Volume II, Issue 2 | June 7, 2019

Old & Rare Collectible Children's Books

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, we've been doing some spring cleaning. And while going through our inventory of Old and Rare children's books, we came across a number of books that we have a few copies each of in first or signed, limited editions. So to make some room on our shelves and help add some new treasures to yours, we've decided to offer these wonderful books to you at a great discount! So have a look below at all of the books we have uncovered for you to add to your collections at these special reduced prices!

While we realize that not all of our friends and customers want to collect these vintage editions, we hope that as book lovers you will find the information on the history of these books interesting. Also, for those new to collecting rare books, we have created a guide to how we describe our books and many of the bibliographic terms used in these descriptions. To view this guide and glossary on our website, just click here .

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into some of the wonderful books we have and if you have any questions about these items, please feel free to email us at rarebooks@booksofwonder.com or call us at 212-989-3270.

For each of the items below, when you click on the photo or the " For more information " button, it will link you to our website where additional pictures can be seen and you can purchase the book online.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, I'm always happy to hear from you.

Best wishes,
Peter Glassman
BLUE BALLIETT
Chasing Vermeer . Illustrated by Brett Helquist. NY: Scholastic [2004]. 8vo, xiv 254pp. Glazed, color pictorial boards. Orange textured endpapers; 22 full-page b&w illustrations. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Blue Balliett .

First edition. When a priceless Vermeer painting disappears, sixth-graders Petra and Calder find themselves drawn together at the center of an international art scandal where no one – not neighbors, parents, or teachers – are above suspicion. Drawing on their powers of intuition, problem solving skills, and newly acquired knowledge of Vermeer, can they decipher a crime that has stumped even the FBI? The first of four wonderful mysteries with Petra and Calder.
Regularly $95 ... now just $50

KELLY BARNHILL
The Girl Who Drank the Moon . [Chapel Hill]: Algonquin, 2016. 8vo, [viii] 388pp. Red boards stamped in gold on spine and blind-stamped on cover. Navy endpapers. Head of spine a tad rubbed, else a fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed). Signed by the author, Kelly Barnhill .

First edition. 2017 Newbery Medal Winner! Though the people of the Protectorate fear her, Xan, the witch in the Forest, is kind, sharing her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. The villagers leave Xan infants as sacrifices, but Xan rescues each child and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest. When Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic, she realizes she must raise this girl herself. As the child, now called Luna, approaches her 13th birthday, her magic begins to emerge -- with dangerous consequences. Soon many forces are at work and it's up to Luna and Xan to somehow calm the chaos that is brewing.
Regularly $700... now just $450

SUZANNE COLLINS
Catching Fire . NY: Scholastic [2009]. 8vo, [vi] 391pp. Red boards pictorially stamped in black. Mustard endpapers. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.  Signed by the author, Suzanne Collins .


First edition. The second book in Collins' NY Times best-selling Hunger Games Trilogy , and the basis for the blockbuster movie of the same name. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games and saved the life of fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol – and the powers that be are not forgiving. One false step and their lives and those of everyone they love could be destroyed. But Katniss and Peeta have kindled hope in the districts. Can they stop it from catching fire? And if they fail, will their loved ones pay the price?
Regularly $600... now just $350

CHRISTOPHER PAUL CUTRIS
Christopher Paul.  Bud, Not Buddy . [NY]: Delacorte [1999]. 8vo, x 245pp. Navy spine stamped in bronze with blue boards pictorially stamped in blind. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed).  Signed and dated January 19, 2000 by the author, Christopher Paul Curtis .


First edition.  2000 Newbery Medal Winner! It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan, and 10-year-old Bud – not Buddy – Caldwell decides to strike out on his own and find the man he suspects is the father he’s never known. What he finds is jazz, family history, and just maybe some answers he can live with.
Regularly $150... now just $100

ROALD DAHL
The Mildenhall Treasure . Pictures by Ralph Steadman. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, [1999]. 4to, 79pp. Blue boards with spine stamped in silver. Brown endpapers; color illustrations on nearly every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.  Signed by the artist, Ralph Steadman.


