Out of This World (1953)

 

 

Happy Friday the 13th (in October too). Don't worry, you have gotten really lucky today.

Out of this World was one of my favorite "discoveries" when I first started collecting these books. It is a massive 160 pages of games, jokes, riddles, and space facts. I last blogged about this one 13 years ago so I am happy to have a chance to improve my quality and quantity.

Thompson, Jeff. Out of This World: An Activity Book based on Space Travel. New York: Hart Publications. (160 p.) 27 cm.

My Space Ship's Log (1959)

My Space Ship's Log is basically a geography and social studies workbook that they tried to put a "space age" slant on. The graphics are simple and I have eliminated most of the geography. 

My space ship's log. Coral Rupprecht and Marion Kurutz. Kenworthy Educational Services, Inc. 1959. (B-3425) 64 p.

 First we have the Lieutenant's oath and their pilot's license.

 What I find particularly enchanting are the kids in their flying saucer as they move around the continents learning about different countries.

 Not especially scientific, but another way for children to feel they are part of a "space age."

These two illustrations of "space age" camping I especially enjoy.

The Busy Bee Space Book (1953)

The Busy Bee Space Book was a 1953 activity book. Since I had not posted it,  this will remind me to scan some of the activity pages for you.

Science Fiction Quizzle Book (1951)

Sometimes things are rare (and valuable) and sometimes they are simply obscure.  This one is so obscure that I can't imagine anyone ever cracking the cover today.  It is part of a series of "Quizzle" activity books and it is one of 8 identified on the back of the title page.


Friend, Trambert James. Illustrated by Ray Favata and Paul Irrera. Science Fiction Quizzle Book. New York: Sam'l Gabriel Sons & Co.,  No. 904. 1951.

It is here however because of the space ship.  It has this story (one we have heard many times): Bobby's dad is building a secret rocket ship! And when it is done he is going to make a secret trip to the Moon.

So the kids sneak aboard the rocket to look around and see a "real" rocket ship. But of course they lean against the wrong black lever...

The kids go to the Moon and meet a Moon man.  I especially like the "shorts with space helmet" look of our explorer.

And of course bouncing on the Moon can be pretty cool.  Eventually though you have to come back home to Earth and be celebrated in a parade as the first space explorers. Such is the life of a child in the 1950s.  Here is a rocket for you to dream with...

Space, Time and Rockets (1952) part 2

This is another "cheap" post.  when I first bloggged about this book in December 2009 I did not have any interior scans. So here are some to update this post:

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2009/12/space-time-and-rockets-1952.html

Randolf, Rheta and Barry, Catherine. Illustrated by Stain, Jacque. Space, Time and Rockets. New York: Paxton-Slade Publishing Co. (64 p.) 28 cm. Softcover. (1952)
The book discusses the history of rockets, travel in space, planetary astronomy, and major constellations. Also reprinted at a 20 cm. size. See also: Barry. "A Trip through Space" (1954) from the same series.

This was an activity book with scattered non-fiction articles.

The illustrations were very simple but I find this "early" space literature facinating.

The images are cut off because the spine on this book was damaged and very stiff.  I did not want to "crack" the spine completely so we have only partial images of the pages of interest.

Since I mentioned the Hayden Planetarium in a previous post about its place in the early space flight movement, I find this page to sum up its reputation very nicely.

Out of this World (1953)

Out of this world for next few weeks! I will be away from my computer for the next couple of weeks so this will have to hold you until July.

Thompson, Jeff. Out of This World: An Activity Book based on Space Travel. New York: Hart Publications. (160 p.) 27 cm.

Out of this world is a play activity book with games, jokes, comics etc. It also includes essays (1-5 pages in length) and illustrations about the solar system, space stations, space suits and the history of the rocket.

Some content and illustrations were reused in a later play activity book: Simmons. Planets and Space Travel (1958,1962).

I wonder what it was about 1953 that produced so many cool space books?

Part of me suspects that in 1952 the Collier's series promoted enough space art to appear in other magazines and newspapers and the children's television space boom led to a demanded for something space-related that bookstores could sell for children. So lots of stuff appeared in 1953.

Hope you get to hike on the Moon this summer!

Space, Time and Rockets (1952)

A play activity book about space flight.

Randolf, Rheta and Barry, Catherine. Illustrated by Stain, Jacque. Space, Time and Rockets. New York: Paxton-Slade Publishing Co. (64 p.) 28 cm. Softcover.

The book discusses the history of rockets, travel in space, planetary astronomy, and major constellations. Also reprinted at a 20 cm. size. See also: Barry. "A Trip through Space" (1954) from the same series.

Astronomy Funbook (1955)

I love this workbook/playbook. Several of them were produced by the same publisher recycling pages and illustrations between 1953 and 1961.




















These were the equivalent of the the British Annuals with stories, puzzles, and games.

I like how the illustration are simple line drawings of sophisticated concepts. Although that moonship is going to have a problem taking off again. It looks like the artist didn't actually see how that ship was supposed to land and had to guess.