First Edition Identification
Dr. Seuss Beginner Books B-11
1959 Bennett Cerf’s Book of Laughs
1959 B-11 Bennett Cerf’s Book of Laughs
Bennett Cerf. Carl Rose (Illustrator). Bennett Cerf’s Book of Laughs. New York. Beginner Books: 1959.
Pages#: 64 pages.
Book Description: Color illustrated boards wrapped in matching dust jacket. The 11th book in the groundbreaking Beginner Book series, written specifically to help children learn to read while simultaneously engaging and entertaining them. The book follows the boy Marvin through a series of laughable experiences penned by humorist Bennett Cerf (President of Random House). Told using only 232 different words.
Pagination: Front fixed and free endpapers illustrated in color; [i] title; [ii] copyright; 3-65 story; [65] last page of story is on the recto of back free endpaper; back free and fixed endpaper illustrated in color.
Collectibility Context
The first edition book in its original first edition DJ is a Very Collectible: Early book in ground breaking Beginner Books series, which changed the way children learned to read in America. Embraced by the public for 65 years with hundreds of thousands of copies sold. Bennett Cerf was a humorist who appeared on the TV show ‘What’s My Line?’ for 17 years, and was the President of Random House. Carl Rose was a successful cartoonist for decades. Little pop culture appeal.
The Collectibility of a first edition American picturebook is comprised of specific factors, as explained in detail at Factors Affecting Collectibility.
| Scarcity | Collect ibility | Illust. | 1st Early Late | Author | Awards | Pop Culture | Copies Sold | Fran chise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Scarcity Context
The first edition book in its original first edition DJ is Uncommon: There were 5 first editions found in the March 2024 survey, with an average price of $46, ranging from $55 to $25.
First Edition Book & Dust Jacket Descriptions
Book Front: Bound in glossy paper covered boards with color illustration. “BENNETT CERF’S [in black outlined box] / BOOK OF / LAUGHS / [Beginner Books logo] /DRAWINGS BY / CARL ROSE”
Note: Click on any of the book’s images to see at larger scale.
Book Back: Bound in glossy yellow paper covered boards. Blank with no illustration or text.
Book Spine: “BOOK OF LAUGHS BENNETT CERF * CARL ROSE BEGINNER BOOKS, INC B-11 [white horizontal text]”
Title Page: “Bennett Cerf’s / Book of / LAUGHS / Illustrated by / CARL ROSE / [color illustration] / Beginner Books, Inc. / DISTRIBUTED BY RANDOM HOUSE”
Copyright: “(c) Copyright 1959 by Bennett Cerf and Carl Rose. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright / Conventions. Published in New York by Beginner Books, Inc., and simultaneously in Toronto, Canada, by Random House / of Canada, Limited. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 59-13387. Manufactured in the United States of America.”
DJ Front: Color illustration matching book cover. With added Beginner Books logo. “BENNETT CERF’S [in black outlined box] / BOOK OF / LAUGHS / [Beginner Books logo middle right] / DRAWINGS BY / CARL ROSE”
DJ Back: Beginner Books DJ Back ‘D’: 1959 12 Titles
“What they say about / BEGINNER BOOKS / THE EDUCATORS: / “I was delighted with the Beginner Books … [… paragraph] / [Beginner Book logo] / THE PRESS: / “A real bonanza for the 1st … [… paragraph] / THE PARENTS: / “BEGINNER BOOKS are in my humble opinion, … [… paragraph] / / THE CHILDREN: “I love the BEGINNER BOOKS because I / can READ them!” — Kathy Winters (age 7) / ALREADY PUBLISHED / [First 12 BB titles listed in two columns of six] / 64 pages • color illustrations throughout • Each, $1.95 / Beginner Books, Inc. / DISTRIBUTED BY RANDOM HOUSE, 457 MADISON AVE. NEW YORK, 22 N.Y.”
DJ Spine: “BOOK OF LAUGHS BENNETT CERF * CARL ROSE BEGINNER BOOKS, INC B-11 [white horizontal text]”
DJ Price: 195/195
DJ Flap Front: “195/195 [top right] / [Beginner Books Logo] / BENNETT CERF’S / BOOK OF LAUGHS / Bennett Cerf, whose collections … [… paragraph] / Mr. Cerf’s most severe critics … […paragraph] / Reducing Mr. Cerf’s stories to … [… paragraph]”
DJ Flap Back: “[Bennett Cerf photograph] / [One paragraph Bennett Cerf biography] / [One paragraph Carl Rose biography]”
First Edition Identification
First edition book with copyright stating “Published in New York by Beginner Books, Inc.” and with a white ‘B-11’ on the spine.
First edition dust jacket is Beginner Books 1959 DJ ‘D’ with 12 titles listed and with ‘B-11’ on the DJ spine. See Beginner Books Dust Jacket Backs from Chapter 52 of the First Edition Identification Guide: Beginner Books.
Second Printings and Later
Second printing book is identical to the first printing.
Second printing dust jacket is 1960 DJ ‘F’ with 18 titles listed. See Beginner Books Dust Jacket Backs from Chapter 52 of the First Edition Identification Guide: Beginner Books.
Third printing book states ‘A DIVISION OF RANDOM HOUSE, INC.’ on the title page.
BB-11 Book Of Laughs Third Printing \
Third printing dust jacket is 1960 ‘F’ version ‘c’ with “DIVISION OF RANDOM HOUSE”. See Beginner Books Dust Jacket Backs from Chapter 52 of the First Edition Identification Guide: Beginner Books.
See First Fifty Beginner Books for first edition identification of the first 50 Beginner Books.
See Beginner Books Dust Jacket Backs to see the chronological sequence of the Beginner Books dust jackets.
All of this information is sourced from the First Edition Identification Guide: Beginner Books (2024, Flying Moose Books), by Stan Zielinski.