Peanuts kids books and reference books
December 19th, 2009 revision
Most Peanuts books are readable by kids, but this list aims to include those books where kids are the clear and primary target -- bath books, storybooks, etc. It does not include strip reprint books or adaptations of animated episodes, which are covered elsewhere.
By "reference books", I don't mean books for learning about Peanuts. Instead,
the term includes educational
and reference books which use Peanuts characters and illustrations. There have
been a surprisingly large number of these over the years. Generally, they are
aimed at kids
(I suspect few adults would rely on The Charlie Brown Dictionary as their primary
reference source), which is why this list is a combined one. (It also saves me
from making judgment calls about whether certain books are kids books or reference
books.)Sets
Brighter Child board books
Published by American Education Publishing- All My Things: Snoopy *
- Snoopy's ABCs Not to be confused with Snoopy's ABC's of the Snoopy And Friends set
- Snoopy Counts to 10 *
- Snoopy's Crayons *
- Snoopy's Friends *
- Snoopy's Make Believe *
The Charlie Brown Dictionary
This reference work has been issued in a variety of lengths, generally in hardcover (although I believe I've seen a softcover all-in-one volume.) The text is derived from The Rainbow Dictionary by Wendell Wright, but the examples of each word have often been reworked to include Peanuts characters.- All-in-one * (HB) Published by Random House
- Six volume edition Published by World
- Volume 1: A to Co *
- Volume 2: Co to Gr *
- Volume 3: Gr to Mi *
- Volume 4: Mi to Ri *
- Volume 5: Ri to Te *
- Volume 6: Te to Z *
- Eight volume edition Published by World
- Volume 1: A to B *
- Volume 2: C to E *
- Volume 3: F to H *
- Volume 4: I to Mo *
- Volume 5: Mo to P *
- Volume 6: Q to St *
- Volume 7: St to Tu *
- Volume 8: Tu to Z *
Charlie Brown's Career Education Program
These books aren't actually for kids. What these are is teachers' guides, to accompany a series of filmstrips designed to lead the class in career goal evaluation. The film strips (including the accompanying audio tape) are in the style of Peanuts animated specials... except, of course, that they aren't animated. If anyone really wants, I'll post the names of each installment, but at the moment I'm saving space and my little typing fingers.- The Program Overview * this booklet included with every filmstrip
- Primary Series for Grades K-3
- Units 1 through 12 booklets
- Intermediate Series A for Grades 4-8
- Units 1 through 12
- Intermediate Series B for Grades 4-8
- Units 12 through 23 I have #22
Charlie Brown's 'Cyclopedia
This series, published by Funk & Wagnalls, reorganizes and reworks the material from Charlie Brown's Super Books Of Questions And Answers. This hardcover set was most frequently sold through supermarkets, where the first volume would be really cheap, the next few volumes semi-cheap, and the rest would be reasonably priced. Because of this, there appear to be more copies of #1 floating around out there than most of the volumes. There are two versions of the set, a 1980-1981 version and a 1990 version. A special rack for holding the books was also available with the 1990 version (and possibly with the earlier one.)- 1980-1981 Edition.
- Volume 1: Your Body *
- Volume 2: All Kinds of Animals from Fish to Frogs *
- Volume 3: All Kinds of Animals from Dinosaurs to Elephants *
- Volume 4: Cars and Trains and Other Things that Move *
- Volume 5: Boats and Other Things that Float *
- Volume 6: Planes and Other Things that Fly *
- Volume 7: Space Travel *
- Volume 8: Stars and Planets and Plants *
- Volume 9: The Earth, Weather, and Climate *
- Volume 10: People Around the World *
- Volume 11: What We Wear *
- Volume 12: Holidays *
- Volume 13: Machines and How They Work *
- Volume 14: Sound, Light, and Air *
- Volume 15: Electricity and Magnetism *
- Index
- 1990 Edition
- 1 - YOUR AMAZING BODY From Your Nose to Your Toes
- 2 - ANIMALS THROUGH THE AGES From Alligators to Zebras
- 3 - BLAST OFF TO SPACE Astronauts, Rockets, and Moon Walks
- 4 - CREATURES OF LAND AND SEA Wild, Weird, and Wonderful
- 5 - CARS, TRAINS, AND OTHER WHEELS Rolling Right Along
- 6 - HOW MACHINES WORK Gears, Gizmos, and Gadgets
- 7 - A GUIDE TO PLANET EARTH From the Ground Up
- 8 - SCIENCE CAN BE SUPER Sound, Light, and Air
- 9 - OUR INCREDIBLE UNIVERSE From Stars to Black Holes
- 10 - BOATS AND THINGS THAT FLOAT All Aboard!
