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The Story Of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen

The Story of Little Black Sambo is a children’s book written and illustrated by Scottish-born author Helen Bannerman for her children while her family was living in India. The story of a young Indian boy who outsmarts four tigers that threaten to eat him has been noted a controversial with its publication in the United States, accused of presenting racist overtones, primarily because of its illustrations. However, many “American editions” were pirated versions, lacking Bannerman’s name on the title page, that were reillustrated, producing degrading caricatures. 

First Edition Identification

On October 31, 1899, The Story of Little Black Sambo was first published by Grant Richards as one in a series of small-format books called The Dumpy Books for Children. The book was an instant success, running to four editions in its first year.

Other Collectible or Notable Editions

Frederick A. Stokes of New York published the first US edition of Bannerman’s The Story of Little Black Sambo in 1900. After the story was reproduced in many pirated versions, Stokes moved to affix the line “The Only Authorized American Edition” to its 1923 edition to maintain some kind of distinction in the marketplace.

Available Copies

The Story of Little Black Sambo

The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Helen Bannerman

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
Very Good
Published
1918
Binding
Decorative Cloth
Quantity Available
1
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Waccabuc, New York, USA
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SGD 1,361.60

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Philadelphia: Henry Altemus, 1918. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/Very Good. A VERY EARLY EDITION IN ITS ORIGINAL PICTORIAL DUSTJACKET(!!). Published by Henry Altemus of Philadelphia as part of its "Wee Books for Wee Folks" series, the publication date can be pinned down conclusively between 1918-1921 but not more specifically than that. Dustwrappers earlier than this on editions of "Little… Read more about this item
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SGD 1,361.60
The Story of Little Black Sambo.; The Dumpy Books for Children, No. 4
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The Story of Little Black Sambo.; The Dumpy Books for Children, No. 4

by BANNERMAN, Helen

Condition
Used
Edition
Sixth
Published
1901
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
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New York, New York, USA
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SGD 680.80

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Description:
London: Grant Richards, 1901. Sixth. hardcover. Bannerman, Helen. 27 color illustrations. [14], 113 pages consisting of 56 single-sided pages, with text pages facing the illustrations so there are back-to-back blanks throughout. 16mo, pale green cloth with decorative stripes (cloth fingered and spine browned; inner hinges partially cracked but holding; several pages with minor staining). London: Grant Richards, 1901. Sixth… Read more about this item
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SGD 680.80
The Story of Little Black Sambo [ THE NEW ANIMATED LITTLE BLACK SAMBO WITH PICTURES THAT ACTUALLY MOVE! ]
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The Story of Little Black Sambo [ THE NEW ANIMATED LITTLE BLACK SAMBO WITH PICTURES THAT ACTUALLY MOVE! ]

by Bannerman, Helen; Wiese, Kurt (Illustrator)

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition Thus
Published
1933
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
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Evanston, Illinois, USA
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SGD 1,632.56

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Description:
Garden City Publishing , 1933. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Very Good. Illustrated in color with twenty-seven full page illustrations, plus endpaper illustrations, by Kurt Wiese. These includes 4 movable plates with jointed characters operated by tabs. These "animations" were created by A. V. Warren. This book is in remarkably well preserved condition. There is an inscription to Paul… Read more about this item
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SGD 1,632.56
THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO
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THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Good
Jacket Condition
Fair/Poor
Published
1947
Binding
Hardback
Quantity Available
1
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Monmouthshire, Aberdeen, GBR
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SGD 172.18

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Published by Graham Watson Limited, 1947. Hardback. Good/Fair/Poor. Illustrated by Bannerman, Helen. Almost very good condition in a poor dustwrapper. Small format. Blue pictorial boards. Delightful colour illustrations of the little black boy and his Mammie. A very scarce edition, the only edition published by Watson. Wear to cover edges. Marks to front cover. Inscription in ink to… Read more about this item
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SGD 172.18
The Story of Little Black Sambo

The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Original light green cloth ruled and lettered in dark green. Contemporary owner's signature dated Nov 1 1899 on title. Front hin
Edition
First edition
Published
1899
Binding
Illustrated with 27 full-page engravings after drawings by the author, printed in color by Edmund Evans. 1 vols. 16mo
Quantity Available
1
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New York, New York, USA
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SGD 8,169.60