First edition. First written as an article by Dahl back in 1946, this is its first appearance in book form. Here is the tale of Gordon Butcher, an English plowman, who uncovered the greatest treasure ever found in the British Isles: a hoard of Roman silver of unparalleled beauty and value. Not knowing the value of his find, he was cheated out of his rightful fortune. Roald Dahl's savage parable of innocence and greed is lavishly illustrated by renowned artist Ralph Steadman’s colorful, vivid pictures.
Regularly $125... now just $75

RANDALL de S ÉVE
Toy Boat . Illustrated by Loren Long. [NY]: Philomel, [2007]. Square 8vo, [32]pp. Color pictorial boards. Color pictorial endpapers; full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Randall de Séve, and the artist, Loren Long . 

First edition. A little boy's handmade boat and he are inseparable. But when a strong wind blows the boat out into deep waters, the little boat must face fierce waves, a grumpy ferry, a sassy schooner, and a growling speed boat. The little toy boat misses the boy so much! But he's determined to make his way back to his devoted friend. A beautiful parable of determination and friendship gorgeously captured in Long's glowing watercolors. ( I still can't believe this book didn't at least receive a Caldecott Honor Medal! )  
Regularly $60... now just $40

JULIE ANDREWS EDWARDS
The Great American Mousical . By Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton. Illustrated by Tony Walton. [NY]: HarperCollins [2006]. 8vo, xii 147pp. Blue board spine stamped in gold foil with red boards stamped in blind. Pictorial endpapers; b&w illustrations throughout. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.  Signed by the author, Julie Andrews Edwards.

First edition. In the heart of the great metropolis of New York City, the bright lights of Broadway shine. And down in depths of a theater on Broadway, sits a long-forgotten architect's model of the Sovereign Theater where, a troupe of theater mice busily prepare to stage their show, "Broadway Airs." The cast and crew are devastated when they learn of the imminent demolition of the theater and the mysterious disappearance of their leading lady. As the clock ticks toward opening night, everyone is worried – will the little Sovereign survive? How can they open without their star? But, the show must go on!
Regularly $85... now just $45

CARSON ELLIS
Du Iz Tak? [Somerville]: Candlewick, [2016]. 4to, [48]pp. Color pictorial boards. Green endpapers; full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed). 

First edition. 2017 Caldecott Honor Book! Here is an ingenious picture book in which made-up words and striking pictures combine to take young (and not-so-young) readers on a dazzling journey through their imaginations. Du iz tak?  You'll discover the answer and so much more in this brilliant, Caldecott Honor book.
Regularly $75... now just $50

IAN FALCONER
Olivia Forms a Band . NY: Atheneum, [2006]. 4to, [40]pp. Color pictorial boards. Color pictorial endpapers; full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.

First edition. Fireworks without a band? Olivia just can't believe it. So Olivia sets out to put together hew own band. Using pots, pans, her brother's toys, and even her father's suspenders, Olivia forms a band spectacular enough for any fireworks display. Lavishly brought to life in Ian Falconer's signature style, here is Olivia doing what Olivia does best -- making noise and having a truly grand time!
Regularly $50... now just $35

BRIAN FLOCA
Locomotive . NY: Atheneum, [2013]. Square 4to, [56]pp. Color pictorial boards. Color pictorial endpapers with text; color illustrations throughout. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (medals not affixed).  Signed by the author, Brian Floca, with a small drawing of a locomotive, and dated January 30, 2014 -- just days after winning the Caldecott Medal .