- 11 - HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD Let's Celebrate!
- 12 - PEOPLE AND PLACES All Around the World
- 13 - ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM Invisible Forces
- 14 - CLOTHES FROM HEAD TO TOE What We Wear and Why
- 15 - PLANES AND THINGS THAT FLY Up, Up, and Away
- ALL ABOUT ME: My Own Diary * This book of questionaires that a child can fill out with information about himself is a bit harder to find, and it seems likely that many of the copies out there will be written in.
Charlie Brown's Super Books of Questions and Answers
The material from this series of informative books on a range of topics was later reprocessed into the Charlie Brown Cyclopedia. Volumes were issued both in paperback and hardcover. Some of the subjects are illustrated with appropriate strips... many of which have been made more appropriate by having the dialogue changed! Published by Random House- Charlie Brown's Super Book of Questions and Answers * (HB) Animals
- Charlie Brown's Second Super Book of Questions and Answers * (HB) Earth and space
- Charlie Brown's Third Super Book of Questions and Answers * (HB) Vehicles
- Charlie Brown's Fourth Super Book of Questions and Answers * (HB) People
- Charlie Brown's Fifth Super Book of Questions and Answers * (HB) Machines
LITTLE SIMON BOARD BOOKS
published by the Little Simon division of Simon & Schuster.Starting in 2003, Little Simon added board books to their successful line of Peanuts books. These vary in size and all contain reworked Schulz art.
- Baby Snoopy Santa * A shaped board book
- Baby Snoopy's Pumpkin * A shaped board book
- Baby Snoopy's Valentine *
- Baby Woodstock's Easter Eggs *
- Beagle Scout Snoopy * Actually, a stuffed toy Snoopy with a backpack that opens up as a book.
- Charlie Brown & Snoopy * Not to be confused with the strip reprint Charlie Brown And Snoopy.
- Colors
- Snoopy & Charlie Brown * A reformatted reprint of the earlier Charlie Brown & Snoopy.
- Snoopy's Feelings * A shaped board book
- Woodstock * Actually, a stuffed toy Woodstock with a backpack that opens up as a book.
- Snoopy's Doghouse Library * a boxed set of three books including:
- Meet Snoopy
- My Favorite Things
- Sweet Dreams Snoopy!
- Snoopy's Story Box * a boxed set of four books including larger versions of the three in Snoopy's Doghouse Library, plus a larger, rectangular version of Snoopy's Feelings
LITTLE SIMON STORY BOOKS
published by the Little Simon division of Simon & Schuster.Little Simon was publishing a line of adaptations of the animated specials (which are listed on the animation adaptations page, and in 2004 they followed that with a line of similar-looking storybooks that followed up on the theme of those specials, or treated holidays that the specials had skipped.
- The Easter Beagle Returns *
- Go To School, Charlie Brown
- Good Grief, It's Mother's Day *
- The Great Pumpkin Strikes Again
- It's Father's Day, Charlie Brown *
PEANUTS GANG
published by Harper-CollinsThis is my favorite line of kids storybooks. Why? These are genuine Schulz stories with genuine Schulz art. Each book takes a continuity from the daily strip, and reuses the art and the dialog. These are nice, cheap softcover books.
