Children's
Rare first editions, signed and inscribed copies, deluxe and collectible editions of books, pamphlets, and ephemera relating to books written for children or juveniles.
First editions of children's classics, including Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter, J. K. Rowling, A. A. Milne and J. M. Barrie.From the blog: 'Dear Boys and Girls': Enid Blyton's personal brand
Harry Potter and the Literary Allusions: J. K. Rowling's influences
"Too Fancy and Ingenious": children's books by adult writers
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POTTER, Beatrix. The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit.London & New York : 1906
First edition, first issue, with "London & New York" on the rear cover, in a variant binding not noted by Quinby. At the start of 1906, Potter planned three books in a panoramic form, with 14 pictures and 14 pages of text: The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, The Story of Miss Moppet, and The Sly Old Cat, but only the first two were published. Issued for... Learn More£3,250.00Stock Code: 109264
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POTTER, Beatrix. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse.London : 1918
First edition, first impression, with the dropped "N" from London on the imprint. Learn More£2,000.00Stock Code: 109275
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POTTER, Beatrix. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse.London : 1918
First edition, first impression, with the dropped "N" from London on the imprint. With the exceptionally scarce promotional wraparound band. Learn More£5,000.00Stock Code: 109276
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CARROLL, Lewis. Mischmasch.Oxford : November 1882
Mischmasch, a wordplay game for two players, was first published in The Monthly Packet in June 1881 (pp. 491-2). This is a revised anonymous reprint of that article, with some minor revisions. The article was originally credited to Lewis Carroll, rules 5 and 6 were transposed, and a note requesting comments and criticism was appended. The game requires... Learn More£2,750.00Stock Code: 108889
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CARROLL, Lewis. Rhyme? And Reason?London : 1883
First edition. Presentation copy in the deluxe binding, inscribed by the author to Joanna de Morlot Pollock on the half-title, with a six line acrostic poem that spells "Joanna": "Joa Pollack from the Author: in memory of an Awful Afternoon.
Joy was what we hoped to meet,
On that dreary day;
And we sought her in the street -
Never... Learn More£7,500.00Stock Code: 108891
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CARROLL, Lewis. The Nursery Alice.London : 1890
Second edition (the first published in the UK), first issue. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the half-title, to "Ada Paine, from the Author. Mar. 25, 1890." Ada (Adelaide) Paine met Dodgson at Margate; the two exchanged correspondence, and Dodgson even consented to send her his portrait, averse though he was to publicity. In the accompanying... Learn More£12,500.00Stock Code: 108909
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CARROLL, Lewis. The Nursery Alice.London : 1890 [1896]
Second edition, second issue. As sales of the second edition and the People's Edition (the third issue of the first edition) were slow, Dodgson decided to re-issue the former, overprinted "Price One Shilling" with an ornamental bar over the earlier price. Learn More£500.00Stock Code: 108911
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CARROLL, Lewis. "Bruno's Revenge."London : 1867
First edition of the story that formed the nucleus for Sylvie and Bruno. The editor, Margaret Gatty, was delighted: "the story is delicious. It is beautiful and fantastic and child-likeSome of the touches are so exquisite, one would have thought nothing short of intercourse with fairies could have put them into your head" Learn More£975.00Stock Code: 108913
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CARROLL, Lewis. Syzygies and Lanrick. A Word Puzzle and a Game for Two Players.London : 1893
First combined edition, published in an edition of 250 copies. Syzgies was first published, and reprinted separately, in 1891; Lanrick was first published in December 1880 in the Monthly Packet; this is the fourth and final edition of the rules for the game. Scarce. Dodgson at Auction 1893-1999 records only the author's own copy selling at auction (George... Learn More£3,000.00Stock Code: 108924
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![[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Italian.] Le Avventure D'Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie.](https://d3dzzbbvj9im7s.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/ae0834d12b7cf129fc73bcc000ea526a/1/0/108928.jpg)
CARROLL, Lewis. [Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; Italian.] Le Avventure D'Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie.Torino : 1872
First Italian edition, second issue, with the Torino (Turin) imprint. Learn More£2,250.00Stock Code: 108928
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BAWDEN, Edward. Hold Fast By Your Teeth.London : 1963
First edition, first impression. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Arthur and Paeony Sadler, with compliments of the season. From Edward Bawden, Christmas 1963." Learn More£875.00Stock Code: 107484
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RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); GRAHAME, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows.London : 1951
Deluxe edition, number 305 of 500 copies. This is the one-hundredth edition of Grahame's timeless classic, which was originally published in 1908, with just a frontispiece, by Graham Robertson. Rackham's illustrations for the text first appeared in the Limited Editions Club edition of 1940, and it was the last work he illustrated. "During his last illness... Learn More£4,250.00Stock Code: 107331
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GRAHAME, Kenneth. Dream Days.London and New York, : 1902
First illustrated edition, first published in 1898. A sequel to Grahame's Golden Age. Dream Days is best noted for it's inclusion of the story, The Reluctant Dragon, which served as the basis for the 1941 Walt Disney animated film of the same name. Learn More£325.00Stock Code: 107336
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RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); CARROLL, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.London : [1907]
Limited edition of 1,130 copies. Unusually, Rackham did not sign this limited edition, as he was out of the country while it was in preparation. Learn More£5,000.00Stock Code: 107351
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DULAC, Edmund (illus.); ANDERSEN, Hans Christian. Stories from Hans Andersen.London : 1911
Signed limited edition, deluxe issue. Number 23 of 100 specially bound copies, signed by the artist and printed on Japanese vellum. Learn More£3,850.00Stock Code: 107391
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TITUS, Eve. Anatole and the Poodle.New York : 1965
First edition, first printing. The "Mouse Magnifique" (most probably a relation of Ratatouille's Remy) solves a crime mystery with the help of a French poodle. Learn More£175.00Stock Code: 107277
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MORAN, Jim; Roger Duvoisin (illus.) Sophocles the Hyena.New York : 1954
First edition, first printing. Presentation copy inscribed by the author to his literary agent, Carlton Cole, "who expertly piloted this book thru perilous publishers shoals and brought it safely into port with crew and cargo intact. This despite hazards on the high seas of book-commerce which would have scuttled any ordinary man. My Thanks, Jim Moran.... Learn More£575.00Stock Code: 107018
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BARRY, Fanny. Soap-Bubble Stories.New York : 1892
First edition, first printing. Learn More£225.00Stock Code: 107034
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MARRYAT, Frederick. Masterman Ready; or, The Wreck of the Pacific.London : 1875
An appealing illustrated edition of the first of Marryat's books for children, originally published in 1841; this copy in an attractive period prize binding. Learn More£75.00Stock Code: 106729
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(BAUM, L. Frank.) Ruth Plumly Thompson Autograph letter signed.1938
A very warm and chatty letter from the then current writer of the Oz stories, Ruth Plumly Thompson, who was the next writer of the series after L. Frank Baum. The letter discusses all things current in Oz, including the new titles. Thompson shares her thoughts on the plays and films: "The Wizard of Oz is being made into a musical and while I suppose... Learn More£825.00Stock Code: 106424
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DULAC, Edmund (illus.); ANDERSEN, Hans Christian. Stories from Hans Andersen.New York & London : [1911]
First US trade edition, first printing. Learn More£1,000.00Stock Code: 106367
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LAWSON, Robert. Rabbit Hill.New York : 1944
First edition, first printing. Winner of the 1944 Newbery Medal, distinguishing it as a top children's book for that year. Story of a family of rabbits cohabiting the land with their human counterparts. Learn More£275.00Stock Code: 106201
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(GRIMLY, Gris.) BRADBURY, Ray. The Halloween Tree.New York : 2015
First Gris Grimly illustrated edition. Learn More£65.00Stock Code: 106037
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WELTY, Eudora. The Shoe Bird.New York : 1964
First edition, first printing. Learn More£275.00Stock Code: 105755
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[UPTON, Florence K.] UPTON, Bertha. The Golliwogg's Christmas.London : 1907
First edition, first impression. Scarce with the jacket. Learn More£3,750.00Stock Code: 105021
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BAUM, L. Frank. The Emerald City of Oz.Chicago : 1910
First edition, first printing. The sixth of Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books, and considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing. Learn More£800.00Stock Code: 105043
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GOREY, Edward. Tragedies Topiares.1989
First edition, first printing. Signed limited edition, number 150 of 200 sets signed by Gorey. Learn More£500.00Stock Code: 104650
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GOREY, Edward. The Dwindling Party.New York : 1982
First edition, first printing. A rare piece of Goreyana. Learn More£450.00Stock Code: 104684
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GOREY, Edward. Ettie Lou Stooper Does a Tinsel Dance.New York : 1981
First edition, first printing. Limited to 450 copies of which none were issued for sale. Card was used as the publisher's holiday greeting. Learn More£250.00Stock Code: 104686
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BLACKMORE, Richard Doddridge. Fringilla, some tales in verse.Cleveland : 1895
