First edition, first impression, signed by the author; 8vo; illustrations by Faith Jaques, internally fine; publisher’s purple cloth, gilt lettering to spine, with the unclipped pictorial dustjacket by Faith Jaques, light creasing to edges, otherwise an attractive example. London, Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1973.
A near-fine first edition of this classic work of twentieth-century children’s literature, signed by Bawden in red ink to the front free endpaper. This book won the Phoenix Award in 1993, which recognises the best children's book in the English language not to have won any major literary award in the year of its publication. Examples in such bright condition are scarce.
