by H. A. Rey
Billy's Picture
Billy's Picture was first published by Harper and Brothers in 1948. The story was quite popular, as editions were published in a variety of languages, including German, Japanese, Swedish, and Danish. In the mid-1960s, however, sales had slowed so much that when the Reys received a royalty statement in 1966, they thought the book must be out of print because the amount was so small. H.A.'s editor, Ursula Nordstrom, soon found a letter on her desk inquiring about the status of the book. It included a drawing of a rabbit reclining in the grass next to a tombstone that read: "Here Lies Billy, 1948–1965, R.I.P." With the Reys' encouragement, Billy's Picture was brought back into print with a new blue background color rather than the original lime green. The inclusion of Billy's Picture in this collection is also a celebration of the book coming back into print after a long rest.
Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World
It was generally thought that the Reys had escaped from Paris, as mentioned, with only four manuscripts in their packs. But in 1999, when the publisher of Houghton Mifflin Children's Books, Anita Silvey, visited the Rey archive at the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, she became aware of the unpublished manuscript. According to archived correspondence, Whiteblack the Penguin was submitted to Ursula Nordstrom at Harper and Brothers. A letter dated October 27, 1942, includes her comments: "I think Whiteblack can be shortened, sharpened, and improved. I hope you will let me see it again." But there is no written confirmation that the manuscript or illustrations were revised or submitted again. The original jacket illustration was marked with "Propriété de l'auteur H. A. Rey, Paris," indicating the Reys' address in France. Lay Lee Ong, a longtime friend of Margret Rey's and executor of the Rey estate, has noted that Whiteblack was inspired by Margret and Hans's days working at the 1937 Paris World's Fair in the Brazilian Pavilion, which was stationed across from a penguin exhibit. Hans spent his days drawing the delightful creatures, and he and Margret created characters out of them. The book was finally published in 2000.
Quotes from "About Margret and H. A. Rey and Curious George" by Margret Rey in The Complete Adventures of Curious George.
