Crockett Johnson Homepage: Books: Others from the 1950s

Crockett Johnson Homepage > Books of Crockett Johnson > Others from the 1950s

Crockett Johnson's Books: Others from the 1950s

W. R. Scott, 1952

Who's Upside Down? (1952)
       A kangaroo who had been feeling "on top of the world" happens upon a geography book and, seeing herself "down underneath" the globe and "upside down," she becomes upset. Although she thinks herself and "everything around here" is upside down, her little kangaroo wonders if it isn't the geography book that's really upside down.

Linnet Books, 1990

Harper, 1957

Terrible, Terrifying Toby (1957)
       A puppy named Toby encounters many "terrible and terrifying" things -- such as a squirrel, frog, and butterfly. He discovers that, if he growls at them, they leave, which in turn makes him feel more "terrible and terrifying" than they (and, of course, very proud of himself).

Harper [library ed.], 1957

Time for Spring (1957)
       Irene is ready for winter to end, but her snowman is not. She is tired of winter games, while he would be happy playing them well into July (all the more time to "practice," as he points out). Furthermore, he insists that spring will not come as long as he's here. Will winter never be over?

Harper [commercial], 1957
dust jacket same as at left

Scholastic, n.d.

The Blue Ribbon Puppies (1958)
       A little boy and a little girl decide to award a blue ribbon to the best of their seven pups. However, they find that each pup -- whether fat, spotty, long, tall, small, shaggy, or plain -- is quite remarkable in his own way. Let's hope they have enough blue ribbon!

Harper, 1958

Merry Go Round (1958)
       This 12-page book is a ride that doesn't end. Spiral-bound so that the reader can keep turning the pages, Merry Go Round's last page -- "ON HE RODE, PAST THE YELLOW SIGN, AND ON" -- leads directly to the first page. And the first page also happens to be the book's cover, which has the words "AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND AND ROUND" where Johnson's name should be. So, as the scene changes behind him, the story keeps the merry go round turning.

Harper, 1959

The Frowning Prince (1959)
       When a king begins reading a story about a princess with "an irresistible smile," his son (the prince) proclaims, "Nobody could make me smile." While the prince insists that his frown is "immovable," his father strives to refute him, calling in jesters, jugglers, and even the grand wizard. Playfully told, the narrative pokes fun at its "fairy tale" status: when the wizard suggests summoning the princess from the book, the king tells him not to bother because the "book said the princess lived once upon a time." The wizard reminds him, "This is once upon a time."

Crowell [commercial], 1959

Will Spring Be Early? or Will Spring Be Late? (1959)
       It's the second of February and time for the Groundhog to make his prediction. On his way to tell the Badger, Doormouse, Rabbit, Skunk, Chipmunk, Squirrel, Raccoon, Bear, and Pig, he sees a flower sprouting from the snow. Not realizing that it had just fallen from the Artificial Flower Company's truck, he rushes off to announce that spring is here already.

Crowell [library ed.], 1959

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Below each image is the publisher and date of the cover represented. Full publication information can be found in the Bibliography.
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