Blue Ribbon Books was an American publishing house established in

Garden City, New York Garden City is a village located in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 23,272 at the time of the 2020 census. The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within the Town of Hempstead ...

, in 1930 "by a consortium of publishers ( Dodd & Mead, Harcourt & Brace,

Harper Harper may refer to: Names * Harper (name), a surname and given name and place names, for example: Harper Islands, Nunavut. Places ;in Canada * Harper Islands, Nunavut * Harper, Prince Edward Island ;In the United States *Harper, former name ...

, and

Little, Brown Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries, it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emil ...

) as a reprint publisher to compete with

Grosset & Dunlap Grosset & Dunlap is a New York City-based publishing house founded in 1898. The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of Penguin Random House through its subsidiary Penguin Group. In recent years, through the P ...

Alfred Harcourt Alfred Harcourt (; January 31, 1881 – June 20, 1954) was an American publisher and compiler who co-founded Harcourt Trade Publishers, Harcourt, Brace & Howe in 1919. Biography Harcourt was the son of Gertrude M. Elting and Charles M. Harcourt. ...

and

Eugene Reynal Eugene St. Rose Reynal (March 31, 1902 – March 20, 1968) was an American publisher who founded Blue Ribbon Books of Garden City, New York, and Reynal & Hitchcock (with Curtice Hitchcock) of New York City in 1933. From 1938 to 1946, Reynal was ...

were connected with its management. In 1933, Reynal assumed complete control of the company. In 1937, Blue Ribbon acquired the list of the

A. L. Burt A. L. Burt (incorporated in 1902 as A. L. Burt Company) was a US book publishing house from 1883 until 1937. It was founded by Albert Levi Burt, a 40-year-old from Massachusetts who had come to recognize the demand for inexpensive reference works ...

publishing house and it continued publishing some of A. L. Burt's titles, terming them "A Burt Book." In 1939, Blue Ribbon Books sold its assets and reproduction rights to

Doubleday, Doran & Company Doubleday is an American publishing company. It was founded as the Doubleday & McClure Company in 1897. By 1947, it was the largest book publisher in the United States. It published the work of mostly U.S. authors under a number of imprints and ...

Pop-up books

The firm was also known for its innovative production of children’s books featuring movable elements, particularly pop-ups. It is recognized as the first U.S. publisher to trademark the term "pop-up" for its ''Illustrated Pop-up Editions''. Blue Ribbon Books collaborated with Harold B. Lentz, who was instrumental in the success of their pop-up books. Lentz provided not only the artwork but also the engineering behind the intricate pop-up mechanisms, making these books highly sought after by collectors. Some of the most famous titles produced by Blue Ribbon include *The "Pop-Up" Pinocchio* (1932) and *The "Pop-Up" Cinderella* (1933), both featuring detailed illustrations and interactive paper mechanics. Blue Ribbon Books also made a significant impact with their ''Disney-themed pop-up books'', which helped bring classic Disney stories to life through interactive illustrations. These editions included iconic titles such as *The "Pop-Up" Mickey Mouse* and *The "Pop-Up" Donald Duck*, which became highly popular among children and collectors alike. Blue Ribbon Books' pop-up editions remain highly collectible due to their historical significance and craftsmanship, marking a key moment in the development of children's interactive literature in the United States. The publishing house is remembered for popularizing movable books in the U.S. market during the 1930s and establishing a lasting legacy in the genre of pop-up books.

Book series

* Best Known Works (implicit series) * Blue Ribbon Specials * Famous Books for Young Americans * Pop-Up Books * Rainbow Bindings (AKA Rainbow Editions)Blue Ribbon Books and Rainbow Bindings
delart.org. Retrieved 16 March 2025. * Waddle Books

Imprints

Book League of America The Book League of America, Inc. was a US book publisher and mail order book sales club. It was established in 1930, a few years after the Book of the Month Club. Its founder was Lawrence Lamm, previously an editor at Macmillan Inc. The compan ...

* Halcyon House

References

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External links

Blue Ribbon Books
at melbirnkrant.com - image gallery of Blue Ribbon Pop-up Books Book publishing companies of the United States American companies established in 1930