Bubble Books

Ralph Mayhaw and Burges Johnson
The Bubble Book: The Harper Collins Book that Sings
New York: Columbia Graphophone Co. and Harper Brothers, 1917
Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division
Copyright deposits (102B.3a,b, 103B.3)

Bubble Books, published by Harper Columbia between 1917 and 1922, was the first series of books and records published together produced especially for children. Each book contained three five and one half inch discs to accompany three printed nursery rhymes. Ralph Mayhew and Burges Johnson wrote the text and Rhoda Chase provided the illustrations. The singer is not listed on the discs but is thought to be Henry Burr. Millions of books were sold to delighted children in the U.S. and abroad. The first book in the series shown here was named by the National Recording Preservation Board to the 2003 Recording Registry.