Children's Books
London, Heinemann, 1960.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced 8s6d.
'Unexpected and exciting things are always happening to Rufty Tufty the Golliwog. When he and his friend Rose were taken to the seaside for the day they crept aboard one of the ships in the harbour to explore, and were carried out to sea. And so began a new adventure, on a desert island where they built a palm-leaf hut, found a treasure chest and a mysterious Enemy.' (jacket blurb)
![P.G. Wodehouse, The Pothunters, first reissue, [1915]](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/87703-300x300.jpg)
Children's Books
London, Adam & Charles Black, 1902 [but 1915].
First reissue. 8vo. Original pictorial blue cloth lettered in gilt.
The first reissue, in colour pictorial blue cloth, using the 1902 first edition sheets. Suspicion abounds at St Austin's School when two silver trophies, or 'pots', are stolen from the cricket pavilion
Children's Books
London, Longmans, Green, 1896.First edition. Landscape 4to. Original cloth-backed pictorial boards.The second book in the series by the Uptons, and considered by many one of the most collectable, understandably perhaps given it also features bicycles.
Children's Books
London, Longmans, Green, 1903.
First edition. Landscape 4to. Original cloth-backed pictorial boards.
One of the later titles in the Uptons' illustrated picture-book series featuring the character Golliwogg and a troupe of dolls, following their adventures as they join and attempt to run a circus. Written by Bertha Upton and illustrated by her daughter, Florence K. Upton, whose bold chromolithographs were widely praised. The series played a notable role in turn-of-the-century children's book design.
Children's Books
London, Macmillan, 1902.
First edition. Small 4to. Original pictorial red cloth.
A collection of whimsical origin tales, including 'How the Leopard Got His Spots' and 'The Elephant's Child', written and illustrated by Kipling.
Children's Books
or the building of magic cities
London, Hodder & Stoughton, [1913].
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth blocked in black and lettered in gilt to spine. Dust-jacket.
Children's Books
London, Jonathan Cape, 1989.
First edition. Signed by Quentin Blake on title-page. Small 4to. Original boards. Dust-jacket.
'The marvellously dastardly Dahl has joined forces with that bounder Blake to plunder a wealth of nursery heritage for the delight of the older reader in this wonderful addition to the literature of the absurd' (dust-jacket blurb).
Children's Books
London [&c.], Century, 1991.
First edition. Signed by Quentin Blake on title-page. Tall 8vo. Original buckram. Dust-jacket.
Written for the Dyslexia Institute, and featuring a dyslexic protagonist.
Children's Books
n.p., British Railways Board, 1991.
First edition. Signed by Quentin Blake on early leaf. 8vo. Original pictorial wrappers.
Children's Books
London, Jonathan Cape, 1982.
First edition, first impression. Signed by the illustrator on the title-page. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced £6.50.
A very good first edition of one of Dahl's best-loved novels; a central title in late 20th-century children's literature. This copy further enhanced by being signed by the illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake.
London, Putnam, 1948.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Set in a small English post-war town ("Otterbury"), a gang of schoolboys accidentally break a classroom window and then unite both rival companies in an enterprise to raise money - only to uncover a local criminal racket and embark on a daring rescue and detective-raid.
Children's Books
London, University of London Press, 1946.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 6/-.
Elizabeth Goudge's much-loved 1946 children's fantasy sends orphaned Maria Merryweather to Moonacre Manor, where she must reconcile feuding families, befriend magical creatures and fulfil an ancient prophecy.
Children's Books
and other Chronicles of Rossiter
London, Epworth Press, 1913.
First edition. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 3/6.
School stories following the exploits of the senior prefect and fellow pupils at Rossiter School, celebrating duty, honour and games.
A story of three children and a toy newspaper
London, S.W. Partridge, 1919.
Fourth edition. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket.
Elizabeth Rebecca Ward (2 December 1880 – 16 April 1978) was a prolific English writer of popular verse, religious works, and works for children, writing under the pen-name Fay Inchfawn. Her works were serialised in women's magazines, and she was sometimes known as "The Poet Laureate of the Home".
Children's Books
a collection of the world's best fairy tales from all countries
London, Jonathan Cape, 1929.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 7s.6d.
An anthology of fairy tales from many countries, including well-known ones like "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," Hawthorne's "The Miraculous Pitcher," plus several anonymous and less popular tales. Wilson is better known as a novelist and essayist.
Children's Books
Introduced by Guy Paget
London, Duckworth, 1938.
First edition, first impression. 4to. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
Humorous verse and prose by Australian-born poet and horseman W.H. Ogilvie with equestrian caricatures by noted sporting artist G. Denholm Armour.
London, Harrap, 1934.
First edition, trade issue. 8vo. Original pictorial wrappers.
An attractively illustrated edition of this classic of children's literature, illustrated by one of the greats from the Golden Age of Illustration.
Children's Books
London, Heinemann, 1973.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket.
In this Carnegie Medal-winning children's novel, a family moves into an old Oxfordshire cottage and their son James is harassed by poltergeist-like mischief; chalk messages, smashed bottles and mysterious voices. The culprit turns out to be the ghost of a 17th century apothecary, Thomas Kempe, who wants to make James his apprentice...
Children's Books
London, Macmillan, 1950.
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 8s6d.
In this sixth installment of the 'Adventure' series, Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann and Jack embark on a Mediterranean cruise. A birthday gift - a ship in a bottle - reveals a hidden treasure map, leading the children on a quest to find the lost treasure of the Andra, while evading dangerous adversaries.
Children's Books
For Little Children
London, Macmillan, 1902.
First edition, first impression. Small 4to. Original red pictorial cloth.
This collection of origin stories explains how various animals acquired their distinctive features, such as "How the Leopard Got His Spots." The tales are known for their imaginative narratives and playful language.
Children's Books
Comprising Dimsie Among the Prefects; Dimsie, Head Girl, Dimsie Grows Up
London, OUP; Umphrey Milford, 1937.
Omnibus edition. 8vo. Original green cloth. Dust-jacket, priced 3/6.
An collection of three key tales from the Dimsie series, second in popularity only to Angela Brazil's during the 1920s and 1930s. The Dimsie books alone had sold half a million hardback copies by 1947.
Children's Books
London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1906.
First edition. Oblong 4to. Original cloth-backed pictorial boards.
The title character and his doll companions embark on a sea voyage but are soon caught in a storm that leaves them stranded on a desert island.
Children's Books
London, Longmans, Green & Co., [1905].
First edition. Oblong 4to. Original cloth-backed pictorial boards.
The sixth installment in the Upton's series featuring the character Golliwogg.
Children's Books
London, Jonathan Cape, 1978.
First edition, first impression. Signed presentation copy from the author. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jacket, priced £2.95.
A children's novel by Australian writer Keneally, best known for Schindler's Ark (1982). This whimsical story imagines the bushranger Ned Kelly in a fantastical context, with bee characters interwoven...
Tom Maschler (1933–2020) was a highly influential figure in British publishing, renowned in particular for his tenure as literary director at Jonathan Cape. He was instrumental in shaping modern publishing, discovering and championing some of the most iconic authors of the 20th century, including Ian McEwan, Martin Amis and Salman Rushdie. Maschler was also a key force behind the creation of the Booker Prize, which became one of the most prestigious literary awards globally. Known for his keen editorial eye and risk-taking, he played a pivotal role in establishing literary trends and elevating authors who would go on to define their eras.
Children's Books
...Being the Sequel to a story by the same writer entitled The Prisoner of Zenda
Bristol & London, J.W. Arrowsmith, [1898].
First edition, first impression. Signed presentation copy from the author. 8vo. Original cloth, ruled and lettered in gilt.
The sequel to Hope's famous The Prisoner of Zenda (1894), continuing the swashbuckling adventures in the fictional land of Ruritania. Rare signed/inscribed, here with the author's full name Anthony Hope Hawkins.
Children's Books
London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1972.
First edition. Oblong 8vo. Original pictorial boards. Pictorial dust-jacket, priced 95p.
Written and illustrated by an eleven-year old living in London, and published when she was fourteen.
Children's Books
London & New York, Frederick Warne, 1934.
First edition. 4to. Original pictorial boards. Pictorial dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
Attractively lithographed children's book by an artist & illustrator known for his work with the Golden Cockerel Press and for the early 'Swallows and Amazons' titles.
Children's Books
London & New York, Frederick Warne, 1933.
First edition. 4to. Original pictorial boards. Pictorial dust-jacket, priced 5/-.
A children's story set on a farm, highlighting rural life and animal tales, illustrated by an artist & illustrator known for his work with the Golden Cockerel Press.
Children's Books
or The Story of Mr. Fox and Brer Rabbit
Leicester & London, Raithby, Lawrence, [1939].