First edition.  2014 Caldecott Medal Winner! It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean. Come ride the railss, hear the hiss of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, and watch the landscape race by.
Regularly $250... now just $150

CORNELIA FUNKE
Inkspell . Translated from the German by Anthea Bell. NY: Scholastic [2005]. 12mo, xiv 640pp. Blue cloth stamped in silver. Maroon endpapers; small b&w illustrations throughout. A fine copy in original color pictorial slipcase wrapped in original cellophane.  Signed by the author, Cornelia Funke .
Limited edition, being one of 500 numbered copies featuring an extra illustration of Dustfinger by the author printed exclusively in this limted edition. The second title in Cornelia Funke’s  New York Times  best sell-ing  Inkheart  trilogy, signed and numbered by the author. Although a year has passed, Meggie cannot stop thinking about  Inkheart , the book whose characters her father read into our world. But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater from the book, the need to return to the tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the ability to read him back, Dustfinger, his young apprentice, Farid, and Meggie find themselves inside the book where the story is threatening to evolve in ways that imperil them all.
Regularly $125... now just $75

NEIL GAIMAN
Coraline . With Illustrations by Dave McKean. [NY]: HarperCollins, [2002]. 8vo, [viii] 166pp. Black boards blind stamped on cover, spine stamped in copper. ed endpapers; 12 full-page b&w illustrations. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket Signed by the author, Neil Gaiman .

First edition. The basis for the 2009 feature film. When Coraline unlocks the mysterious door in her families new flat, she discovers a new world with people who seem a lot like her parents -- but aren't. The other mother and other father want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. How is Coraline ever to get back to the home she loves?
Regularly $200... now just $125

ADAM GIDWITZ
The Inquisitor’s Tale . Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog. Illuminated by Hatem Aly. [NY]: Dutton, [2016]. 8vo, [xvi] 368pp. Green boards pictorially blind-stamped, with spine stamped in silver. Numerous b&w illustrations and decorations. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed). Signed by the author, Adam Gidwitz .
First edition. 2017 Newbery Honor Book! It is 1242 and three young outsiders – Jeanne, a peasant girl with prophetic visions; Jacob, a Jewish boy with healing powers; and William, a biracial monk with superhuman strength – band together to escape persecution in medieval France. Their powers will be tested by demons and dragons, knights and cunning monks. From small villages to grand banquet halls, these three unlikely friends – and their faithful greyhound – are chased through France to final showdown with King Louis IX at the foot of the abbey fortress of Mont-Saint-Michel. Inspired by Chaucer’s  Canterbury Tales, this is a humorous, touching, and exciting tale. 
Regularly $65... now just $45

JOHN S. GOODALL
John S. Goodall’s Album . [Hampshire: Ragged Bears Limited, 1994]. 4to, 80pp. Green boards stamped in gold. Full-color and b&w illustrations throughout. Slightest touch of rubbing at spine ends, else a fine, bright copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the artist, John S. Goodall .

First, limited edition. 1 of 150 signed copies. A wonderful compendium of the work of celebrated artist John S. Goodall [1908-1996], hand-selected by him towards the end of his fabled career. Featuring a wide breadth of his work, including his illustrations for children’s books, landscapes and portraits, this beautiful collection highlights some of the most exquisite and enchanting of Goodall’s pieces. 
Regularly $150... now just $85

JAMES GURNEY
Dinotopia . A Land Apart from Time. Written and Illustrated by James Gurney. Atlanta: Turner Publishing, [1992]. Oblong 4to, 160pp. Olive boards blind stamped with spine stamped in gold. Illustrated endpapers; full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, James Gurney .

First edition. When James Gurney's  Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time  first appeared in 1992, it was immediately hailed as a fully imagined world of the caliber of J. R. R. Tolkien's. Gurney's striking art influenced a whole generation of artists and filmmakers. Enter a world where man and dinosaurs exist comfortably side by side.
Regularly $150... now just $95

CARL HIAASEN
Hoot . NY: Knopf [2002]. 12mo, [viii] 295pp. Orange boards with yellow board spine stamped in gold foil. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed).  Signed by the author, Carl Hiaasen .

