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“Yours Truly” Blog

Association Copy George Waldo Browne

Under Dewey at Manila by Stratemeyer

An association copy is a book whose interest is enhanced by annotations by a creator of the work or one that has been passed from one person to another where the people have a strong connection with the work or the creator’s career overall.  ABC for Book Collectors by John Carter includes this definition and examples: Today Edward […]

Are you Prepared for Children’s Book Week? — Novembe

Every Boy's Library window display selling books

“Safety First Juvenile Book Week” started in 1915 along the lines of “Safe and Sane Fourth of July.” Where one was concerned with injuries from fireworks, the other was obsessed with reading by boys.   By 1919 this had evolved into Children’s Book Week.  The November dates were designed to coincide with holiday purchases of books for young […]

1894 Ghost Story by Edward Stratemeyer

A Ghost Story from Golden Days

Among the least-known form of Edward Stratemeyer’s writings are his short stories for newspapers, especially the Newark Sunday Call.  This weekly from his home town ran a group of stories by Stratemeyer that were timed and themed to the holidays of the year.  With only a local audience in mind, locations known to Newark-area readers were included.  When […]

Nancy Drew 50th Anniversary Gala

Harriet Stratemeyer Adams arrives in the back of a blue roadster.

As sales declined in the 1970s, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams considered whether to accept an overture from Simon & Schuster to publish new books in the series. First Grosset & Dunlap failed to do anything for the Bobbsey Twins 75th anniversary. Then they admitted they had no plans for Nancy Drew’s 50th in 1980. Simon & Schuster stepped in and hosted a gala event.