Written by Margie Bell. Illustrated by Jay Ward Studio, with background/layout art by Frank Hursh, character art by Bill Hurtz and Chris Jenkyns. Edition #8434, 30-70, Oct 1962. Storytoons Express by Rand McNally & Company, Chicago.
"Once there was a man whom his neighbors called Silly Joe. They said he was not much brighter than his mule, Peter.
"One day Silly Joe was walking through the town leading Peter by a long rope attached to his halter.
"Two thieves were standing on the sidewalk and saw him go by. "Watch me steal that mule," said the first thief.
"How are you going to do it?" asked the second thief."
Rand McNally began publishing the Elf Book series in 1913. In 1947, they rebranded the series to Elf Junior to compete with Little Golden Books, then sold the line to MacMillan in 1986.
Frank Hursh, Bill Hurtz, and Chris Jenkyns, genius cartoon illustrators with Jay Ward Studio, creator of Rocky & Bullwinkle and Fractured Fairy Tales, produced the artwork for Silly Joe. Their work is uncredited but the Cartoon Modern style is unmistakable.
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Condition*: Good. Lacks dust jacket, as issued. Illustrated orange cover boards: Moderate shelf wear with small areas of scuffing, front and back; bumped at the corners; bumped at head and tail of the spine; cracking near head and tail of the spine; light soiling from handling. Page tanning, and small stain on page 8, else pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.
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