Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley is an American children’s book series created by Jeff Brown, beginning with the 1964 picture book about Stanley Lambchop, a boy who is flattened in an accident.

Flat Stanley is an American children’s book series created by Jeff Brown, beginning with the 1964 picture book about Stanley Lambchop, a boy who is flattened in an accident. The character became widely known through later sequels and the educational Flat Stanley Project, which uses paper cut-outs to teach writing and geography.

Origin and publication

Flat Stanley began as a story Jeff Brown told his children before it was published as a book in 1964. The first edition was illustrated by Tomi Ungerer.

Plot and character

The central character, Stanley Lambchop, becomes flat after a bulletin board falls on him. His unusual condition leads to comic adventures, including being mailed in an envelope and slipping under doors.

Series and later books

Jeff Brown returned to the character nearly two decades later and wrote several sequels. The series expanded the original idea into additional fantasy and comedy adventures.

Educational legacy

The Flat Stanley Project used the character as a classroom tool beginning in 1995. Students create paper versions of Stanley, send them to others, and document the journeys in journals.