First edition.  A 2003 Newbery Honor Book! Hiaasen’s first book for young readers was an instant hit and inspired a successful movie. A classic tale of young underdogs fighting uncaring developers in a struggle to save endangered tiny owls. 
Regularly $100... now just $65

KEN KESEY
Little Tricker the Squirrel Meets Big Double the Bear. Illustrated by Barry Moser. [NY]: Viking, [1990]. 8vo, [iv] 28pp. Green boards, spine stamped in gold. Red endpapers; full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the artist, Barry Moser . 

First edition thus. Tricker may be a clever creature, but is he smart enough to bamboozle a double-big, double-hungry bear? A delightful and hilarious story which pairs the wonderful writing of the famed author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with the incomparable watercolors of artist Barry Moser.
Regularly $85... now just $45

MAILE MELOY
The Apothecary . With illustrations by Ian Schoenherr. [NY]: G.P. Puntam’s Sons, [2011]. 8vo, [viii] 358pp. Dark Gray boards decoratively blind stamped, spine stamped in blue foil. Pale blue endpapers; double-page b&w illustrated title plus 38 illustrated chapter openings. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Maile Meloy, and the artist, Ian Schoenherr .

First edition. It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London, where 14-year-old Janie befriends a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the mysteries of the apothecary's secret book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster . 
Regularly $50... now just $35

CHARLES MIKOLAYCAK
Orpheus . Retold and Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak. San Diego: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich [1992]. 4to, [32]pp. Black quarter-cloth stamped in copper, gray boards blind stamped. Colored endpapers; Full-color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket . Signed by the artist, Charles Mikolaycak and dated the year of publication . 

First edition. The classic tale of Orpheus and his journey to Hades to win back his beloved Eurydice and the tragedy that followed. Brilliantly captured in Mikolaycak's stunning watercolors, this was one of the final works by this acclaimed artist before his untimely death. 
Regularly $65... now just $40

TERRY PRATCHETT
A Hat Full of Sky . [NY] Harper Collins [2004]. 8vo, [viii] 280pp. Mustard boards with brown spine stamped in gold foil. Mustard endpapers. A fine copy in the publisher's original full-color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Terry Pratchett .

First US Edition. Tiffany Aching is ready to begin her apprenticeship in magic. She expects spells and magic -- not chores and ill-tempered nanny goats! Surely there must be more to witchcraft than this! What Tiffany doesn't know is that an insidious, disembodied creature is pursuing her. This time, neither Mistress Weatherwax (the greatest witch in the world) nor the fierce, six-inch-high Wee Free Men can protect her. In the end, it will take all of Tiffany's inner strength to save herself ... if it can be done at all. The sequel to Pratchett's The Wee Free Men.
Regularly $125... now just $85

PHILIP PULLMAN
The Golden Compass .  His Dark Materials, Book One. NY: Alfred A. Knopf [1996]. 12mo, [x] 403pp. Navy quarter-cloth stamped in gold, with navy boards. Heel of spine a tad rubbed, else a fine, bright copy in the original color pictorial dust jacket.   Signed by the author, Philip Pullman .

First edition under this title, being the first US printing of Northern Lights, which received the coveted Carnegie Medal the prior year in Britain. Lyra Belacqua and her daemon, Pantalaimon, set out to rescue her friends -- kidnapped children who are being used in a horrible experiment. Along the way she is assisted by witch clans, gyptians, an aeornaut, and the great armoured bear, Iorek Byrnison. This is the powerful, stunningly first volume in Pullman's award-winning  His Dark Materials  trilogy, soon to be released as an HBO series. Along with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter , this is one of the two most influential works of children's fantasy of the past 30 years.
Regularly $600... now just $350

CHRIS RASCHKA
A Ball for Daisy . NY: Schwartz & Wade, [2011]. Square 8vo, [32]pp. Color pictorial boards. Blue endpapers; color illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (medal not affixed).  Signed by the author, two-time Caldecott Medalist, Chris Raschka .

