The Trumpeter of Krakow: Production History
First edition
The first edition of Trumpeter of Krakow was first printed in New York by Macmillan in 1928. According to an advertisement for the new 1966 edition, the first edition was reprinted 33 times.
Last date in print
As far as I can tell, The Trumpeter of Krakow never went out of print. It is currently available as an Aladdin paperback from Amazon for $6.99. It is also available as a Kindle e-book for $6.49.
Total copies sold and sales by year
For The Trumpeter of Krakow to have gone through thirty-four printings in thirty-eight years (and, according to the advertisement, worn out its metal plates!), it must have sold well. Interest seems to have picked up again in the 1960s, when the new illustrations were created, as well as a Braille edition and the first (abridged) audio recording. The 1990s saw new paperback editions, new translations into German and Chinese, and an unabridged audiobook. All of this indicates that the book has remained popular for nearly a century, suggesting that sales were consistently high during that time period.
Awards
Kelly won the Newbery Medal in 1929 for The Trumpeter of Krakow.
Related books by the author
Although The Trumpeter of Krakow is not part of a series, Kelly did write several other books for young people about historical Poland. Of these, two are most closely associated with The Trumpeter of Krakow, and are sometimes said to form a trilogy with it. They are The Blacksmith of Vilno (Macmillan, 1930) and The Golden Star of Halich (Macmillan, 1931). Both of these books were also originally illustrated by Angela Pruszynska. (Chevalier & Kirkpatrick 1989: 516)
Selected advertising history
On September 23, 1928, The Trumpeter of Krakow was featured as a “Book of the Week” in the New York Herald-Tribune, under the heading “Juvenile.” On December 2, 1928, it was featured in a list of “Children’s Books of 1928 Selected for Different Tastes” in the same newspaper, under the heading “Adventure and Mystery.”
The Trumpeter of Krakow won the Newbery Medal in 1929; all advertisements that I found after this make note of the award. On May 19, 1929, the book had an advertisement all to itself in the New York Herald-Tribune (see below). On July 21, 1929, 150 autographed copies were advertised in the Los Angeles Times (see below). On September 29, 1929, it was listed at the top of “The New Macmillan Books for Boys and Girls” in the New York Herald Tribune, under the heading “Thrilling Tales from History.” On December 1, 1929, J. W. Robinson Co. advertised its children’s book selection in the Los Angeles Times, including The Trumpeter of Krakow. Up to this point the book was always listed for $2.50 — including the 150 autographed copies.
In 1966, Macmillan created a new edition of The Trumpeter of Krakow, with new illustrations and a foreword by the founder of the Macmillan Children’s Book Department. This led to a new round of advertisements: on November 3, 1966, in the Christian Science Monitor; and on November 6, 1966, in the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune (see below). The new edition sold for $3.95.
The first edition of Trumpeter of Krakow was first printed in New York by Macmillan in 1928. According to an advertisement for the new 1966 edition, the first edition was reprinted 33 times.
Last date in print
As far as I can tell, The Trumpeter of Krakow never went out of print. It is currently available as an Aladdin paperback from Amazon for $6.99. It is also available as a Kindle e-book for $6.49.
Total copies sold and sales by year
For The Trumpeter of Krakow to have gone through thirty-four printings in thirty-eight years (and, according to the advertisement, worn out its metal plates!), it must have sold well. Interest seems to have picked up again in the 1960s, when the new illustrations were created, as well as a Braille edition and the first (abridged) audio recording. The 1990s saw new paperback editions, new translations into German and Chinese, and an unabridged audiobook. All of this indicates that the book has remained popular for nearly a century, suggesting that sales were consistently high during that time period.
Awards
Kelly won the Newbery Medal in 1929 for The Trumpeter of Krakow.
Related books by the author
Although The Trumpeter of Krakow is not part of a series, Kelly did write several other books for young people about historical Poland. Of these, two are most closely associated with The Trumpeter of Krakow, and are sometimes said to form a trilogy with it. They are The Blacksmith of Vilno (Macmillan, 1930) and The Golden Star of Halich (Macmillan, 1931). Both of these books were also originally illustrated by Angela Pruszynska. (Chevalier & Kirkpatrick 1989: 516)
Selected advertising history
On September 23, 1928, The Trumpeter of Krakow was featured as a “Book of the Week” in the New York Herald-Tribune, under the heading “Juvenile.” On December 2, 1928, it was featured in a list of “Children’s Books of 1928 Selected for Different Tastes” in the same newspaper, under the heading “Adventure and Mystery.”
The Trumpeter of Krakow won the Newbery Medal in 1929; all advertisements that I found after this make note of the award. On May 19, 1929, the book had an advertisement all to itself in the New York Herald-Tribune (see below). On July 21, 1929, 150 autographed copies were advertised in the Los Angeles Times (see below). On September 29, 1929, it was listed at the top of “The New Macmillan Books for Boys and Girls” in the New York Herald Tribune, under the heading “Thrilling Tales from History.” On December 1, 1929, J. W. Robinson Co. advertised its children’s book selection in the Los Angeles Times, including The Trumpeter of Krakow. Up to this point the book was always listed for $2.50 — including the 150 autographed copies.
In 1966, Macmillan created a new edition of The Trumpeter of Krakow, with new illustrations and a foreword by the founder of the Macmillan Children’s Book Department. This led to a new round of advertisements: on November 3, 1966, in the Christian Science Monitor; and on November 6, 1966, in the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune (see below). The new edition sold for $3.95.