- Aaugh! A Dog Ate My Book Report! *
- Beware of the Snoring Ghost *
- Calling All Cookies! *
- Everyone Gets Gold Stars But Me! *
- A Flying Ace Needs a Lot of Root Beer *
- Good Grief! Gardening is Hard Work! *
- Have Fun at Beanbag Camp! *
- I'll be Home Soon, Snoopy *
- It's Baseball Season Again *
- It's the First Day of School *
- I've Been Traded for a Pizza? *
- Kick the Ball, Marcie! *
- Leaf It to Sally Brown *
- My Best Friend, My Blanket *
- Shall We Dance, Charlie Brown? *
- Travels with My Cactus *
- You Have a Brother Named Spike *
- Your Dog Plays Hockey? *
- You're Our New Mascot, Chuck! *
Peanuts Gang-ish Hardbacks
These are also strip adaptations, but are longer, upscale, and hardcover.
- Happy Halloween, Great Pumpkin * (HB)
- Happy Valentine's Day, Sweet Babboo! * (HB)
- The Round-Headed Kid and Me * (HB)
- Sally's Christmas Miracle * (HB)
- Sally's Christmas Play * (HB)
Peanuts Gang-ish Board books
These are also strip adaptations, but are short (a single Sunday strip each, one panel per two-page spread) with an electronic button that plays a tune when you press it.
- Pop! Goes the Beagle plays "Pop! Goes the Weasel."; it's a wordless strip, so technically we could consider this a strip reprint *
- Snoopy's Christmas Tree plays "O Christmas Tree", aka "O Tannenbaum" *
Ready-to-Read
These books from Little Simon (a Simon And Schuster imprint) each take several strips and retell them in prose, with color illustrations reworked from the strips. The common editions are paperback, but hardcovers were published aimed at the library market.- Friends Forever, Snoopy * Text by Patricia Boczkowski
- It's a Home Run, Charlie Brown * Text by Judy Katschke
- Kick the Football, Charlie Brown * Text by Judy Katschke
- Take a Hike, Snoopy! * Text by Judy Katschke
- It's Time for School, Charlie Brown * Text by Judy Katschke
- Snoopy, Flying Ace to the Rescue * (HB: Kohl's Collector's Edition) Text by Darice Bailer
- Lose the Blanket, Linus * (HB) Text by Darice Bailer
- Lucy's Advice * Text by Nancy Krulik
- Make a Trade, Charlie Brown * text by Darice Bailer; this one is actually an adaptation of the animated special Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown
- Puppy Days * Text by Lizzie Mack
- Flying Ace to the Rescue and other Peanuts Stories * (HB) Collects Snoopy: Flying Ace to the Rescue; Friends Forever Snoopy; It's a Home Run Charlie Brown!; Kick the Football, Charlie Brown!; It's Time for School Charlie Brown; and Lucy's Advice into a single hardcover volume
Snoopy And Friends
"Snoopy And Friends" was a logo used on a range of different kid book formats by Golden Books and Marigold Press. Some books published under this label were adaptations of animated features, and are listed on the animated books list.- Charlie Brown's Two-Minute Stories * (HB) Written by Margo Lundell
- Come Back, Snoopy * A Golden Look-Look Book written by Norma Simone
- Get in Shape, Snoopy a Golden book -- not sure of series or author
- Happy Halloween, Snoopy * A Golden Look-Look Book written by Jack C. Harris
- Here's Snoopy * A Golden Super Shape Book written by Diane Namm
- It's How You Play the Game * (HB) A Big Little Golden Book written by Justine Korman
- Let's Fly a Kite, Charlie Brown! * (HB) A Little Golden Book, written by Harry Coe Verr
- Snoopy: The World's Greatest Author * Written by Marci McGill
- Snoopy's A Little Help from My Friend * (HB) Written by Justine Korman
- Snoopy's Two Minute Stories * Written by Justine Korman
- Where's Woodstock * (HB) A Little Golden Book written by Margo Lundell
- You're A Star, Snoopy! * Written by Linda Williams Aber
Snoopy educational books
This set of Snoopy And Friends books, published under the Golden Books imprint, was available in hardcover and with cardboard covers. They are simple storybooks written by Nancy Hall.- Snoopy's 1, 2, 3 * (HB)
- Snoopy's ABC's * Do not confuse this with the board book Snoopy's ABCs
- Snoopy's Book of Colors * (HB)
- Snoopy's Book of Opposites *
- Snoopy's Book of Shapes * (HB)
- Snoopy's Word Book * (HB)
Snoopy's Code Books
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston put out this series of schoolbooks for young English classes.- Snoopy's Secret Code Book This is the student textbook *
- Snoopy's First Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook *
- Snoopy's Yellow Code Book
- Teaching guide *
- Student workbook
- Snoopy's Blue Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook
- Snoopy's Red Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook
- Snoopy's Green Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook
- Snoopy's Orange Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook
- Snoopy's Purple Code Book
- Teaching guide
- Student workbook
Snoopy's Laughter and Learning Story and Activity Series
This is a British-only series of educational primers, printed on laminated-style paper so that kids can draw on them with markers then wipe them clean. Published by Ravette.- Read with Snoopy *
- Write with Snoopy *
- Count with Snoopy *
- Colour with Snoopy *
Snoopy's Facts and Fun Books
These little factual storybooks with Snoopy illustrations came out in three formats. There were 32-page hardcover (published by Random House) and softcover (Scholastic Books) versions, and then there were smaller, 24-page abridged editions published by Happy House (a division of Random House.) I do not yet know whether there are abridged versions of all the books, or only some.-
Snoopy's Facts & Fun Book About...
