The Penny Parker Dust Jackets

The Penny Parker jackets are distinctively different from other series books. Each jacket has a plain line drawing with a few splashes of color and appears similar to a comic from the comics page of a newspaper.  This design is rather appropriate for newspaper reporter Penny Parker.  The dust jackets are printed in a number of different colors, and it is unknown exactly how many different color combinations exist.  In addition to what is seen here, I know of the existence of Signal in the Dark in a green dust jacket with red on Penny's skirt.

Unfortunately, few of the Penny Parker jackets have survived, and most of the surviving copies are in fair condition with much chipping and soiling.  Most of the scans on this page have been heavily edited in order to make the dust jackets appear close to as they were when they were printed.  Most of the colors seen below are representative of the colors in the actual dust jackets.  The ones which seem to be off are all of the scans for Ghost Beyond the Gate and the scan for the yellow dust jacket of Voice from the Cave.

It appears that the colors of quite a few of the dust jackets changed with the publication of volume 17.  The dust jackets that changed at that time are significantly more difficult to acquire than the earlier color variations since the series ended with the publication of volume 17.  For instance, the purple dust jackets for The Vanishing Houseboat and The Secret Pact are extremely scarce, possibly rare, and seldom come up for sale in any condition.

The dust jackets for volumes 1 through 4 were changed to the wraparound format during the 1950s, and they are shown at the bottom of this page.

1930s and 1940s Dust Jackets
Tale of the Witch Doll
1. Tale of the Witch Doll
lists 2 titles
Tale of the Witch Doll
1. Tale of the Witch Doll
lists 12 titles
Tale of the Witch Doll
1. Tale of the Witch Doll
lists 17 titles
The Vanishing Houseboat
2. The Vanishing Houseboat
lists 4 titles
The Vanishing Houseboat
2. The Vanishing Houseboat
lists 10, 12 titles
The Vanishing Houseboat
2. The Vanishing Houseboat
lists 17 titles
Danger at the Drawbridge
3. Danger at the Drawbridge
lists 10, 12, 14 titles
Danger at the Drawbridge
3. Danger at the Drawbridge
lists 15 titles
Danger at the Drawbridge
3. Danger at the Drawbridge
lists 17 titles
Behind the Green Door
4. Behind the Green Door
lists 4, 10, 12, 14 titles
Behind the Green Door
4. Behind the Green Door
lists 15, 17 titles
Clue of the Silken Ladder
5. Clue of the Silken Ladder
lists 6, 12 titles
Clue of the Silken Ladder
5. Clue of the Silken Ladder
lists 14 titles
Clue of the Silken Ladder
5. Clue of the Silken Ladder
lists 15 titles
Clue of the Silken Ladder
5. Clue of the Silken Ladder
lists 17 titles
The Secret Pact
6. The Secret Pact
lists 6, 10, 12 titles
The Secret Pact
6. The Secret Pact
lists 15 titles
The Secret Pact
6. The Secret Pact
lists 17 titles
The Clock Strikes Thirteen
7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen
lists 10, 12 titles
The Clock Strikes Thirteen
7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen
lists 14 titles
The Clock Strikes Thirteen
7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen
lists 15 titles
The Clock Strikes Thirteen
7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen
lists 15 titles
The Clock Strikes Thirteen
7. The Clock Strikes Thirteen
lists 17 titles
The Wishing Well
8. The Wishing Well
lists 8, 10, 15 titles
The Wishing Well
8. The Wishing Well
lists 17 titles
Saboteurs on the River
9. Saboteurs on the River
lists 10, 14 titles
Saboteurs on the River
9. Saboteurs on the River
lists 15 titles
Ghost Beyond the Gate
10. Ghost Beyond the Gate
lists 10 titles
Ghost Beyond the Gate
10. Ghost Beyond the Gate
lists 14, 15 titles
Ghost Beyond the Gate
10. Ghost Beyond the Gate
lists 17 titles
Hoofbeats on the Turnpike
11. Hoofbeats on the Turnpike
lists 12 titles
Voice from the Cave
12. Voice from the Cave
lists 12 titles
Voice from the Cave
12. Voice from the Cave
lists 14, 15 titles
Voice from the Cave
12. Voice from the Cave
lists 17 titles
Guilt of the Brass Thieves
13. Guilt of the Brass Thieves
lists 14 titles
Guilt of the Brass Thieves
13. Guilt of the Brass Thieves
lists 15 titles
Guilt of the Brass Thieves
13. Guilt of the Brass Thieves
lists 17 titles
Signal in the Dark
14. Signal in the Dark
lists 15 titles
Signal in the Dark
14. Signal in the Dark
lists 17 titles
Whispering Walls
15. Whispering Walls
lists 15 titles
Whispering Walls
15. Whispering Walls
lists 17 titles
Swamp Island
16. Swamp Island
lists 17 titles
The Cry at Midnight
17. The Cry at Midnight
lists 17 titles
1950s Dust Jackets

The first four titles in the series were reissued with new cover art.

Tale of the Witch Doll The Vanishing Houseboat Behind the Green Door Danger at the Drawbridge
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