Celebrating Paperback Book Day!
July 30th is National Paperback Book Day! This holiday commemorates the first time that Penguin Books, one of the world’s largest publishing companies, published the first book in its Penguin Paperbacks line in 1935. In an era in which most books were placed between heavy, wooden, leather-bound covers, Penguin’s move toward paperbacks was revolutionary.
The arrival of paperback books to stores presented the public with a more affordable option that was easier to transport from place to place, making reading a more accessible hobby for individuals and communities alike.
Fun Facts about Paperbacks
While it is commonly thought that the world’s first mass market paperback was The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, published in 1938, paperbacks have allegedly been around since 17th-century France and Germany.
Some of the most popular paperback books ever to appear in the United States were the “Dime Novels,” such as the Buffalo Bill stories, that captured the public imagination during the Civil War era. The invention of the typewriter in the 1870s undoubtedly helped produce and circulate multiple copies of these books.
Early Penguin Paperbacks only cost sixpence, which is the equivalent of 4 cents today.
Some famous authors whose books were included in Penguin’s first ten paperback titles are Agatha Christie and Ernest Hemingway.
Paperback books surged in popularity during WWII, especially among soldiers, because they were designed to be disposable.
Paperbacks and Family Reading
Despite the ongoing popularity of hardcover books for their beauty and durability, paperback books are an excellent option for children and families to create and maintain reading habits on the go.
At Platypus Media, we actively encourage families to schedule read-aloud sessions, whether at home or on vacation, to help children experience intellectual stimulation and quality contact with their parents. Here are a few classic books that can be found in paperback form and retain their appeal for children of all ages:
Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, by Dr. Seuss
Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hoffman
Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
Platypus Media is also proud to offer several books in paperback form that are designed to help develop children’s literacy in a variety of subjects while building parent-child attachment. These books include:
This Is How I Grow, by Dia Michels
Babies Nurse, by Phoebe Fox
Cuddled and Carried, by Dia Michels
Check out our shop for more!
Fostering an appreciation for books in children from a young age is integral to their academic and social success. Paperback books are accessible and can be read anywhere, anytime, making them an ideal tool for engaging children with literature.
Grab your favorite paperback, whether it’s a classic or a newer title, and share it with your family and friends today!
Fun Facts adapted from:
https://www.ioba.org/standard/2001/12/a-short-history-of-paperbacks/