- ...Boats * (HB)
- ...Farms * (HB)
- ...Houses * (HB)
- ...Nature * (HB)
- ...Planes *
- ...Planes (abridged) *
- ...Seashores * (HB)
- ...Seasons *
- ...Seasons (abridged) *
- ....Trucks * (library-bound)
Snoopy's World
These books, published by Derrydale, reprocessed the material from the Charlie Brown 'Cyclopedia set- Creatures, Large and Small *
- Earth, Water, and Air *
- How Things Work *
- Land and Space *
- People and Customs of the World *
The World of Snoopy
High-tech toy manufacturer Worlds Of Wonder produced a mechanical Snoopy toy which was basically like their Teddy Ruxpin doll, playing a tape while moving its mouth. Each tape was accompanied by a storybook with the same story, with illustrations presumably from Schulz's studio but clearly not the work of the man himself. These hardcover books include:- Rock-a-Bye Snoopy *
- Snoopy and The Great Pumpkin *
- Snoopy at the Dog Show *
- Snoopy Goes Camping *
- Snoopy Hits the Beach *
- Snoopy, Spike, and the Cat Next Door *
- Snoopy's America *
- Snoopy's Band *
- Snoopy's Baseball Game *
- Snoopy's Birthday Party *
- Snoopy's Land of Make Believe *
- Snoopy's Show and Tell *
- Snoopy's Talent Show *
Odd books
- Baby Snoopy's Busy Day * A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Danara
- Belle Goes To a Party * A book with things to touch and feel, published by Determined Productions
- Charlie Brown's Encyclopedia of Energy * (HB) Published by Random House
- Charlie Brown's Super Book of Things to Do and Collect * (HB) Published by Random House
- Friends are a Special Part of Christmas * Traditional holiday songs and new poems written by Bobbi Katz, published by Happy House
- Funny Pictures: Cartooning With Charles M. Schulz * (HB) A guide to creating your own comics, packaged with a set of pens, published by HarperFestival
- Hello, World! * A furry shaped cloth book featuring Woodstock, published by Little Simon
- How to Draw Peanuts * A basic book on how to draw the characters, using simple circle-and-line structures. The cover says it's "by Charles M. Schulz", but it was actually written after Schulz's death by artist Matt Busch. Published by Troll
- Linus Learns to Share * A story booklet packaged with a small blanket with a picture of Linus, published by Running Press.
- Mischief on Daisy Hill * (HB) Story of the Daisy Hill Puppies, published by Determined Productions
- Peanuts: A Pop-Up Celebration * Pop-up book, issued in a standard edition and a limited edition, published by Little Simon
- Peanuts Counting Book * Made by Ertl, this is a toy of Snoopy-as-Flying Ace on his doghouse. Flip the roof open, and a counting book is revealed. Minor oddity: Snoopy is sitting the wrong way on his doghouse, facing toward the entrance-end rather than his normal stance of facing the other end.
- The Peanuts Grand Piano Bookt * piano-shaped board book published by Running Press Kids.
