Friday, March 1, 2024

Bozo and His Rocket Ship -Capitol Record-Reader (1947)

 


Here an old piece of "rocket" ephemera. Back when there were these big black round things called "records," there were children's record-readers. My mom had some of these from here childhood so I actually read some of them. You would put a stack of records on (this one had 4 sides) and then you would turn the pages as the songs and voices on the record told you to. You could have a story read to you! 

So this is not a space related item in any way, but rather an example how rockets were the new thing for children in the late 40s and early 50s. Bozo the Clown (Google him) got into the whole thing with his rocket ship ride around the world. I could not resist sharing this very campy piece of ephemera with you all.

Bozo and His Rocket Ship.  Text by Walter Hannan. Illustrated by Cecil Beard and Norman McCabe. Capitol Records DBX 118. 36 p. 2 lps. 1947.

















Friday, February 16, 2024

The Jolly Jump-ups Journey Through Space (1952)

 


Sorry for the delays in posting, I have been on a short vacation. So today is one of my favorite (and obscure) fictional pop-up books about space. A really beautifully illustrated 1952 book with some amazing text to accompany it, The Jolly Jump-ups Journey Through Space!

Clyne, Geraldine. The Jolly Jump-ups Journey Through Space. Springfield, MA: McLoughlin Bros. (12 p.) 1952. 




















Friday, February 2, 2024

New Treasury for Young Readers (1963)

 


More or less a "housekeeping" post today. I wanted to scan this book after finding the other one just for balance. Some fine illustration is a lost bit of space flight for children.

New Treasury for Young Readers. Reader’s Digest. Pleasantville, NY. Reader’s Digest Association. (200 p.) 1963.  











Friday, January 19, 2024

Skyjets for Fliers of Tomorrow (1954)

 


So this is one of the stranger books I have found over the years. It is about a future in which people will get individual jet-powered wings to fly. It is set a little like a fantasy and a little like a dream. It has "perfect" 1950s illustrations about how the future might develop. Mostly it is a lot of fun. Back to spaceflight stuff next week.

Donaldson, Lois and Arthur K. Bilder. Illustrated by Bilder, Arthur K. Skyjets for Fliers of Tomorrow. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman. (28 p.) 1954. 

















It was all a dream....