Keep your eyes open for this one at estate sales, garage sales, second hand book stores, and thrift stores. Look for Little Black Sambo (Helen Bannerman) early publications in the 1920s and 1930s. Written in 1899 by a Scot living in India, this has been a childhood classic over the last 100 years.
If you are lucky enough to find one, these books are selling for upwards of $200. 
The antiquarian Little Black Sambo books sell in the thousands.
Considered racially offensive to some African Americans, the title of this book was changed to Little Bad Sambo several years ago. Ironically, the story is about a little boy in East India and his adventures with clever tigers stealing his clothes, not about an African American child. The title has recently been changed back to the original to preserve its historical value.
I remember reading Little Black Sambo in the late sixties in grade school - I thought he was so clever. Imagine an original going for that price!
Posted by: Tammy | January 24, 2008 6:50 PM | Permalink to Comment