They can’t all be hits. The Porpoise series (unnumbered at publication, later assigned the J prefix) were high-quality, hardcover children’s books with lavish full-color illustrations. All published in 1948, sales were extremely poor, thanks to high production costs and corresponding prices, especially compared to cheaper Puffin books already on the market. Given the fact that many of the unsold copies were destroyed, and the life expectancy of a book in the hands of kids, these books are fairly valuable by Penguin standards.
| # | Title | Author | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|
| J1 | Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | John Harwood | |
| J2 | Paul: The Hero of Fire | Edward Ardizzone | Edward Ardizzone |
| J3 | The Ugly Duckling | Hans Christian Andersen | Will Nickless |
| J4 | The Flying Postman | Violet Hilda Drummond | Violet Hilda Drummond |
The Penguin Checklist Project 