phantom Tollbooth," about the bored Milo and his quest to rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason.

Another key development was the more realistic reflection of social issues, including women's and civil rights, poverty and other societal ills, at all levels of children's literature. Suddenly, such previously verboten issues as divorce, alcoholism, bigotry and death appeared on the pages of juvenile books. "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats was, in 1962, one of the first to feature an inner-city African-American boy, and there were numerous other ethnically themed illustrated picture books. Volumes like Louise Fitzhugh's "Harriet the Spy" added elements of sharp satire and psychological insight, and many little girls identified with Ramona Quigley, the younger sister character created by Beverly Clearly, while older kids entered the fantasy worlds of C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" and Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time."

Innovative children's book illustrations also have strong appeal for collectors, many of whom focus on a single favorite, such as Eric Carle, known for his innovative collage technique in books like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" (1968); Garth Williams, who illustrated, among many others, "Charlotte's Web"; Edward Gorey, known for his unique black-and-white cross-hatching style; also Clement Hurd, Ezra Jack Keats, Crockett Johnson, and Tomi Ungerer — as well as the inimitable Sendak drawings and bright cartoon graphics of Seuss.

All in all, this is a rich field for the nostalgic collector.

Linda Rosenkrantz has edited Auction magazine and authored 18 books, most recently "Beyond Ava & Aidan: The Enlightened Guide to Naming your Baby" (St. Martin's Press). Visit her baby names website at http://nameberry.com. She cannot answer letters personally. To find out more about Linda Rosenkrantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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