Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years for Rednesday

(Please visit Sue at It's A Very Cherry World for more Rednesday fun!)

Happy Rednesday!
I've only got a tiny bit of red to share with you this Rednesday ...
the cover of a charming book.

We went to the Long Beach Antique & Collectible Market on Sunday and one of the things I purchased was a book about a doll, "Hitty: Her First Hundred Years" by Rachel Field. I'd never heard of the book before but it looked so charming that I wanted it instantly.

We arrived at 6:40 in the morning and we had only just begun walking down the first row. A vendor was just placing three childrens books on her table, the very first things she unpacked and placed on her table. Two adorable vintage Raggedy Ann books and "Hitty". Oh! I wanted all three, right then and there!

We had only been there five minutes so with my heart in my throat, I walked away from the three books that I wanted so very desperately, promising myself that I'd get them if they were still there when we had seen the entire show. I'm not kidding, my stomach ached, leaving them behind.

It was almost four hours later when we finally made it back to the beginning of the show and the first row of vendors. The three books were still there ... but I had picked up a few other goodies along the way and couldn't justify buying all three any longer. I decided on Hitty because the first words I read from the book were so delightful (and we had come across another vendor who had the Raggedy Ann books, so those weren't the only two in existence teehee! ... hopefully there will be other chances down the road).

I'm so unobservant, I didn't even notice that it was signed and dated by the author! The vendor told me when I asked the price ... I guess I looked a bit grieved when she stated the price, upon seeing my expression she said, "It's a signed copy". It isn't a first edition but it was signed the year it won the Newbery, 1930.

I looked it up online last night ... I had no idea it's a classic and a Newbery Medal winner. It is still in print but if I understood correctly, some of the book has been changed in the reprint - I read this on the Amazon site - how very odd!

Did you read Hitty as child?

If you didn't and would like to read it online, you can find it here. (Ay yi yi ... they have a typo on the first screen ... it's the Newbery Medal, not the Newsbery.)







23 comments:

  1. Sally, I haven't been over here to say Hi in forever! My husband is back in school now so I have to practically pry the computer away from him! Thanks for being such a good friend and visiting me anyway!

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  2. Hi Lori!
    You're so sweet and I love to visit your blog! You can't get rid of me ... cue maniacal laughter. ;) Wishing your husband much good luck in his college courses.
    Happy week to you!
    Sally

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  3. Oh Sally, even though I obviously knew the book was there when you went back, I was nervous for you! Why do we do these things to ourselves?! We need to just buy whatever it is, and not procrastinate! What a sweet little book it is, and I'm so happy for you!
    Happy REDnesday,
    Carol

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  4. I haven't read Hitty but the graphics look amazing...and it is signed! I'm so glad that it was there when you returned, 4 hours is a long time to wait. Sometimes it is so hard to discipline ourselves with our wants. :-)
    Congratulations,
    Ann
    @
    The Tattered Tassel

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  5. The graphics are wonderful. Thanks for doing all the research for us and finding it online. I will check it out.
    I am glad this tale had a happy ending.

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  6. It was meant to be for you to have that little book. It was sitting there patiently waiting for you to return. It's wonderful that it's signed, too. Thank you for sharing with us all.

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  7. I can see why you wanted that book so much. Those illustrations are absolutely adorable. I just popped over to Scribd and those first few paragraphs took me straight to that little antique store. So nicely written. A great find. Thank goodness it was still there 4 hours later.

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  8. I love that book, and getting a signed copy is so COOL! :)) But then I am a children's literature geek, and these things make me happy. I'm glad you got this book, the illustrations are wonderful!! xox Pam

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  9. Wow Sally, You were so lucky. I do that and poof it's gone. I love the artwork.

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  10. A signed copy~ what a find... I'm RED with envy :-)
    The illustrations look amazing!

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  11. Oh my goodness gracious. Not only the wonderful book but SIGNED. how absolutely glorious. And that it was still there, waiting just for you.

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  12. Phew! I'm so relieved that you got that book. What you were experiencing was your gut feeling... I go by that a lot. It my tummy aches... buy it!!
    Have a great Rednesday.
    Karen
    Ladybug Creek

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  13. What a great find. I've never heard of it before but clicked on the photos to read it. Very sweet! Glad it was still there for you.

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  14. I'm so glad you were able to get your book afterall, whew! What a find. Sometimes you do see the best stuff first...I've had that happen to me. Ya gotta grab it while you can. I even read somewhere that when thrift-shopping, even if you only think you might want an item, pick it up and put it in your cart. You can always put it back if you change your mind. Toodles~

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  15. Oh, it looks darling! I've never heard of it either. Glad you scooped it up!

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  16. What a sweet treasure you found...and signed too? How special. Thanks for stopping by to visit...i signed up to follow your darling blog today! Be back soon!

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  17. Sally,
    Hitty is adorable. I can see why you went back to get it. The drawings are so cute. I've never heard of it before , but will be on the lookout from now on.
    Leslie

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  18. I read so much, but have never read this one. Sounds very interesting and I will see if the library has it.

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  19. OK Sally, the cupcakes are ready. I put them on a red plate just for you! Go see.

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  20. Lovely book. I will admit I am NOT a reader but the illustrations and cover are wonderful.

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  21. I haven't read Hitty but I'm so glad it waited for you. Some books are just so dreamy.

    Thank you for the lovely comment back at my little corner. I look forward to visiting.

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  22. That is a great find , I love old books, too !
    Blessings,
    ~Myrna

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