- A Peanuts Valentine * A storybook with built-in envelopes housing Valentines and other items. Published by Little Simon. Not to be confused with the strip reprint book of the same name.
- Pet Snoopy * A book with things to touch and feel, published by Determined Productions
- Pet Belle * A book with things to touch and feel, published by Determined Productions
- Sleepy Time * A furry shaped cloth book featuring Baby Woodstock, published by Little Simon
- Snoopy and the Daisy Hill Puppies 1 2 3 * A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Determined Productions
- Snoopy and the Daisy Hill Puppies A B C A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Danara
- Snoopy & Woodstock * A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Danara
- Snoopy & Woodstock On The Farm * A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Danara
- Snoopy at the Bat * A Peanuts reworking of Casey at the Bat; board book published by Running Press Kids.
- Snoopy: Baby's Best Friend * cloth book, sold as a piece of make-your-own-book fabric
- Snoopy Does It All * Storybook published by Happy House, written by Emma Bruns
- Snoopy Magic Party Ideas * Only has characters on the coer; no Peanuts content inside
- Snoopy Omnibus * Reprints illustrated factoids from the Snoopy Fun Facts Calendars, written by Monica Bayley, published by Determined Productions
- Snoopy on Wheels * A board book, published by Random House
- Snoopy Things That Go Book * A vinyl bathtub book which squeaks, published by Danara
- Snoopy's Day at the Farm A storybook with electronic sound effect buttons, possibly part of a series called Peanuts Sound Story * (missing sound effects board)
- Snoopy's Travels * cloth book, sold as a piece of make-your-own-book fabric
- Speak Up, Charlie Brown * (speaking part doesn't work) A Mattel "Talking Storybook" with See'n'Say voice recording
- Through the Seasons with Snoopy * Published by Happy House
- Trick or Treat, Great Pumpkin * A storybook with electronic sound effect buttons, published by HarperFestival
- Where is Woodstock? * Board book published by Running Press Kids.
- You Can Be Anything! * Hardcover book published by Running Press Kids.
School textbooks with Peanuts content
- Celebrate (Invitations to Literacy) Houghton Mifflin, 1996, apparently just one strip
- Distant Views Scott, Foresman, A grade 6 reader
- Friends (Invitations to Literacy) Houghton Mifflin, 1996, apparently just one strip
- The Fallacy Detective - Second Edition Christian Logic, 2002; not sure how many strips, although non-Peanuts strips are also included; strips not in first edition
- Images (Invitations to Literacy) Houghton Mifflin, 1971, just one strip
- Imagine (Invitations to Literacy) Houghton Mifflin, 1999
- Olam Gadol -- Bet (A Big World II) Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1973. Hebrew language primer for English speakers; contains Peanuts strips in Hebrew *
- Open Highways (The Open Highways Readers book 5) Scott, Foresman, 1966. Contains a couple of Peanuts strips.
- Orbiting Earth Scott, Foresman, 1975, A New Open Highways book. Contains a brief article by Schulz on being a comic strip creator, plus a couple of Peanuts strips. *
- Outlets Macmillan Publishing, 1975. New Macmillan Reading Program, Level 29. Presumably contains strips.
- Rhymes and Reasons Macmillan Publishing, 1980. Series r Macmillan Reading, Levels 19-24. Just a couple strips *
- Sky Climbers Scott, Foresman, 1981. Scott Foresman Reading Program, level 10. Just a couple pages of strips.
- Sounds of a Young Hunter Holt Rinehart Winston, 1972. Contains one (count 'em, one) strip. *
- Sounds of Mystery California State Department of Education, 1969. Contains strips. *
- Splendid Journeys Scott, Foresman, 1974, A New Open Highways book. I think it only has one strip.
- Tapestries Macmillan Reading Connections Program, 1989. Two pages of strips. (Material also presumably included in one of the 4 softcover editions that are collected in this volume: Voices, Ventures, Voyages, or Viewpoints.)
- Under The Midnight Stars A 3rd grade reader, published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
- Vistas in Reading Literature (Gold Level) McDougal, Litell & Co., 1989. Section from the play You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown *
