The Official Pokémon Handbook

The Official Pokémon Handbook
File:Official handbook deluxe.jpg
ISBN:	0439103975
Published:	July 1999
Publisher:
Author:	Maria S. Barbo

File:First Edition Official Handbook.jpg

The first version

File:TheOfficialPokémonHandbook.gif

The second version

The Official Pokémon Handbook by Maria S. Barbo (ISBN 0439103975) is a handbook that was published by Scholastic in July 1999, advertised as "your complete companion to all 150 Pokémon characters!" to serve as a rudimentary, paper version of a Pokédex. Despite this, and like many printed Pokémon books, it has multiple errors and misprints. It contains an entry for each of the original 150 Generation I Pokémon. A Deluxe Collector's Edition was published later with entries for Mew and Togepi.

Entries

The entries for each Pokémon are structured in an easy-to-read page setup. Each Pokémon has either an entire page to itself, or shares a page with another member of its evolutionary family.

Each entry is topped with a large box containing the Pokémon's name and National Pokédex number. The color of the box reflects the featured Pokémon's type.

Stock artwork of each Pokémon is the main focus of its entry page. Underneath the picture is a short description about the Pokémon, styled in a way that is similar to a Pokédex entry. Occasionally, a page will also contain a "Pokédex Pick", which is additional information about the Pokémon, often an anecdote about the Pokémon's appearance in the anime.

The sidebar of each entry contains the following stats:

• Pronunciation
• Element
• Type
• Height (in inches)
• Weight (in pounds)
• Techniques (moves the Pokémon will already know)
• Other Techniques (moves the Pokémon will learn as it levels up)
• Good Against (lists what type advantages it has over other Pokémon)
• Bad Against (type disadvantages against other Pokémon)
• Evolution (Normal, Stone, Trade, or None)
• Evolves at Level: __

Levels are not given for when Pokémon will learn techniques, although they are listed in the order in which they are learned. Moves learnable by TMs are not listed.

At the very bottom of the entry there are evolution chains to show what the Pokémon evolves into or evolved from. Pokémon that do not evolve or have not yet been revealed to evolve do not show an evolution chain.

Other content

At the beginning of the book there is an introductory chapter titled "A Word From Professor Oak". The chapter describes the premise of the handbook and of the Pokémon world in general (this information is largely influenced by anime canon). It also contains a preface called The Pokémon Journey, an illustrated map of the Kanto region, and another preface, Battle Basics, as well as a How to use this book diagram.

At the end of the book, there is a list of Top 10 Ways to Care for your Pokémon, Secrets of the Gym Leaders, Meet the Elite Four, some FAQs, information about Togepi, a sneak peek of Generation II Pokémon, and a checklist of all the Generation I Pokémon. The Deluxe Collector's Edition also has some more information on different characters from the anime.

The Top Ten Ways To Care For Your Pokémon

10. Take it to the nearest Pokémon Center regularly for a free checkup and a complete healing. Every major city has one. Always make sure your Pokémon is well rested and in good health before a major battle.

9. Trade it with a friend. The more new life experiences your Pokémon has the stronger and smarter it will become. Then you can trade back for it.

8. Keep a well-stocked first-aid kit. Battles, even for play, cause cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Every town has a Poké Mart where you can buy these supplies, but the Celadon City Department Store is the best stocked. A good first-aid kit includes:

• Awakening Potion — wakes up a Pokémon that has been put to sleep
• Antidote — cures poisonous stings
• Paralyze Heal — loosens up a Pokémon that can't move
• Burn Heal — soothes painful burns left by Fire elements
• Potions — heal wounds in general
• Revive — wakes up Pokémon that have fainted
• Ice Heal — defrosts frozen Pokémon

7. Start off slowly. Don't try to fight another trainer too soon. Build up your Pokémon's experience through small competitions with wild Pokémon. When you are ready to take on another Trainer, make sure your Pokémon and the trainer's Pokémon have a similar amount of experience.

6. Practice. Let a new or less experienced Pokémon start off a big battle. Then replace it with a stronger Pokémon before it gets hurt. Quick, safe battles are a good way to build up a Pokémon's experience.

5. Stay smart. Make sure you know everything you can about your Pokémon before you decide how to raise it. Each Pokémon is special and has different needs.

4. Take your Pokémon to the museum. There's a great museum of science in Pewter City with an exhibit of extinct Pokémon bones. A definite must-see!

3. Teamwork. The six Pokémon you carry with you should have a variety of techniques and elements. Also, don't concentrate on raising up one Pokémon's experience and not the others'. Keep all of your Pokémon equally strong. The secret to success is teamwork.

2. Don't forget your vitamins! Pokémon need to take their vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy and strong. These are some of the items that you can buy for your Pokémon:

• Calcium — to increase special powers
• Carbos — to increase speed
• Iron — to increase defense strength
• Protein — to increase attack strength
• Rare Candy — OK, so it's not a vitamin. But a treat once in a while keeps your Pokémon happy and boosts their energy up one level.

1. LOVE THEM! Pokémon aren't just fighters. They want to be your friends. If you treat them well, they will be loyal companions.

Blurb

Second edition

It's the video game, TV cartoon, and collectible toys that have the whole world going Pokémon crazy. If you're caught up in the whole Pokémon phenomenon, you gotta, gotta, gotta get the inside guide to each and every one of these megapopular pocket pals.

• THEY'RE ALL HERE!—From Pikachu to Pidgeotto, Squirtle to Snorlax, Charmander to Caterpie.
• COMPLETE WITH EVERY STAT—Who they'll blow away in battle, their techniques, evolutionary style, and more.
• SECRET FACTS—Did you know that the swirl on Poliwag's stomach changes direction when it evolves into Poliwhirl? Lots more inside info!
• TRAINING TIPS—let a weaker Pokémon start a battle and then switch to another before it gets hurt. This is a quick way to build up a Pokémon's experience level.

It's everything you need to become the coolest Pokémon trainer, or the world's greatest Pokémon master!

Deluxe Collector's Edition

If you want to be a Pokémon trainer, you gotta get the DELUXE Collector's guide to all megapopular pocket pals, plus Togepi. Checck out what's inside!

• NEW POKÉMON! The baby Togepi and the super-rare, super-powerful Mew.
• BONUS POKÉMON POSTER! Starring all 151 Pokémon, plus Togepi.
• How to join the POKÉMON LEAGUE.
• The scoop on all eight GYM LEADERS.
• All you ever wanted to know about POKÉMON TRAINERS Ash, Misty, Brock, Team Rocket, and more!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BECOME THE WORLD'S GREATEST POKÉMON MASTER!

Errors

• The back cover asks "Did you know that the swirls on Poliwhirl's stomach changes direction when it evolves into Poliwag?" While the change of direction is correct, Poliwag evolves into Poliwhirl, not the other way around.
• The entry for Venusaur lists its element as Grass/Poison, and then also lists its element as "Seed". This is a misprint, as while Grass/Poison is its type, "seed" refers to its species, not its type.
• In Beedrill's entry, Psychic is misspelled as "Pychic".
• In Lapras's entry, its lower jaw is colored blue as opposed to the white in its official artwork.
• In the Deluxe Collector's Edition, Sabrina's profile states that "a very goofy Gengar taught her to smile." In fact, in the anime, it was a Haunter who did this.
• In the Deluxe Collector's Edition, it says in the index that page 133 has information about Togepi but it is, in fact, on page 155.
• Also, in Ash's bio for the Deluxe Collector's Edition, the list of Pokémon that Ash owns has Pidgeot and Lapras, despite the fact that by the time Lapras was caught by Ash, Pidgeot had already left the team, and should therefore have been on the list with the other Pokémon he used to own.
• The moves Flamethrower and Thunderbolt are omitted from the original book.
• In Lickitung's entry, it states that it will confuse its opponent with its Wrap technique and then attack a maximum of five times with its Supersonic, instead of the other way around.
• Pikachu's entry states that its species as a whole has a natural dislike for being held inside Poké Balls. This, however, only applies to Ash's Pikachu.
• Koffing's page says that James said Koffing "smells like old sneakers soaked in stinkbug juice mixed with some rotten eggs and dead fish with just a touch of skunk fumes!", but when he said this in EP026, he was referring to the scent of Gloom.
• In early printings of the standard edition, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan's entries state that they do not evolve, yet both contain an evolution chain graphic suggesting that the former evolves into the latter. Later printings and the Deluxe edition remove this.
• On the back of the Deluxe Collector's Edition, it says All you ever wanted to know about Pokémon Trainers Ash, Misty, Brock, Team Rocket, and more! However, Team Rocket is a villanous team, not a Pokémon Trainer.

In other languages

• Polish: Wielka księga Pokémon. Złap je wszystkie!

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This book article is part of Project Merchandise, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all Pokémon toys, dolls, books, and collectible merchandise.