Sample advertisements
Editions/printings
Date | Publisher | Notes |
---|---|---|
1955 | Macmillan | 26th printing |
1966 | Macmillan | New illustrations by Janina Domanska. Foreword by Louise Seaman Bechtel. |
1966 | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | Paperback? |
1966 | Macmillan | Braille edition |
1968 | London: Chatto & Windus | 2nd printing 1971 |
1973 | Collier Books | |
1990 | Scholastic | |
1990 | Scholastic | Braille edition |
1992 | Aladdin Paperback |
Audiobooks
Date | Format | Publisher | Narrator | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1969 | LP | Newbery Award Records | Bob Lloyd | 43 min. |
1999 | Cassette | Recorded Books | Ron Keith | 7 hr. |
Foreign Language editions
Date | Language | Title | Publisher | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1931 | Dutch | De trompetter van Krakau : een verhaal uit de vijftiende eeuw | Amsterdam: Van Holkema & Warendorf's Uitgevers-Maatschappij | 2nd edition 1941 |
1931 | Polish | Krakovský trubač; román o podivuhodných osudech tarnovského křišt ̕álu | Praha, Nakladalel | |
1994 | German | Der Trompeter von Krakau : eine Geschichte aus dem Polen des 15. Jahrhunderts | Stuttgart : Verl. Freies Geistesleben | |
1994 | Chinese | 波蘭吹號手 | 智茂文化事業有限公司 |
Information for these tables compiled from WorldCat.
Educational materials
In 1969, Miller-Brody Productions created a set of audiocassettes for four Newbery winners, including The Trumpeter of Krakow. The set includes the cassettes, copies of the books, and worksheets. "Designed to motivate students to read the finest in children's literature, and to strengthen their literature skills." (WorldCat)
In 1974, Miller-Brody Productions published an educational filmstrip based on the story of The Trumpeter of Krakow. It contained 35 mm. film, 2 accompanying cassettes for audio, and a teacher's guide. (WorldCat)
The Center for Learning (2002) publishes a combined lesson-planning guide for The Gypsy Game/The Trumpeter of Krakow. http://www.centerforlearning.org/p-499-the-gypsy-gamethe-trumpeter-of-krakow.aspx
Bookrags.com offers free lesson plans and study guid for The Trumpeter of Krakow. http://www.bookrags.com/The_Trumpeter_of_Krakow/#gsc.tab=0
Educational materials
In 1969, Miller-Brody Productions created a set of audiocassettes for four Newbery winners, including The Trumpeter of Krakow. The set includes the cassettes, copies of the books, and worksheets. "Designed to motivate students to read the finest in children's literature, and to strengthen their literature skills." (WorldCat)
In 1974, Miller-Brody Productions published an educational filmstrip based on the story of The Trumpeter of Krakow. It contained 35 mm. film, 2 accompanying cassettes for audio, and a teacher's guide. (WorldCat)
The Center for Learning (2002) publishes a combined lesson-planning guide for The Gypsy Game/The Trumpeter of Krakow. http://www.centerforlearning.org/p-499-the-gypsy-gamethe-trumpeter-of-krakow.aspx
Bookrags.com offers free lesson plans and study guid for The Trumpeter of Krakow. http://www.bookrags.com/The_Trumpeter_of_Krakow/#gsc.tab=0
Sources
Advertisement. (1929, December 1). Los Angeles Times, 19.
Advertisement. (1929, July 21). Los Angeles Times, 18.
Advertisement. (1929, May 19). New York Herald-Tribune, J19.
Advertisement. (1929, November 3). The Christian Science Monitor, B6.
Advertisement. (1929, November 6). The New York Times, 388.
Advertisement. (1929, September 29). New York Herald-Tribune, K24.
Amazon.com (nd). The Trumpeter of Krakow search. Retrieved on April 16, 2015 from
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=trumpeter+of+krakow
Books for Every Kind of Cat. (1929, November 6). Chicago Tribune, P15.
Books of the Week: Fiction. (1928, September 23). New York Herald-Tribune, J24.
Chevalier, T., & Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1989). Twentieth-century children's writers. St. James Press.
Children's Books of 1928: Selected for Different Tastes. (1928, December 2). New York Herald-Tribune, J10.
Gypsy Game/The Trumpeter of Krakow, The. (n.d.). The Center for Learning. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from
http://www.centerforlearning.org/p-499-the-gypsy-gamethe-trumpeter-of-krakow.aspx
Trumpeter of Krakow, The. (n.d.) Bookrags.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from
http://www.bookrags.com/The_Trumpeter_of_Krakow/#gsc.tab=0
WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.worldcat.org/
Advertisement. (1929, December 1). Los Angeles Times, 19.
Advertisement. (1929, July 21). Los Angeles Times, 18.
Advertisement. (1929, May 19). New York Herald-Tribune, J19.
Advertisement. (1929, November 3). The Christian Science Monitor, B6.
Advertisement. (1929, November 6). The New York Times, 388.
Advertisement. (1929, September 29). New York Herald-Tribune, K24.
Amazon.com (nd). The Trumpeter of Krakow search. Retrieved on April 16, 2015 from
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=trumpeter+of+krakow
Books for Every Kind of Cat. (1929, November 6). Chicago Tribune, P15.
Books of the Week: Fiction. (1928, September 23). New York Herald-Tribune, J24.
Chevalier, T., & Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1989). Twentieth-century children's writers. St. James Press.
Children's Books of 1928: Selected for Different Tastes. (1928, December 2). New York Herald-Tribune, J10.
Gypsy Game/The Trumpeter of Krakow, The. (n.d.). The Center for Learning. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from
http://www.centerforlearning.org/p-499-the-gypsy-gamethe-trumpeter-of-krakow.aspx
Trumpeter of Krakow, The. (n.d.) Bookrags.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from
http://www.bookrags.com/The_Trumpeter_of_Krakow/#gsc.tab=0
WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.worldcat.org/
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