Elson Basic Readers: Dick and Jane Pre-Primer

1930. Philippines: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1930.

8vo, 40 pp., pamphlet. 5.5 inches x 7 inches. 40 pp. Pictorial wrappers stamped in black, green and orange. Sewn softcover with black cloth spine tape as issued. With “approved” teacher rubber stamp on copyright page dated Sept 12 1930. Very slight foxing to edge of text block. Very good.

§ The first appearance of the ever-popular Dick and Jane, preceded only by the prospectus for this reader. Full-colour illustrations and simple stories of Dick, Jane, Baby, and the rest of the family. In this printing, SALLY was still called BABY [unnamed to this point] & SPOT the dog was (truncated) still a TERRIER. In later editions he became a COCKER SPANIEL. PUFF the cat was still called LITTLE MEW, as of this printing [she was PUFF in later editions]. “The Dick and Jane readers illustrate the early twentieth-century shift from phonics to whole word (“look-say”) reading schemes.” (Grolier Children’s Hundred, #73). (Inventory #: 106713)