Illustrated edition. Small 4to. Title printed in red & black. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket with mounted illustration, price-clipped.
Classic American children's literature, presenting folktales rooted in Southern Black oral traditions, accompanied by vibrant illustrations by Harry Rowntree and René Bull.
![Alternative view of [Watkins-Pitchford (D.J.)], "B.B." The Little Grey Men:](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/86492_2-300x400.jpg)
Children's Books
A story for the young in heart
London, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1942.
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
BB's classic fairy tale for children, charmingly illustrated by the author.
Children's Books
London, Sampson Low, Marston, [?1880s].
'New and Cheaper Edition'. 8vo. Original red pictorial cloth.
An adventure novel set during the Greek War of Independence. It follows the daring exploits of a French naval officer, Henry d'Albaret, as he battles the notorious pirate Sacratif and navigates political intrigue and romance.
Children's Books
London, Philip Allan, [1935].
First edition. 8vo. Original cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
One of a series of 'National Fairy Books', compiling tales from around the British Isles. This is the only one from the series illustrated by Willy Pogany, well known for his illustrated editions of the Rubaiyat and Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Children's Books
London, George Allen & Unwin, 1957.
First edition, second impression. 8vo. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket, price-clipped.
Tolkien's whimsical medieval fable about a reluctant hero, Farmer Giles, who must confront a troublesome dragon with wit and cunning rather than traditional bravery. Baynes' illustrations were significant in fantasy fiction of the period, as she would go on to become best known for her work on C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, contributing a visual style that became iconic in mid-20th century fantasy literature.
Children's Books
or The Story of Mr. Fox and Brer Rabbit
Leicester & London, Raithby, Lawrence, [1939].
Illustrated edition. Small 4to. Title printed in red & black. Original pictorial cloth. Dust-jacket with mounted illustration.
Classic of American children's literature, here illustrated by Harry Rowntree and René Bull.
![Susan Cooper, [The Dark is Rising series], mixed editions/impressions, 1974-73-77.](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/86347-300x300.jpg)
![Alternative view of Cooper (Susan) [The Dark is Rising series].](https://lycanthiabooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/86347_2-300x400.jpg)
Children's Books
Comprising: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree
London, Chatto & Windus, 1974-1973-1977.
Over Sea, Under Stone, first edition thus, the rest first editions, first impressions except The Grey King (2nd impression). Together 5 vol. 8vo. Original boards. Dust-jackets.
A complete set of Susan Cooper's modern classic of children's literature, introducing readers to a parallel world of old magic and an epic battle between light & dark.
Children's Books
the autobiography of a horse
London, Jarrold, n.d. [c.1894].
39th edition. 8vo. Original decorative cloth lettered in gilt.
An attractive edition of Sewell's classic of children's literature, and animal rights.
Children's Books
Teatime Tales for Tiny Tots
London, Gawthorn, [1944].
First edition. Large 8vo. Original cloth. Pictorial dust-jacket.
A very good copy of this popular children's books.
Children's Books
"The Other 100 Years War"
Kington, Herts, Roundtower Design, 2004.
First edition. Oblong 4to. Original blue boards. Dust-jacket.
A well-researched and enjoyable history of toy soldiers. Cowan was a well-respected toy soldier & knight maker himself, trading under various names, including Kingcast.
Children's Books
The Later Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett
London, Martin Secker, 1919.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth blocked in green. Dust-jacket, priced 8/-.
The third book of Sylvia Scarlett's adventures, by the author of Whisky Galore. Scarce in dust-jacket.
Children's Books
London, John Hamilton, [1935].
First edition, first impression. 8vo. Original blue cloth lettered in black to spine. Dust-jacket.
A hard book to find in the original dust-jacket, featuring attractive aeronautical artwork by Stanley Orton Bradshaw.
Children's Books
from the Walt Disney production
London & Glasgow, Collins, [1944]..
First UK edition. 4to. Original cloth-backed boards with illustration to upper cover.
A very good first UK edition of Roald Dahl's first book, that launched his career as a writer of nuanced children's literature. The story builds on an RAF legend of mischievous/malicious sprites that hamper the missions of fighter & bomber pilots during the Second World War.
Children's Books
London, Methuen, [1908].
Early edition. 8vo. Advertisements dated February 1908. Original pictorial red cloth lettered in gilt to spine.
A handsome copy of this early edition of Mitford's adventure tale, originally published in 1904.