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London: Grant Richards, 1899. First edition. Illustrated with 27 full-page engravings after drawings by the author, printed in color by Edmund Evans. 1 vols. 16mo. Original light green cloth ruled and lettered in dark green. Contemporary owner's signature dated Nov 1 1899 on title. Front hinge repaired, some rubbing and soiling of covers, a few spots in margins. Overall,… Read more about this item
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SGD 8,169.60
Story of Little Black Sambo, The

Story of Little Black Sambo, The

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Good
Jacket Condition
None
Edition
1st
Published
1931
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Middlebury, Vermont, USA
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SGD 81.70

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Description:
Philadelphia: David McKay Company, 1931. 1st. Hardcover. Good/None. 59 pages. Hardcover with chipped pictorial boards. Previous owner's markings on a few pages, end papers. Pages 39-42 have chunk torn from pages on bottom about an inch wide. Record # 354257
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SGD 81.70
The Story of Little Black Sambo
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The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen, 1862-1946

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
2nd Amer. ed
Published
1904
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Hamden, Connecticut, USA
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SGD 544.64

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New York: Frederick A. Stokes, 1904. 2nd Amer. ed. Hardcover. Very Good. color illustrations, v, 55p. Original cloth-backed boards with oval color illustration mounted on front cover inside a black oval with title and author printed in black above and below illustration. 15cm. Text and illustrations printed on one side only; text generally on right side (except for… Read more about this item
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SGD 544.64
The Story of Little Black Sambo
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The Story of Little Black Sambo

by BANNERMAN, Helen

Condition
Used - Very good
Published
1900
Binding
Boards
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Thomaston, Maine, USA
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SGD 238.28

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Description:
New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1900. Boards. Very good. [WOMAN AUTHOR / ILLUSTRATOR] [RACIST CARICATURES]. American edition of the Dumpy Book. 24mo (5 ¾" x 4 1/8"); 56pp; illustrated boards, Sambo holding an umbrella inside an oval on front, lettering in black; green cloth shelf back; printer's error on last page of Preface "exactly"; fp + 26… Read more about this item
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SGD 238.28
THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO
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THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO

by BANNERMAN. HELEN.;

Condition
Used
Published
1935
Quantity Available
1
Seller
London, Greater London, GBR
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SGD 215.22

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Description:
Chatto & Windus. London.,1935. Reprint. Small 4to.(9.3 x 7 inches). 27 full colour plates, each with a page of text opposite. Small area of loss to the bottom corner of one page and a few pages with tears into the margins, without any loss to the page. Overall a very good clean copy which has recently been finely bound… Read more about this item
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SGD 215.22
THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO
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THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO

by Bannerman, Helen.

Condition
Used - Very fine; entirely clean and unworn in moderately edgeworn jacket. The quality of the illustrations is very good; crisp with we
Edition
Early reprint
Published
nd (circa 1936)
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Fort Bragg, California, USA
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SGD 544.64

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Description:
New York: Frederick A. Stokes, nd (circa 1936). Early reprint. Very fine; entirely clean and unworn in moderately edgeworn jacket. The quality of the illustrations is very good; crisp with well-defined colors . Original red cloth with color pictorial pastedown label on front board, 5.75 x 4.25 inches; frontispiece, ii-iv, [1], 56 pp., text and illustrations printed on… Read more about this item
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SGD 544.64
The Story of Little Black Sambo [with] The Story of Topsy from Uncle Tom's Cabin
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The Story of Little Black Sambo [with] The Story of Topsy from Uncle Tom's Cabin

by Bannerman, Helen (ill John R Neill)

Condition
Used - Fair
Edition
Early Printing
Published
1908
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Victoria, British Columbia, CAN
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SGD 54.46

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Chicago : Reilly and Britton Co , 1908 . Early Printing . Fair . 12MO . With the Reilly and Britton imprint rather than the later Reilly and Lee. This copy lists 14 titles in the Childrens Red Book series and has ads at rear for OZ books going up to The Emerald City of Oz, thus dating… Read more about this item
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SGD 54.46
THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO
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THE STORY OF LITTLE BLACK SAMBO

by Helen Bannerman

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1966
Binding
Spiral_bound
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Dayton, Ohio, USA
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SGD 136.16

