All about Vintage and collectible Whitman Tell-a-Tale Books, history of, about the logo, and listings to buy<title> <meta name="description" content="This site tells about the history of Western Publishing and Whitman Tell-a-tale books, the first tell-a-tale children's picture book, and the introduction of Whitman logo"> <meta name="keywords" content="Tell-a-tale, collectible children's books, Whitman publications 1950, picture books from 1960, National Velvet, Prayers, Elves and Shoemaker,Three Little Pigs, Cinnamon Bear"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="nanastyle_vc.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="styles-topnav.css"> <style> form { margin: 3px 0 0 0; text-align: center; } div #feb { display: block; } </style> </head> <body>  <div id="overall" style="height: 2100px;">  <div id="topBanner"> <div id="basicNav"> <a class="basnav" href="index.htm">Home</a> | <a class="basnav" href="javascript:history.back()">Back</a> | <a class="basnav" href="sitemap.htm">Site Map</a> | <a class="basnav" href="mailto:sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com">Contact me</a> </div> <img alt="Logo for Nana's Books for Kids" src="logo_cr4.gif"> <h1 class="twoLine">Vintage & Collectable Children's Books<br>~ Whitman Tell-a-Tale Books ~</h1> <div id="orangeBox"> </div> <div id="redBox"> </div> </div>  <div id="hoz"> <ul class="hz1"> <li class="hz2"><a class="nodd" href="index.htm">Home</a> </li> <li class="hz2">Books by type <div id="dd2" class="dd"> <ul> <li><a href="typeAnimal.htm">Animal stories</a></li> <li><a href="typeSuspense.htm">Suspense stories</a></li> <li><a href="typeArts.htm">Music and the arts</a></li> <li><a href="new_caldecott.htm">Caldecott award winners</a></li> <li><a href="new_newbery.htm">Newbery award winners</a></li> <li><a href="typeNature.htm">Nature stories</a></li> <li><a href="typeHumorous.htm">Humorous books</a></li> <li><a href="typeRelational.htm">Relational stories</a></li> <li><a href="typeEducational.htm">Educational books</a></li> <li><a href="typeSeasonal.htm">Seasonal books</a></li> <li><a href="typeNotable.htm">Other really cool books</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> <li class="hz2">Books by age <div id="dd3" class="dd"> <ul> <li><a href="age1to3.htm">1 - 3 (toddler)</a></li> <li><a href="age3to5.htm">3 - 5 (preschool)</a></li> <li><a href="age5to8.htm">5 - 8 (beginning reader)</a></li> <li><a href="age8to12.htm">8 - 12 (independent reader)</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> <li class="hz2"><a class="nodd" href="authors.htm">Books by author</a> </li> <li class="hz2">Other info <div id="dd5" class="dd"> <ul> <li><a href="about_awards.htm">About awards</a></li> <li><a href="myvalues.htm">My values</a></li> <li><a href="contactme.htm">Contact me</a></li> </ul> </div> </li> <li class="hz2">View shopping bag <form class="bag" target="paypal" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" title="View shopping bag"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input style="height: 24px; position: absolute; top: 0px;" src="shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="View shopping bag" type="image"> <input name="display" value="0" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div>   <div id="mainBody"> <div class="intro"> <h4>History of Whitman Tell-a-Tale Children’s books</h4> <p>The history of Whitman Publishing and Tell-a-Tale books is an interesting, convoluted tale. The company had its origin as Hammerung-Whitman Publishing in Chicago. In 1915 the company was purchased by Western Publishing, Racine, Wisconsin Western bought out Hammerung-Whitman. Whitman Publishing became a subsidiary of Western. In 1942 Western acquired Little Golden Books, perhaps the most treasured and popular of all children’s picture books. The Little Golden Books’ format was the brainchild of Lucille Ogle, vice president of Western Publishing. The Little Golden Books series was a new genre. These were simple, short stories, filled with full-color pictures and selling for $.25. They revolutionized children’s literature.