Books: Children's Favorite

On September 11, 1936, a boyish-looking ex-lightweight champion of Harvard named Munro Leaf published a 64-page children's book called Ferdinand. It was the tale of a Spanish bull that refused to fight, and Author Leaf had written it in one afternoon. Ferdinand sold only 13,736 copies the first year. Then it really began to go. By last week it had sold 90,000 copies; Author Leaf and Illustrator Robert Lawson had made about $10,000 in royalties ; Walt Disney had purchased Ferdinand for a Silly Symphony; letters were pouring in accusing Ferdinand of Red, Fascist and pacifist propaganda. Last week Author Leaf...

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