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Description:
London: Chatto & Windus, 1966. Spiral_bound. Good. 63p. A spiralbound book with cardboard covers. Good condition overall. Edges rubbed, corners crinkled, and dark discoloration on front cover. Text unmarked and binding tight. Vintage edition of the controversial children's story, with a stereotypical Golliwog-like depiction of Little Black Sambo. This edition originally came with a paper doll of Sambo;… Read more about this item
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SGD 136.16
The Story of Little Black Sambo [The Only Authorized American Edition]
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The Story of Little Black Sambo [The Only Authorized American Edition]

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Very good+
Jacket Condition
Very good+
Published
no date
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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SGD 27.23

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Description:
Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, no date. Hardcover. Very good+/Very good+. Black stamped red cloth boards in dust jacket, small octavo, illustrated in color. Book has mild edgewear to spine ends and corners, gentle rubbing, binding tight, text clean and unmarked. DJ rubbed and toned, $1.75 on front flap.
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SGD 27.23
The Story of Little Black Sambo
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The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1931
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Bayfield, Wisconsin, USA
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SGD 74.89

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Description:
Philadelphia: David McKay Company, 1931. Hardcover. Good. David McKay Company, Philadelphia. 1931. Copyright by Howard E. Altemus. Introduction by George C. Harvey. Hardcover, no dust jacket. Good condition. Red cloth cover with pictorial paste-down. Cloth faded and frayed at spine. Significant edge wear at corners. Pages all present and intact. Inscription on front page. Shelf 2
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SGD 74.89
Little Black Sambo:  Animated Edition

Little Black Sambo: Animated Edition

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1933
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Bloomington, Minnesota, USA
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SGD 1,101.53

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Description:
Garden City, New York: Garden City Publishing Co Inc, 1933. Clean with light soiling to the covers. Mustard colored boards with a full color paste-down of Little Black Sambo and the tiger on the front. Shaken. Spine is worn and cover has a cut mark Small name stamp on the inside of the front cover and on the… Read more about this item
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SGD 1,101.53
The Story of Little Black Sambo

The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Helen Bannerman

Condition
New
Binding
Hardback
ISBN 10
1557094144
Quantity Available
1
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Southport, Merseyside, GBR
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SGD 12.72

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Description:
Hardback. New.
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SGD 12.72
Story of Little Black Sambo
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Story of Little Black Sambo

by BANNERMAN, Helen

Condition
Used
Published
1899
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Beverly Hills, California, USA
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SGD 11,573.60

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Description:
London: Grant Richards, 1899. First edition. Sixteenmo (4 7/8 x 3 inches; 124 x 75 mm). viii, 57, [1, blank], [1, printer's imprint], [1, blank] pp. Twenty-seven full-page illustrations by the author, engraved on wood and color-printed by Edmund Evans. No. 4 of The Dumpy Books for Children. Original pale green cloth lettered and stamped in dark green… Read more about this item
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SGD 11,573.60
No image available

The Story of Little Black Sambo: The Only Authorized American Edition

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Near Fine
Edition
Reprint
Published
1946
Binding
Red Cloth
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Pasadena, California, USA
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This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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SGD 54.46

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Description:
Philadelphia / New York : J. B. Lippincott Company, 1946. Reprint . Red Cloth. Fine/Near Fine. Color Plates. 56 Pp. No Date In Book But After 1937. Long Blurb On Rear Panel Of Dust Jacket From May Becker's 1946 "First Adventures In Reading".No Isbn. A Bright Clean Fine Example In Near Fine Dust Jacket, Price Clipped At… Read more about this item
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SGD 54.46
Story of Little Black Sambo

Story of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1927
Binding
Boards
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Item Price
SGD 188.72

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Description:
Newark: Charles E. Graham, 1927. Boards. Good. L. S.. Wide 12mo, pp. unnumbered, color plates, b/w illus. Covers heavily rubbed and worn with some loss at edges and corners, previous owner name and ink stamp to front free endpaper and title page, a few faint pencil scribbles to front pastedown, finger marks to a few page margins.
Item Price
SGD 188.72
The Story of Little Black Sambo

The Story of Little Black Sambo

by Bannerman, Helen

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Fine
Edition
First Thus
Published
2003
ISBN 10
1929766556
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Victoria, British Columbia, CAN
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SGD 50.21

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Description:
N. Y.: Handprint Books, 2003. Book. Illus. by Bing, Christopher. Fine. First Thus. Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. Fine, unread copy, in a fine jacket..
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SGD 50.21