First edition, together with the first US edition, limited issue (number 472 of 600 copies). With the ownership signature of James Warren English (1837-1925) to the front pastedown of the London edition; he was mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, 1881-83. An interesting pair of this work by the author of Lorna Doone, showing the contrasting treatment given to... Learn More£875.00Stock Code: 104558
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DIXON, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys: The Shore Road Mystery.New York : 1928
First edition, first state and format. The sixth Hardy Boys title. Learn More£4,250.00Stock Code: 104570
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DIXON, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys: The House on the Cliff.New York : 1927
First edition, first state and format of the second Hardy Boys title. Learn More£4,250.00Stock Code: 104571
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STEADMAN, Ralph. Little.com — mouse mat.[London] : 2000
A charming piece of Steadman ephemera. Learn More£60.00Stock Code: 104244
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STEADMAN, Ralph. Little.com — galley proof.1996
Galley proofs for the book published in 2000 by Anderson Press, with annotations in the author's hand. Learn More£475.00Stock Code: 104085
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LEAF, Munro. Wee Gillis.New York : 1938
Signed limited first edition, limited to 525 copies signed by both the author and illustrator. 1939 Cadecott Honor title. A delightful tale of a young Scottish boy, from the duo who collaborated on Ferdinand. Learn More£450.00Stock Code: 104143
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COOPER, Susan. Seaward.London : 1983
First edition, first printing. Learn More£75.00Stock Code: 104197
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DE LA MARE, Walter, & Harold Jones. This Year: Next Year.London : 1937
First edition, first impression, of this delightful book, scarce in the dust jacket. "Harold Jones's lithographs for de la Mare's This Year: Next Year (1937) marked the emergence of a fresh talent in book illustration; and the flat colours strike the eye as something quite new" (Horne, The Dictionary of 20th Century British Book Illustrators, p. 265).... Learn More£375.00Stock Code: 103880
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STEADMAN, Ralph, & Mischa Damjan. The False Flamingoes.London : 1967
First edition, first impression. Signed by Steadman on the title page. An early title illustrated by Steadman; it was originally published in Germany under the title Die falschen Flamingos in 1967. Learn More£125.00Stock Code: 103966
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STEADMAN, Ralph, & Bernard Stone. Inspector Mouse.New York : [1981]
First US edition, first printing. It was first published in the UK the previous year. Learn More£45.00Stock Code: 103968
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STEADMAN, Ralph, & Mischa Damjan. The False Flamingoes.New York : 1970
First US edition, first printing. An early title illustrated by Steadman; it was first published in the UK in 1968, and was originally published in Germany under the title Die falschen Flamingos in 1967. Learn More£75.00Stock Code: 103764
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STEADMAN, Ralph, & Richard Ingrams. The Tale of Driver Grope.London : 1969
First edition, first impression. Signed by Steadman on the title page. Learn More£150.00Stock Code: 103765
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STEADMAN, Ralph, & Fiona Saint. The Yellow Flowers.London : 1968
First edition, first impression. Learn More£75.00Stock Code: 103767
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PEAKE, Mervyn. Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor.London : 1945
First procurable edition, as the original, published by Country Life in 1939, is of legendary scarcity; as explained on the jacket blurb of the present edition "the original edition of this book was published early in the war but destroyed by enemy action. The artist has coloured the plates for this edition presumably a reference to the spot colour".... Learn More£2,250.00Stock Code: 103786
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MATTHIESSEN, Peter. The Great Auk Escape.London : 1974
First UK edition, first impression of Matthiessen's only children's book. It was first published in the US under the title Seal Pool in 1972. Learn More£275.00Stock Code: 103561
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STEADMAN, Ralph. Little.com.London : 2000
First edition, first impression. Learn More£65.00Stock Code: 103700
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TARKINGTON, Booth. Penrod.Garden City, NY : 1914
First edition, first printing, first issue binding of meshed cloth, first state with p. viii numbered and the misprint "sence" p. 19, third line from bottom. Later copies were issued with ribbed cloth bindings. This is the first of three novels following the misadventures of Penrod Schofield, a Midwestern Tom Sawyer whom Tarkington modelled on his mischievous... Learn More£575.00Stock Code: 103465
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(PEAKE, Mervyn, illustrator.) Ride a Cock-Horse and Other Nursery Rhymes.London : 1940
First edition, first impression, first issue (without the dedication page). This is Mervyn Peake's first commission as illustrator and his second illustrated book, following Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor (1939); its success led to Chatto & Windus commissioning Peake to illustrate their edition of Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark (1941).... Learn More£575.00Stock Code: 103247
