WEEKLY READER FULL BOOK ABRIDGMENTS

March 12th, 2003 version

Weekly Reader, a book service which distributes books through schools to students, came out with hardcover editions of many of the "full books". Some of these were full reprints. Some were abridgements and marked as such. However, I have recently discovered that a number of the books were abridgements and not marked as such. In some cases, they offered both abridged and unabridged editions of the same book. You can tell the abridged versions because they have 100 pages or fewer, including end papers. The following books are ones that I specifically know have abridged WR edtions; books other than full books that have abridged editions are listed elsewhere. Where possible, I have listed the final panels from the final strip in the proper full edition and the abridged edition, to save you from having to count pages:

• But We Love You, CB * (HB--WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "Good grief!"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "People people!"
• Good Grief, More Peanuts *
  • Full version: Last panel is "The hustle and bustle of the city"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "You're the only person I know who can use up a whole day in five minutes !"
• Go Fly a Kite, CB
  • Full version: Last panel is "All right, who's the wise guy?"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "But do I get thanked for it? No. All I get is criticism."
• It's a Dog's Life, CB * (HB-WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "Happiness is a piece of fudge caught on the first bounce!"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "Why? Why? Why? Why?"
• Snoopy
  • Full version: Last panel is "There's so little hope for advancement!"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "Tap"
• Sunday's Fun Day, CB * (HB-WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "I'm hoping that he'll find my attitude peculiarly refreshing"
  • 80-page version: Last panel is "That's what I was waiting for!"
• "Thompson is in Trouble, CB" * (HB--WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "There's no point in being sought-after if you can't be found!"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "Speaking of collars, Sweetie.. I'm an expert!"
• We're Right Behind You, CB *(HB--WR)
  • Full version: (Information still needed)
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "I just can't believe that Rachel Carson would let herself get so upset."
• Win a Few, Lose a Few, CB * Also exists as an unabridged WR edition
  • Full version: Last panel is "I hate waiters who ask personal questions!"
  • Abridged version: Last panel is "Or someone's nose!"
• You Can Do It, CB * (HB--WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "That's the sort of thing that gives sober men pause."
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "I can think of nothing more unsanitary."
• You Need Help, Charlie Brown * (HB--WR) Listed on the cover as being Selected Cartoons From the full book of the same name, these are a sub-set of the strips from You're A Pal, Snoopy, using the half-book formatting on full-book size pages. As such, it is a severe abridgement, with less than half the strips of the original book.
  • Full version: Last panel is "Happiness is a piece of fudge caught on the first bounce!"
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "How can I eat when I feel guilty?"
• You've Had It, CB * (HB--WR)
  • Full version: Last panel is "Some cases are relatively simple."
  • 100-page version: Last panel is "Did you ever have the feeling of impending doom?"