The Story of a Book

Posted by Valerie on February 13, 2009

February 9, 2009
Guidance on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters and Charities
Question 17

“Can I sell vintage children’s books and other children’s products that are collectibles?

“Yes. Used vintage children’s books and other children’s products sold as collector’s items would not be primarily intended for children. Because of their value and age, they would not be expected to be used by children. Therefore, they do not fall into the definition of children’s product and do not need to comply with the lead limits.”

To some people, this looks like a perfect loophole, but any good bookseller can tell you that this will never be as good as the original free market. 

If you don’t mind, I’d like to tell you a story about a book. The book is Mr. Penney: J. C. Penney in Story Form by Harry James Albus, published by Eerdmans in 1961, a children’s biography intended for ages 8-12.

I think it cost me fifty cents or a dollar the first time I brought Mr. Penney home. I’d never heard of the book, but I’m drawn to the stories of entrepreneurs and inventors, people who worked hard and achieved a dream. I hope that my kids don’t grow up waiting for someone else to lift them up, let them off the hook, and bail them out. I really hope for them what I hope for myself–that we can accomplish good things–so this children’s book caught my eye.

I started to read Mr. Penney, and it wasn’t a page or two before I called my children and asked them to come and listen…. They loved Mr. Penney–and asked us to give them lessons on business principles of the kind that Mr. Penney got from his father!

The next time I spotted our new family favorite, I sure grabbed it quick!  Mr. Penney has been out of print now for about 45 years, and I don’t often seen it, but each time I find it, I’m delighted, thrilled that I can be the conduit through which another family can appreciate something lovely in the history of children’s literature.

I guess it’s funny, considering that I’m supporting a big family with this business, but I feel more pleasure finding a copy of Mr. Penney than I do when I find a hundred dollar textbook for five bucks. And that’s not only because the former happens so much less often!

There are two ways to market Mr. Penney. One works. One doesn’t. The whole point of bookselling is to help books find their true, proper home. (In our business, we always take returns for any reason, because if the first home isn’t the right one, we really want to try again.)

Here’s an attempt to market Mr. Penney as an adult collectible,

Mr. Penney: The Life of J. C. Penney by Harry James Albus, Eerdmans, 1961. Very Good/-. No dust jacket. Clean pages, sturdy hinges, very little wear. This was written as a children’s book, but it’s still great reading for any age and may bring back memories. Due to CPSIA of 2008, this book is sold as an adult collectible.

That would actually work now, but it wouldn’t have worked for this book two years ago, and I’ll tell you why.

Adult collectors of children’s literature have two purposes in mind almost every time they buy.

• Nostalgia

• Investment

Mr. Penney can’t speak to either of these motivations. When I first found Mr. Penney, there were lots of listings on the Internet, but Mr. Penney just wasn’t selling. Copies were available for $2, $4, $6 because demand was so low. No adults remembered the book, it wasn’t on anyone’s search list, and there was no reason to suspect that it would be a good investment for anyone. (The picture has changed, but it still isn’t a good investment.)

They call it marketing, but to me it’s just sharing the joy with people who want to hear it. My family loved Mr. Penney, and I believed that other families would love it too, so I told all my friends about the book in various places on the Internet.

When I’ve listed the few copies I’ve been privileged to sell, my listings have looked like this.

Mr. Penney: The Life of J. C. Penney by Harry James Albus, Eerdmans, 1961. One of the best books we’ve read in the last few years. My children have loved the story of Mr. Penney, an entrepreneur who succeeded in business by giving his very best to his customers and employees. An inspiring and captivating book for children ages 8-12 and a wonderful family read-aloud selection for ages 5-12. Very Good/-. No dust jacket. Clean pages, sturdy hinges, very little wear.

I can’t say that to adults, because for adults that’s not true–and not every children’s book needs that big a push–but Mr. Penney really did, at one time.

Mr. Penney now has significant demand and is hard to find for under $25-30 online. When this book was marketed as an “adult collectible,” there was no demand and no real target market, but when this book was marketed as the excellent book for children that it really is, that all changed.

There are many special, older books in the world. I could tell many stories of books that were once unknown and unappreciated that have since become special to children and families. It very often does take a bookseller to tell the truth about a special book to the market that would most love it–and then watch that book fly to its new home.

Marketing vintage children’s books as “adult collectibles” will work for some children’s books, but only for a few. We booksellers need the freedom to use the kind of honest language that helps excellent books find their proper homes in the hands and hearts of children.

Think about it. Publishers promote their children’s books and School Library Journal promotes children’s books by referencing the actual children who will read them and connecting content to their interests and experiences. How well would they sell books if they were forbidden to promote their children’s books as children’s books?

How long would it take the automakers to reach the surface if Congress mandates that they are allowed to promote their product–but not allowed to promote it to any actual drivers?

As far as I can tell, I need to make a clean separation beween http://www.valerieslivingbooks.info and any actual sales activity.