Edward Edson Lee
Encyclopedia
Edward Edson Lee who wrote under the pen name
of Leo Edwards, was a popular children's literature
author in the 1920s and 1930s.
He wrote five series of books: the Jerry Todd series of sixteen books; the Poppy Ott series of eleven books; the Trigger Berg series of four books; the Andy Blake series of four books; and the Tuffy Bean series of four books. All of the series were interrelated in some way; the Todd and Ott stories took place in the town of Tutter, Illinois, a fictional town modeled on the town of Utica
, which Lee experienced in his childhood. The supporting characters in the Todd and Ott books — "Red" Meyers, "Scoop" Ellery, and "Peg" Shaw — were real boys that Lee befriended around the time he began writing the stories while living in Shelby, Ohio
.
Edward Edson Lee is buried in Beloit, Wisconsin
.
The end of each Jerry Todd book had the unusual feature of printed letters from readers and Lee's warm, informal responses to them. This tradition — and intimate tone — was later imitated by Marvel Comics
editor/publisher Stan Lee
(no relation) in the "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" pages printed in the pages of all Marvel comics.
The 1990s power pop band Cockeyed Ghost took its name from one of Edwards' more obscure books, Trigger Berg and the Cock-Eyed Ghost.
In his autobiography, "Where's the Rest of Me?" Ronald Reagan
wrote that, growing up in Tampico, Illinois
, he had a boyhood much like Jerry Todd.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Leo Edwards, was a popular children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
author in the 1920s and 1930s.
Biography
Lee had a difficult childhood, dropping out of school to go to work in his early teens. He got his start as a writer writing serialized stories, most notably in American Boy magazine. His first book, Andy Blake in Advertising, was published in 1922 (reprinted in 1928 as the first volume in the Andy Blake series).He wrote five series of books: the Jerry Todd series of sixteen books; the Poppy Ott series of eleven books; the Trigger Berg series of four books; the Andy Blake series of four books; and the Tuffy Bean series of four books. All of the series were interrelated in some way; the Todd and Ott stories took place in the town of Tutter, Illinois, a fictional town modeled on the town of Utica
North Utica, Illinois
North Utica is a village in Utica Township, LaSalle County, Illinois. The population was 977 at the 2000 United States Census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, which Lee experienced in his childhood. The supporting characters in the Todd and Ott books — "Red" Meyers, "Scoop" Ellery, and "Peg" Shaw — were real boys that Lee befriended around the time he began writing the stories while living in Shelby, Ohio
Shelby, Ohio
Shelby is a city in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio, northwest of the city of Mansfield. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
Edward Edson Lee is buried in Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
.
Legacy
Initially forgotten after his death, Lee's books (most of them graced by the gaudy and idiosyncratic illustrations of Bert Salg) have become highly valued by juvenile book collectors.The end of each Jerry Todd book had the unusual feature of printed letters from readers and Lee's warm, informal responses to them. This tradition — and intimate tone — was later imitated by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
editor/publisher Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
(no relation) in the "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" pages printed in the pages of all Marvel comics.
The 1990s power pop band Cockeyed Ghost took its name from one of Edwards' more obscure books, Trigger Berg and the Cock-Eyed Ghost.
In his autobiography, "Where's the Rest of Me?" Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
wrote that, growing up in Tampico, Illinois
Tampico, Illinois
Tampico is a village located in Tampico Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census the village had a total population of 790, up from 772 at the 2000 census. U.S. President Ronald Reagan was born there and lived there for two brief periods of his...
, he had a boyhood much like Jerry Todd.
Andy Blake series
- Andy Blake (originally Andy Blake in Advertising) - 1922, republished 1928
- Andy Blake and His Comet Coaster - 1928
- Andy Blake's Secret Service - 1929
- Andy Blake and the Pot of Gold - 1930
Jerry Todd series
- Jerry Todd and the Whispering Mummy - 1923
- Jerry Todd and the Rose-Colored Cat - 1924
- Jerry Todd and the Oak Island Treasure - 1925
- Jerry Todd and the Waltzing Hen - 1924
- Jerry Todd and the Talking Frog - 1925
- Jerry Todd and the Purring Egg - 1925
- Jerry Todd in the Whispering Cave - 1927
- Jerry Todd, Pirate - 1928
- Jerry Todd and the Bob-Tailed Elephant - 1929
- Jerry Todd, Editor-In-Grief - 1930
- Jerry Todd, Caveman - 1932
- Jerry Todd and the Flying Flapdoodle - 1934
- Jerry Todd and the Buffalo Bill Bathtub - 1936
- Jerry Todd's Up-The-Ladder Club - 1937
- Jerry Todd's Poodle Parlor - 1938
- Jerry Todd's Cuckoo Camp - 1940
Poppy Ott series
- Poppy Ott and the Stuttering Parrot - 1926
- Poppy Ott's Seven-League Stilts - 1926
- Poppy Ott and the Galloping Snail - 1927
- Poppy Ott's Pedigreed Pickles - 1927
- Poppy Ott and the Freckled Goldfish - 1928
- Poppy Ott and the Tittering Totem - 1929
- Poppy Ott and the Prancing Pancake - 1930
- Poppy Ott Hits The Trail - 1933
- Poppy Ott & Co., Inferior Decorators - 1937
- The Monkey's Paw - 1938
- The Hidden Dwarf - 1939
Trigger Berg series
- Trigger Berg and the Treasure Tree - 1930
- Trigger Berg and His 700 Mousetraps - 1930
- Trigger Berg and the Sacred Pig - 1931
- Trigger Berg and the Cock-Eyed Ghost - 1933
Tuffy Bean series
- Tuffy Bean's Puppy Days - 1931
- Tuffy Bean's One-Ring Circus - 1931
- Tuffy Bean At Funny Bone Farm - 1931
- Tuffy Bean and the Lost Fortune - 1932