From The Scoop: Did You Know..? - Peggy Brown: Big Little Book Star
From the December 30 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The
Scoop:
In the mid-to-late 1930s, a precocious young girl emerged in the burgeoning world of Big Little Books and her name was Peggy Brown.
Always seen in a red dotted dress (a bit short at its above-knee length), Peggy was the original creation of children's author Kathryn Heisenfelt. The character cropped up in a handful of titles (her trusty Scottish Terrier in tow and always sharing the book covers), including Peggy Brown and the Secret Treasure, Peggy Brown and the Big Haunted House, Peggy Brown and the Mystery Basket, and Peggy Brown and the Runaway Auto.
The titles aren't among the most popular Big Little Books. In fact, many of them are virtually forgotten. But they are still sought-after and interesting collectibles. (One of the titles sold on eBay this week for $71.) And if you were one of the countless little kids who read the Peggy Brown series in the '30s and '40s, we'd love to hear from you. Write in your memories of the character and let us know whether or not Peggy and little girls like her were superior heroines for girls aged five through nine than the animated, illustrated, and live-action female characters marketed to that demographic today.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
In the mid-to-late 1930s, a precocious young girl emerged in the burgeoning world of Big Little Books and her name was Peggy Brown.
Always seen in a red dotted dress (a bit short at its above-knee length), Peggy was the original creation of children's author Kathryn Heisenfelt. The character cropped up in a handful of titles (her trusty Scottish Terrier in tow and always sharing the book covers), including Peggy Brown and the Secret Treasure, Peggy Brown and the Big Haunted House, Peggy Brown and the Mystery Basket, and Peggy Brown and the Runaway Auto.
The titles aren't among the most popular Big Little Books. In fact, many of them are virtually forgotten. But they are still sought-after and interesting collectibles. (One of the titles sold on eBay this week for $71.) And if you were one of the countless little kids who read the Peggy Brown series in the '30s and '40s, we'd love to hear from you. Write in your memories of the character and let us know whether or not Peggy and little girls like her were superior heroines for girls aged five through nine than the animated, illustrated, and live-action female characters marketed to that demographic today.
• Produced for the benefit of all who enjoy the hobby of collecting, Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to receive it. To view the latest edition, or to sign up, visit The Scoop online by at http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com.
