Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle
Since Raggedy Ann first appeared in print in 1918, she has charmed millions of readers with her always warm and optimistic outlook and calm approach to difficulties. Now she returns to delight a new generation in this carefully produced reissue, which restores the book to its original appearance.All the original stories are here, as Raggedy Ann comes to Marcella's nursery and quickly becomes the leader of the dolls. After learning a lesson from a naughty raid on the pantry, Raggedy Ann's adventures show her striving to be good -- and succeeding. She and the other dolls rescue Fido, the family dog, from the dogcatcher. When, in one adventure, Raggedy Ann has to have her stuffing replaced, she gets her famous I LOVE YOU candy heart. Raggedy Ann also goes up in a kite, teaches two new dolls to be tolerant, and shares the excitement of a baby brother for Marcella, among several other tales.
Johnny Gruelle's delicate illustrations are the perfect companions to the well-loved stories in this American classic, the only edition authorized by the Gruelle family. A brief biography of the author-artist by his grandson, Kim Gruelle, makes this edition especially valuable.
Gruelle, Johnny: - Johnny Gruelle (December 24, 1880 - January 9, 1938) was an American artist, political cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator, and even songwriter. He is known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. According to oft-repeated myth, Gruelle's daughter Marcella brought from her grandmother's attic a faceless doll on which the artist drew a face, and that Gruelle suggested that Marcella's grandmother sew a shoe button for a missing eye. He then combined the names of two James Whitcomb Riley poems, The Raggedy Man and Little Orphant Annie and suggested calling the doll Raggedy Ann. In reality, as Gruelle's wife Myrtle recalls, it was Gruelle who retrieved a long-forgotten, homemade rag doll from the attic of his parents' Indianapolis home sometime around the turn of the 20th century. As Myrtle explained, There was something he wanted from the attic. While he was rummaging around for it, he found an old rag doll his mother had made for his sister. He said then that the doll would make a good story. The couple's daughter, Marcella, had not yet been born when Gruelle found the doll, Myrtle Gruelle continued. Johnny Gruelle kept [the doll] in his mind until we had Marcella. He remembered it when he saw her play [with] dolls. ... He wrote the stories around some of the things she did. He used to get ideas from watching her. Additionally, Marcella died at age 13, and Gruelle did not then create the limp Raggedy Ann doll as a tribute to his lifeless daughter, as another myth states. Regardless, some journalistic sources repeat the myth.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780027375855 |
| ISBN 10 | 0027375854 |
| Title | Raggedy Ann Stories |
| Author | Johnny Gruelle |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster Australia |
| Year published | 1991-01-01 |
| Number of pages | 96 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |