New York: Grosset & Dunlap, c. 1943. Comb binding. Quarto size, [22] pp., with dust jacket. Three favourite children's stories with the imaginative paper engineering of Julian Wehr (1898–1970), who was known as the "American Master of Animated Books" (n.b., quote from Wiki). ___DESCRIPTION: Illustrated paper-covered boards with a red..... More
New York: J.H. Sears & Company, Inc., (1926). Rule, Christopher. First Edition. Hardcover. The first edition, first printing of the Rule-illustrated edition, quarto size, 243 pp., with dust jacket. Everyone is familiar with the story of "Pinocchio", the wooden puppet who came to life. Originally published in serial form as..... More
New York: Harper and Brothers [printed in Sweden by Centraltryckeriet, Stockholm], [1931]. Beskow, Elsa. Hardcover. Oblong folio, 34 pp. A lovely children's picture book about a young boy who went out into the forest to pick blueberries ("and whortleberries") as a name-day present for his mother, and his adventures after..... More
San Francisco: The Book Club of California [printed by Peter R. Koch], 2011. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 300, folio size, 143 and 49 pp. respectively, with prospectus and errata slips. From prospectus: "The chief aim of Peter Hanff's study and analysis of 'America's most famous fantasy' is to explore..... More
London: George C. Harrap & Co. Ltd., (1932). Rackham, Arthur. First Edition. Wraps. First trade with Rackham illustrations, octavo size, 48 pp. A perfect convergence of "one of the earliest English examples of a fantasy written specifically for a child" (which may have had a direct effect upon George MacDonald..... More
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1921. Attwell, Mabel Lucie. First Edition. Hardcover. First U.S. edition with Attwell illustrations, quarto size, 193 pp. Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860-1937) wrote numerous novels and plays for both children and adults, but he is best known for "Peter Pan", a hugely successful play set..... More
London: Blackie & Son Ltd, [1921]. Wain, Louis; Stewart, E.H. Hardcover. Folio size, 62 pp. English artist Louis Wain (1860-1939) is known for his trademark anthropomorphic cats, who live in a rich, vibrant world and display playful personalities amidst their alphabetised actions. According to H. G. Wells, "[Wain] has made..... More
London: George Harrap & Co. Ltd., (1932). Rackham, Arthur. First and Limited Edition. Vellum. First edition with Rackham illustrations, one of 575 copies, octavo size, 48 pp., signed by Arthur Rackham. A perfect convergence of "one of the earliest English examples of a fantasy written specifically for a child" (which..... More
London: Henry Frowde / Hodder & Stoughton, n.d. Preston, Chloe. Hardcover. Large octavo size, 44 pp. Mary Clarissa "May" Byron (1861-1936) was a prolific author of children's books. Baumgarten lists twenty-seven titles; (oddly) they did not include "The Chunkies", although the Peek-a-Boo series is listed. Chloe Preston seems a bit..... More