The Velvet Room — Snyder/Raible, First Aladdin Ed.

📖 The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1965, Atheneum) — a beloved children’s novel about a young girl who discovers a secret library in an abandoned mansion. First Aladdin paperback edition with original illustrations by Alton Raible.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1927–2014), three-time Newbery Honor recipient
• Publisher: Atheneum / Aladdin Books, New York
• Year: 1965 (original hardcover); First Aladdin paperback edition, c.1975
• Format: Paperback, illustrated
• Pages: 183 | ISBN: 0-689-70430-5
• Condition: Very Good — full report below

THE STORY

Set in 1937 during the Great Depression, The Velvet Room follows twelve-year-old Robin, the middle child in a large migrant family. When her father finally finds steady work at the McCurdy ranch after three years of wandering, Robin discovers a hidden passage beneath the estate that leads to a tower library — a circular alcove draped in dark velvet, lined with books and flooded with colored light from stained-glass arches. There, Robin uncovers an old diary that helps her unravel the mystery of the mansion’s long-missing heir.

Snyder originally began writing the story as a teenager, envisioning it as an adult novel. She returned to it years later, reimagining Robin as a child and publishing it as her second book.

THIS EDITION

This is the Stated First Aladdin Edition, a paperback reprint of the original 1965 Atheneum hardcover. Aladdin Books was Atheneum’s children’s paperback imprint. The cover carries the Atheneum catalog designation “A 67” and the original printed price of $1.95. ISBN 0-689-70430-5 confirms this as the Aladdin reprint.

COVER ART & ILLUSTRATIONS

The cover features Alton Raible’s atmospheric black-and-white ink illustration of the McCurdy estate grounds — trees, water, and a solitary figure rendered in Raible’s signature textured, impressionistic style. The title appears in dark red serif type above the Aladdin genie-lamp logo. Inside, Raible provides full-page illustrations: the grand exterior of the mansion with its arched windows, and Robin discovering the velvet room itself, with light streaming through stained-glass arches onto dark wood paneling.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Zilpha Keatley Snyder won three Newbery Honors — for The Egypt Game (1968), The Headless Cupid (1972), and The Witches of Worm (1974)
• The Velvet Room has quietly become a modern classic; first hardcover editions command $500+
• Alton Raible illustrated thirteen of Snyder’s books; his moody ink drawings are integral to the reading experience
• Her manuscripts are archived in the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? Stated First Aladdin Edition, paperback reprint of the 1965 Atheneum hardcover. ISBN 0-689-70430-5, catalog number Atheneum A 67.

What condition is it in? Very Good. Minor edge wear to covers, uncreased spine, clean interior pages. Full condition report below.

Is this a first edition? It is the First Aladdin paperback edition. The first edition overall is the 1965 Atheneum hardcover with dust jacket.

FOR COLLECTORS

First Aladdin editions of Snyder’s titles are harder to find than they appear — Aladdin paperbacks from this era had small print runs and were often read to pieces by young owners. This copy’s clean interior, uncreased spine, and complete Alton Raible illustrations make it a strong collectible example.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? Stated First Aladdin Edition, paperback reprint of the 1965 Atheneum hardcover. ISBN 0-689-70430-5.

What condition? Very Good. Minor edge wear, uncreased spine, clean interior. Full report below.

Is this a first edition? First Aladdin paperback edition. The first edition overall is the 1965 Atheneum hardcover.

FOR COLLECTORS

First Aladdin editions of Snyder titles are harder to find than they appear. Small print runs and decades of young readers mean clean copies with complete Raible illustrations are genuinely scarce.

Book Details

Zilpha Keatley Snyder The Velvet Room is a classic mystery novel for young readers by a Newbery Honor-winning author. The story follows Robin, a young girl in a migrant family during the Great Depression, who finds a quiet sanctuary in a secret library inside a deserted mansion. Accompanied by black-and-white line illustrations by Alton Raible, this novel explores themes of belonging, resilience, and imagination.

Edition Points: Stated First Aladdin Edition. Original printed cover price of .95. Atheneum A 67 / ISBN 0-689-70430-5.

This is a scarce title and even harder to find in its first printing like this.

Condition Report

Overall Grade: Very Good (VG)

Cover & Spine: Minor rubbing to the edges and corners. Light shelf wear along the cover margins. The spine is uncreased, square, and firm.

Text Block & Pages: Paper is off-white to cream, standard for vintage paperbacks. Lightly age-toned text block edges. Interior pages and illustrations remain clean. The last page in the book has gotten its lower outer corner accidentally bi-folded.

Binding: Square and tight with secure hinges.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

HFB-SEO-v1: 2026-07-27

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