Betty Bacon Blunt’s four wordless novels can be characterized as lighthearted stories with universal themes. The same mother appears in each story, with the suspicion that the drawings are self-portraits and the stories are autobiographical.
is drawn as the mother in all four stories.
Most wordless novels, especially those pre-1960, deal with social realism and rather grim themes. Blunt’s stories lacks the seriousness often associated with wordless novels and some would question including them on this website. My inclination is to include anything that comes within the strict definition of a wordless story, lighthearted or not.
Blunt created and illustrated four books, but I have very little background information about her other than to say that it is her real name (as per Dec 12, 2025, email from John Hooper, son of Stephen Daye Press founders). If you have any biographical information about the author, please advise wn@wordlessnovels.com – a credit line will be given to you.
Four wordless stories by Betty Bacon Blunt
1940 Bet It’s A Boy
Four versions were issued during 1940 and 1941. For a discussion of the different versions CLICK HERE.
1940 The Day Before Christmas
also written as (The Daze Before Christmas)
1941Oh, Doctor!
The Book with a Bedside Manner
1945 Double Trouble
the twins Em and Sue
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