Little Brown Koko

BLANCHE SEALE HUNT

Publication: American Colortype, 1940, New York

Illustrations by Dorothy M. Wagstaff. First edition. Octavo. Blue pictorial paper over boards with red cloth spine. Pictorial pastedown sheets and front and rear fly leafs. 96pp. Illustrations in black and red. Hunt was the creator of the Little Brown Koko series of children stories, which initially appeared monthly in The Household Magazine for more than a decade. The characters she created for the stories include Little Brown Koko, a six-year-old boy; Mammy, his mother; and his pets Shoog, a dog, and Inky-Poo, a black cat. These are the stories of a little black boy and his adventures: he plays hooky; gets lost; wins a prize; visits his granny; his billy goat; at the circus; spellin' lesson; and many others. The stories have the racial attitudes and Southern mannerisms of the time. The stories are self-contained and typically involve Little Brown Koko getting out of a mischievous situation. The black characters speak using poor grammar and have exaggerated-sized lips and eyes. Speaking of his little dog that he brought with him to school ... "Then he grinned up at Miss Appleblossom and said, 'My li'l' purppy-dog brung a book ter school so you-all could learm him ter read, Teacher." In another story, Mammy says, "Lan'-sakes-alive-ter-goodness! I never seed the like o' cuckle burrs in all my born days." An in another story ... ""Lan'-sakes, honey chile! hit am purt'near ten er' clock. Do run out an' see 'bout yore possum. I's mos' nigh got the sweet 'taters peeled now." "Yessum, Mammy!" An so it goes. Staples loosened at front and rear spine channels yet the boo is still solid and tight. Scraping to covers and edges along with soiling and with tape residue at spine edges. Good.

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