</p> <p>The Little Golden Books were so successful that another series was introduced by Whitman in 1945—Tell-a-Tale books. The Tell-a-Tale is smaller than the Little Golden Book, measuring 6 ¼ x 5 ½ inches. They are 28 pages in length. Whitman Publishing disappeared in 1997 as its name was absorbed by the Golden Books line. Whitman Publishing still exists as a coin collecting book publisher.</p> <h4>The First Tell-a-Tale publications</h4> <p>It is hard to discover how many books have been published by Whitman Tell-a-Tale. Hundreds seems to be the answer. The first Tell-a-Tale book appears to be Poor Kitty in 1945. Other early titles are Sneezer, #854, 1945; Rainy Day Story on the Farm, #858, 1945; Nursery Rhymes, 1945; and Little Henry to the Rescue, #2615:15, 1945.</p> <h4>About the Whitman Publishing logo</h4> <img class="logoimage" src="graphics/whitmanlogo.jpg"> <p>The happy face that appears to wear a crown (that is really a W) is recognizable to anyone familiar with the Tell-a-tale books from the late 60’s through the 90’s. The color of the W often changed with the color of the book cover. The Whitman logo appeared on books, puzzles, frame-tray puzzles and comic books in 1968 and remained until 1990 when Whitman ceased to exist as a children’s book publisher. Thus, one way to determine the true age of your Tell-a-Tale book is to look at the logo. If the Whitman Kid appears, your book dates from 1968 to 1990.</p> <p>I am indebted to Wikipedia Encyclopedia and to the following sources for my information: <a class="content" href="wafflewhiffer.blogspot.com/2007/12/whitman-kid.html"> wafflewhiffer blog</a> and <a class="content" href="http://www.readingwell.net/tell-a-tale.htm">The Reading Well site.</a></p> <p>I welcome corrections or any additional history information about Whitman and the tell-a-tale brand.</p> </div> <div class="pal"> <hr> <h4>Western Publishing Whitman Tell-a-Tale Listings</h4> <div class="pic"> <img src="book-pages/pictures/three_little_pigslg.jpg" alt="The Three Little Pigs"> </div> <ul class="gal"> <li><h3>Title</h3></li> <li><h3>Publisher</h3></li> <li><h3>Illustrator</h3></li> <li><h3>Size</h3></li> <li><h3># of Pages</h3></li> <li><h3>Condition</h3></li> </ul> <ul class="val"> <li><p>The Three Little Pigs</p></li> <li><p>Whitman Publishing Co./1956</p></li> <li><p>Hilda Miloche</p></li> <li><p>5 1/2 x 6 3/8</p></li> <li><p>28</p></li> <li><p>Very Good. Some bumping to the bottom edge of spine. Clean tight pages. that have yellowed a bit.</p></li> </ul> <ul class="sal1"> <li><h3>Price</h3></li> <li></li> </ul> <ul class="sal2"> <li><h3>$4.50</h3></li> <li> <div class="crtblk" title="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag."> <form target="paypal" style="text-align: center;" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input src="cart/shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag." border="0" type="image"> <input name="add" value="1" type="hidden"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input name="item_name" value="Three Little Pigs" type="hidden"> <input name="amount" value="4.50" type="hidden"> <input name="no_shipping" value="2" type="hidden"> <input name="return" value="http://www.nanasbooksforkids.com/autoreturn" type="hidden"> <input name="cancel_return" value="http://www.nanasbooksfor kids.com/cancel" type="hidden"> <input name="currency_code" value="USD" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="pal"> <div class="pic"> <img src="book-pages/pictures/elves_shoemakerlg.jpg" alt="The Elves and the Shoemaker"> </div> <ul class="gal"> <li><h3>Title</h3></li> <li><h3>Publisher</h3></li> <li><h3>Illustrator</h3></li> <li><h3>Size</h3></li> <li><h3># of Pages</h3></li> <li><h3>Condition</h3></li> <li></li> </ul> <ul class="val"> <li><p>The Elves and the Shoemaker</p></li> <li><p>Whitman Publishing Co./1958</p></li> <li><p>Hilda Miloche</p></li> <li><p>6 x 8 1/4</p></li> <li><p>28</p></li> <li><p>Very Good. Clean, though yellowing, inside pages.