"Tee Vee Humphrey" by John Lewellen, illustrated by Kurt Werth, published by Alfred A. Knopf for the Children's Book Club, 1958. 'First Edition' is stated on the copyright page.

Dust jacket with original price on the front flap [vertical fold of the front flap, c.1" crease on top of the dj]; orange hard boards with black illustration on the front board and black lettering on spine; 5. 1/2" x 8. 1/4"; 146 pages + one page about John Lewellen, over 20 line drawings by Kurt Werth including several full-page illustrations, very good condition.

Tee Vee gets a job at the local TV Station, show running a program about pets. This is back in the day when a kid could just walk into a TV studio and get a job without a union giving him a thumping.

"Tee Vee Humphrey was the first 'real' book that I ever read. It was the beginning of my love for reading, which continues to this day. What a wonderful book... what a wonderful time it was to grow up in! I miss those days and think upon them fondly and often. Those of you who grew up in the 1950s will understand... it was a simpler, happy time and children lived simpler, happier lives."[a private review}

"I had purchased this at the recommendation of a fellow creative in the entertainment industry, as they had said it was their inspiration for pursuing the arts from childhood, so I had to read it. Lovely story for anyone in the business or just curious as to what goes on behind the scenes of a TV production. Great children's story." [a private review}

John Lewellen (1910-1956) was also the author of several in the True Book series and other educational books for children; he died shortly after retiring from radio and television in order to devote his time to writing for children. This story about a boy in the world of television then has the author's own experiences for background. When 'Tee Vee' Humphrey was in the fifth grade, he decided it was about time he got in television. So he went right down to a local station and was hired as an errand boy. It wasn't long before he was on The Animal Shop program with real live animals. Tee Vee's adventures provide amusing reading, and an informative look at television (in the 1950s).

Kurt Werth (1896-1983) was a German-born illustrator best known for American children's books. Werth states, "As a German I was certainly influenced by the tradition of exact and thorough training in drawing. This goes back to Durer and even farther." He attempts to illustrate children's books in a "modern style". "Books have to be illustrated in our times. They should show the style of our times. Not all of them do it."

Werth was born September 21, 1896, in Leipzig, Germany. He studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig. His professor was influenced by Cézanne, although the public wasn't yet aware of the new trend of cubism in art. At the Academy, Werth studied the new graphic techniques and tried them out as illustrations of literary works. After graduating, Werth began to illustrate books, the first being Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida which was well received.

Werth moved to Munich, Germany after graduating, to draw satirical cartoons for various Munich magazines. In 1928, he and his wife Margaret, a Jewish German, moved to Berlin, Germany so that she could become part of the City Theater. In Berlin, Werth continued to draw satirical cartoons for Berlin magazines. With Hitler's increasing power, the magazines folded, and Margaret Werth, who was Jewish, was not allowed to work. In the 1939 the Werths emigrated to the United States where Werth found employment illustrating a Sunday column in the New York Times magazine.

Werth began drawing political cartoons for a wide number of U.S. magazines with a political bent once the U.S. became involved in World War II. After the war Werth began to illustrate children's books. One of his first attempts was Rosalys Hall's The Merry Miller. This attempt led to many other offers for illustrating work.

Note:
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US: Priority (c.2-4 days) --------- $12.50
Canada: 1st Class (c 2-6 weeks) -- $26.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-8 weeks) --- $34.50