My Very Own Fairy Stories

[90 pp.] A collection of a dozen fairy tales by the author of the popular Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy books. Color illustrations by author throughout. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: "Johnny Gruelle (December 25, 1880 - January 8, 1938) was an artist, political cartoonist, and writer of children's books. He is best known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. He also provided colour illustrations for a 1914 edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales. He was born John Barton Gruelle in Arcola, Illinois. His father, Richard Gruelle was a noted artist affiliated with Hoosier Group of Indiana artists. His first well known cartooning work was Mr. Twee Deedle which Gruelle created after he beat out 1,500 other entrants in a cartooning contest sponsored in 1911 by The New York Herald. Mr. Twee Deedle was in print from 1911 to 1914. One day, Johnny gave his daughter Marcella a dusty, faceless rag doll found in the attic. Johnny drew a face on the doll and named her Raggedy Ann. Marcella played with the doll so much, Raggedy Ann became like a sister to her. Gruelle figured other children would like the doll as much too. Gruelle's Raggedy Ann doll U.S. Patent 47,789 was dated September 7, 1915. In 1918, the PF Volland Company published Raggedy Ann Stories. Gruelle then created a following series of popular Raggedy Ann books and dolls."