</p></li> </ul> <ul class="sal1"> <li><h3>Price</h3></li> <li></li> </ul> <ul class="sal2"> <li><h3>$4.50</h3></li> <li> <div class="crtblk" title="Click to add 'Elves and the Shoemaker' to shopping bag."> <form target="paypal" style="text-align: center;" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input src="cart/shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag." border="0" type="image"> <input name="add" value="1" type="hidden"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input name="item_name" value="--The Elves and the Shoemaker--" type="hidden"> <input name="amount" value="4.50" type="hidden"> <input name="no_shipping" value="2" type="hidden"> <input name="return" value="http://www.nanasbooksforkids.com/autoreturn" type="hidden"> <input name="cancel_return" value="http://www.nanasbooksfor kids.com/cancel" type="hidden"> <input name="currency_code" value="USD" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="pal"> <div class="pic"> <img src="book-pages/pictures/prayerslg.jpg" alt="Prayers for Boys and Girls"> </div> <ul class="gal"> <li><h3>Title</h3></li> <li><h3>Publisher</h3></li> <li><h3>Illustrator</h3></li> <li><h3>Size</h3></li> <li><h3># of Pages</h3></li> <li><h3>Condition</h3></li> </ul> <ul class="val"> <li><p>Prayers for Boys and Girls</p></li> <li><p>Whitman Publishing Co./1953</p></li> <li><p>Alison Cummings</p></li> <li><p>6 x 8 1/4</p></li> <li><p>28</p></li> <li><p>Very good. Bumped bottom edge of spine. Clean yellowing pages.</p></li> </ul> <ul class="sal1"> <li><h3>Price</h3></li> <li><h3></h3></li> </ul> <ul class="sal2"> <li><h3>$4.50</h3></li> <li> <div class="crtblk" title="Click to add 'Prayers for Boys and Girls' to shopping bag."> <form target="paypal" style="text-align: center;" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input src="cart/shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag." border="0" type="image"> <input name="add" value="1" type="hidden"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input name="item_name" value="--Prayers for Boys and Girls--" type="hidden"> <input name="amount" value="4.50" type="hidden"> <input name="no_shipping" value="2" type="hidden"> <input name="return" value="http://www.nanasbooksforkids.com/autoreturn" type="hidden"> <input name="cancel_return" value="http://www.nanasbooksfor kids.com/cancel" type="hidden"> <input name="currency_code" value="USD" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="pal"> <div class="pic"> <img src="book-pages/pictures/national_velvetlg.jpg" alt="National Velvet"> </div> <ul class="gal"> <li><h3>Title</h3></li> <li><h3>Author</h3></li> <li><h3>Publisher</h3></li> <li><h3>Illustrator</h3></li> <li><h3>Size</h3></li> <li><h3># of Pages</h3></li> <li><h3>Condition</h3></li> </ul> <ul class="val"> <li><p>National Velvet</p></li> <li><p>Dorothy Haas</p></li> <li><p>Whitman Top Top Tales/1962</p></li> <li><p>Al Andersen</p></li> <li><p>6 1/2 x 8</p></li> <li><p>28</p></li> <li><p>Very good. Bumped corners. Clean yellowing pages.</p></li> </ul> <ul class="sal1"> <li><h3>Price</h3></li> <li><h3></h3></li> </ul> <ul class="sal2"> <li><h3>$8.00</h3></li> <li> <div class="crtblk" title="Click to add 'National Velvet' to shopping bag."> <form target="paypal" style="text-align: center;" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input src="cart/shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag." border="0" type="image"> <input name="add" value="1" type="hidden"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input name="item_name" value="--National Velvet--" type="hidden"> <input name="amount" value="8.00" type="hidden"> <input name="no_shipping" value="2" type="hidden"> <input name="return" value="http://www.nanasbooksforkids.com/autoreturn" type="hidden"> <input name="cancel_return" value="http://www.nanasbooksfor kids.com/cancel" type="hidden"> <input name="currency_code" value="USD" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="pal"> <div class="pic"> <img src="book-pages/pictures/cinnamon_bearlg.jpg" alt="The Cinnamon Bear"> </div> <ul class="gal"> <li><h3>Title</h3></li> <li><h3>Author</h3></li> <li><h3>Publisher</h3></li> <li><h3>Illustrator</h3></li> <li><h3>Size</h3></li> <li><h3># of Pages</h3></li> <li><h3>Condition</h3></li> </ul> <ul class="val"> <li><p>The Cinnamon Bear</p></li> <li><p>Alice Hanson</p></li> <li><p>Whitman Publishing Co./ 1961</p></li> <li><p>George Bakacs</p></li> <li><p>5 1/2 x 6 1/2</p></li> <li><p>16</p></li> <li><p>Fuzzy Wuzzy Book with "fuzz" still present. Bumped spine corner. Clean tight pages</p></li> </ul> <ul class="sal1"> <li><h3>Price</h3></li> <li></li> </ul> <ul class="sal2"> <li><h3>$4.50</h3></li> <li> <div class="crtblk" title="Click to add 'Cinnamon Bear' to shopping bag."> <form target="paypal" style="text-align: center;" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input src="cart/shoppingbagsm.gif" name="submit" alt="Click to add 'Animal Orchestra' to shopping bag." border="0" type="image"> <input name="add" value="1" type="hidden"> <input name="cmd" value="_cart" type="hidden"> <input name="business" value="sstephenson_lock@hotmail.com" type="hidden"> <input name="item_name" value="--Cinnamon Bear--" type="hidden"> <input name="amount" value="4.50" type="hidden"> <input name="no_shipping" value="2" type="hidden"> <input name="return" value="http://www.nanasbooksforkids.com/autoreturn" type="hidden"> <input name="cancel_return" value="http://www.nanasbooksfor kids.com/cancel" type="hidden"> <input name="currency_code" value="USD" type="hidden"> </form> </li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div id="leftSide">  <form action="http://search.freefind.com/find.html" method="GET" accept-charset="utf-8" target="_self"> <font size=1 face="arial,helvetica" > <input type="hidden" name="id" value="41795084"> <input type="hidden" name="pageid" value="r"> <input type="hidden" name="mode" value="ALL"> <input type="hidden" name="n" value="0"> <input type="hidden" name="_charset_" value=""> <input type="hidden" name="bcd" value="÷"> <input type="text" name="query" size="15"> <input type="submit" value=" Find "> <br>  </font> </form>  <div id="newVintage"> <h4>Children's books</h4> <ul> <li><a href="vc_books_1.htm"><span class="indnt">Elf books</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_books_2.htm"><span class="indnt">Disney books</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_books_3.htm"><span class="indnt">Classics</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_books_4.htm"><span class="indnt">Golden books</span></a></li> <li class="here"><a href="vc_books_5.htm"><span class="indnt">Whitman Tell-a-Tales</span></a></li> </ul> <h4>Sheet music</h4> <ul> <li><a href="vc_music_1.htm"><span class="indnt">Piano</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_music_2.htm"><span class="indnt">Instrumental</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_music_3.htm"><span class="indnt">Vocal</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_music_4.htm"><span class="indnt">Scores/books</span></a></li> <li><a href="vc_music_5.htm"><span class="indnt">Popular</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>  <div id="footerWrapper"> <h5> A <a href="http://www.kineticjim.com">KineticJim</a> website. <a href="index.htm">home</a> | <a href="#top">top</a> © 2005, Nana's Books for Kids </h5> </div>   <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=762397; var sc_partition=6; var sc_security="40bc628b"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/counter.js"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://www.statcounter.com/" target="_blank"> <img src="http://c7.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=762397&java=0&security=40bc628b" alt="javascript hit counter" border="0"></a> </noscript>  </body> </html>