I have just begun to collect Little Golden books. I would appreciate any suggestions and ideas any of you ocan offer me. I would also like an easy way to tell the age and what edition a book is when I find it. Thanks!

Hi Deb,
Welcome and good luck. Golden books are everywhere once you start to look for them. As goldhunt says, the first thing you may want to do is get a price guide to give you an initial idea as to value. The most worn out book on my shelf is " Collecting Little Golden Books" by Steve Santi. There is a wealth of information in there. I also use two "Warman's " guides as back-ups.

Next, besides the large bookcase, is to decide whether you're collecting for future gain or fun (or both). My collection started for sentimental reasons and have blossomed into full blown collecting. During my stay-at -home days (as a "house-husband") I practically read the covers off of "The Monster at the End of This Book" and "Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree" doing the voices of Grover and Cookie Monster for my kids. As my kids have grown into teen-agers, those two books were the first two in my collection.Now, I look for the best first editions I can find. This sometimes require me to buy a cheaper copy just to have in my collection, and "trade up" when a better one comes along. If you decide to collect for the future, always look for the best copy available, and use the price guides as a reference not to overspend.

Even though I quit Ebay (I do not like their PayPal only rule), it is a great source for a beginner. Many of the box lots there contain hidden gems of books, and is a cheap way to start collecting the more recent Golden Books. There are also about 15 on-line auction sites beside Ebay, and the usual venues exist (Salvation Army stores, antique malls, flea markets, etc). Sometimes I'll get lucky with pre-schools or doctor's office waiting rooms. In those cases I'll trade an extra book I had bought somewhere else for the book in the office. Some may turn your offer down, while others will trade.

I hope this helps and good luck!