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SENDAK, Maurice. Emil the Wild Thing.[c.1970-90]
Original pencil drawing signed by Sendak in the lower margin, depicting one of the titular creatures from the author's modern children's classic and Caldecott Medal recipient Where the Wild Things Are (New York: Harper & Row, 1963). Learn More£5,500.00Stock Code: 102827
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[HUGHES, Thomas.] Tom Brown's School Days.Cambridge : 1857
First edition of the author's classic novel celebrating the ethos of ninteenth-century English Public Schools. The book's popularity "must be linked to its powerful structuring myth in which Rugby School is England, and the experience of the boy, learning self-reliance so that authority may be delegated to him, symbolizes the experience of the man of... Learn More£1,500.00Stock Code: 102457
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RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); ROSSETTI, Christina. Goblin Market.London : 1933
Signed limited edition, number 183 of 410 copies signed by the illustrator. Learn More£1,000.00Stock Code: 102240
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RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); RUSKIN, John. The King of the Golden River.London : 1932
Signed limited edition, number 232 of 570 copies signed by the illustrator. Learn More£1,000.00Stock Code: 102241
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RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); BROWNE, Maggie. The Book of Betty Barber.London : [1910]
First edition in book form. The story was originally published in the Little Folks magazine in 1900. Learn More£600.00Stock Code: 102242
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DULAC, Edmund (illus.); CRARY, Mary. The Daughters of the Stars.London : 1939
Signed limited edition, number 424 of 500 copies signed by both author and illustrator. "Publication of this book encountered delays and difficulties because of the outbreak of World War II. Since paper and workmen were fast being commandeered by the British government, the book was rushed into print despite the fact that only two Dulac illustrations... Learn More£1,000.00Stock Code: 102148
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RAND, Ann & Paul. Sparkle and Spin.New York : 1957
First edition, first printing, of the Rands's second picture book. Paul Rand (1914-1996) was an American commercial artist who, together with his wife Ann, produced four picture books combining rhythmic verse with illustrations exhibiting Paul's interest in Swiss Style graphic design. Rand is best known for his corporate logo designs, including the... Learn More£750.00Stock Code: 102016
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RAND, Ann & Paul. I Know a Lot of Things.New York : 1956
First edition, first printing. Between 1956 and 1970, Ann and Paul Rand produced four children's books together, of which this is the first. Paul Rand (1914-1996) was an American commercial artist who, together with his wife Ann, produced four picture books combining rhythmic verse with illustrations exhibiting Paul's interest in Swiss Style graphic... Learn More£1,500.00Stock Code: 102017
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LINDERMAN, Frank. B. Kootenai Why Stories.New York : 1926
First edition, first printing. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For indecipherable and Pat Dale, whose tracks are all about the shack at Goose Bay, Frank B. Linderman, 1936". Writer and politician Frank Bird Linderman (1869-1938) collected the stories in this volume from the Native American tribe of the Kootenai, or, "Flat-bow-people".... Learn More£500.00Stock Code: 101834
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DOMANSKA, Janina. Din Dan Don It's Christmas.New York : 1975
First edition, first printing. Inscribed by the author on the title page, " To Ada with much love Janin August 1975." A Polish christmas carol. Learn More£100.00Stock Code: 101553
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![The Castle and the Cave. [With the original artwork for the dust jacket by John S. Goodhall].](https://d3dzzbbvj9im7s.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/ae0834d12b7cf129fc73bcc000ea526a/1/0/101678comp.jpg)
FINLAY, Winifred. The Castle and the Cave. [With the original artwork for the dust jacket by John S. Goodhall].London : 1960
First edition, first impression. Signed by the author on the title page and with John S. Goodhall's original ink and watercolour artwork for the dust jacket, which bears the publisher's stamp on the back. The Castle and the Cave is the story of a seventeen year old English girl sent to the Dordogne region of France to work as an au pair. Learn More£525.00Stock Code: 101678
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SEUSS, Dr. The Seven Lady Godivas.New York : 1939
First edition, advance review copy. One of Seuss's few books written for adults. Advance review material for Dr. Seuss titles is very uncommon. Learn More£1,100.00Stock Code: 101690
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(EMBERLEY, Ed.) EMBERLEY, Barbara. One Wide River To Cross.Englewood Cliffs, NJ : 1966
First edition, first printing. Presentation copy with an original illustration of an ark in pencil on the verso of front endpaper, "For Mary for "the Old lady" Ed Emberley Ipswich Spring 1967." The recipient, Mary C. Rife, was a noted children's librarian for more than 50 years, spending her last 30 years co-ordinating Children's Library Services for... Learn More£250.00Stock Code: 100911
