Wonder books

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The Wunder-Bücher were a series of picture and reading books that were published by Carlsen Verlag , Hamburg, from 1956 .

history

From the mid-1940s, the picture book series appeared in the USA under the name Wonder Book . In 1947 the publishing house Wonder Books, Inc. was founded, the distribution of the first books was taken over by Random House . Wonder Books became known for their washable covers. In total, over 400 different titles have appeared in the USA.

International

The book series has been translated into various languages ​​around the world. They appeared z. B. in France as Les albums merveilleux , in Denmark as Ælle-Bælle Bog , in Sweden as Kron Bok , in Norway as Elle Melle and in Finland under the name laden dememaa . 12 titles appeared in the Faroe Islands under the name Glæstribøkurnar . In the Netherlands, the series was initially under the name Een Wonderboek and later as Maxi Pixi .

German edition

In 1956 the first 12 titles in Germany were published by Carlsen Verlag. From 1957 onwards, 6 new titles were published each year. The titles were initially pure language adaptations of the US titles. Towards the end of the 1960s own titles were also published as part of the series. These appeared as language adaptations within the Carlsen Group in the Scandinavian countries. By 1987, 216 different titles had been published by Carlsen Verlag in Germany.

Text & illustration

Many internationally known artists have developed or worked on books for the series. Some are e.g. For example: Elisabeth Brozowska , Iben Clante , Darlene Geis , Tibor Gergely , Grete Janus Hertz , Richard Scarry , Art Seiden , Charlotte Steiner , Eva Wenzel-Bürger , Irma Wilde , Eloise Wilkin , Garth Williams and Margaret Wise Brown .

concept

The miracle books were picture books with short stories to read aloud. Some of the booklets were a bit out of line in terms of content, for example there were booklets with handicraft instructions or pure songbooks.

The booklets were 16 × 20 cm in size. The volume was initially 24 pages plus a varnished cardboard cover. The number of pages was reduced to 20 pages from issue 19. On the back there was a list of the titles published or a selection of 6 thematically appropriate titles as an illustration.

Until 1973 the sales price was 1.00 DM. When the last new title was published in 1987, a booklet cost 2.95 DM. From 1974 onwards there were no more price details on the booklets.

Wonder books (selection)

Some particularly rare titles in the series:

  • 2: Flocki wakes the sun - text and illustration: Le Grand
  • 8: On a treasure hunt - Text: Irma Wilde , Illustration: Georg Wilde
  • 14: Stoffmariechen - Text: Johnny Gruelle , Illustration: Tom Sinnickson
  • 19: 9 Faithful Friends - Text: Felix Sutton , Illustration: June Goldsborough
  • 20: In the spaceship to the moon - Text: Marcia Martin , Illustration: Frank Vaughin
  • 44: What is it? - Text and illustration: Denman Hampson
  • 47: We're going fishing - Text: George Bonsall , Illustration: Crosby Newell
  • 50: Susis Sommerfreunde - Text: Jeanette Krinsky , Illustration: Ruth Wood
  • 51: Who can guess? - Text: Leonore Klein , illustration: Ruth Wood
  • 54: Small locomotive on a long journey - Text: Alf Evers , Illustration: Art Seiden
  • 704: Hans Huckebein and other picture stories - text and illustration: Wilhelm Busch
  • 705: The hollow tooth - Text and illustration: Wilhelm Busch

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Steve Santi: Warman's® Children's Books Identification and Price Guide Krause Publications, Iola, WI 2007, ISBN 978-0-89689-467-9 , page 202
  2. ^ Advertising flyer Wunder-Bücher from 1956
  3. ↑ Issue 213: The Two Frogs in the catalog of the German National Library

Web links