First edition.  2012 Caldecott Medal winner! Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In this wordless picture book, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores in one brilliant picture after another the joy and sadness of play, loss, and friendship. 
   Regularly $150... now just $95

RICK RIORDAN
The Sea of Monsters . NY: Hyperion [2006]. 8vo, [vi] 281pp. Brown boards with spine stamped in gold. Orange endpapers. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.  Signed by the author, Rick Riordan.

First edition. The second title in the Percy Jackson series and the first to be issued with cover art by John Rocco. As if being half god, half mortal wasn’t tough enough, Percy learns he has a half-brother who’s a Cyclops! Then his best friend is kidnapped and Percy sets out to rescue him – against direct orders.  
Regularly $200... now just $100

J[oanne] K[athleen] ROWLING
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . [London]: Bloomsbury, [2003]. 12mo, 766pp. Color pictorial boards. A near fine copy with some yellowing to page edges (as usual) in original color pictorial dust jacket.

First edition. The fifth book in the beloved and best-selling Harry Potter series. In his fifth year at Hogwart's, Harry faces the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as the Ministry of Magic seeks to deny that Voldemort has returned.
Regularly $85... now just $45

BRIAN SELZNICK
Wonderstruck . A Novel in Words and Pictures. NY: Scholastic, [2011]. 8vo, 640pp. Color pictorial boards. Gray endpapers; numerous b&w illustrations throughout. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket. Signed by the author, Brian Selznick .

First edition. Returning to the groundbreaking format he created for The Invention of Hugo Cabret , Selznick weaves art and text to tell the stories of Ben and Rose. Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories -- Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures -- weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. The basis for the recent movie.
Regularly $65... now just $40

[MAURICE SENDAK]
The Miami Giant . By Arthur Yorinks. Pictures by Maurice Sendak. [NY]: HarperCollins, [1995]. Square 8vo, [40]pp. Glazed color pictorial boards. Orange endpapers; color illustrations on nearly every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket.

First edition. When the great explorer Giuseppe Giaweeni left Italy to look for China, who knew he'd stumble across Miami and discover a lost tribe of dancing giants? His fateful voyage leads to a detour into show business and an unforgettable lesson in friendship. Arthur Yorinks and Maurice Sendak’s first collaboration, brings out the best from these two close friends. 
Regularly $40... now just $20

LANE SMITH
Grandpa Green . NY: Roaring Brook, [2011]. Oblong 4to, [30]pp. Color pictorial boards. Olive endpapers; color illustrations on every page, including a stunning 4-page gatefold. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed).  Signed by the author, Caldecott Honor artist, Lane Smith.

First edition.  2012 Caldecott Honor Book! Grandpa Green wasn't always a gardener. He was a boy who lived on a farm and a child who had chickenpox. He was a soldier, a husband and – most of all – an artist. Follow his grandson through a garden where memories are handed down through the shapes of topiary trees and imagination recreates things forgotten.  Grandpa Green  opens the door to a garden of wonder which parents and grandparents will be able to share with children for generations to come. 
Regularly $50... now just $35

CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG
Zathura. A Space Adventure. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. 4to, [32]pp. Black quarter-cloth spine stamped in silver with blue boards pictorially stamped in silver. Black endpapers; b&w illustrations on every page. A fine copy in original pictorial dust jacket.  Signed by the author, two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Van Allsburg.

First edition. The sequel to Van Allsburg's beloved picture book, Jumanji, and the basis for the 2005 film. On the last page of the Caldecott-winning book Jumanji , young Danny Budwing is seen running after his brother, Walter, with a game tucked under his arm. Twenty years later, Chris Van Allsburg returned to reveal what happens when Danny and Walter roll the dice. This time the name of the game is Zathura and the battling Budwing boys are in for the ride of their lives.
Regularly $100... now just $60

DAVID WIESNER
The Three Pigs . Boston: Clarion Books, [2001]. Oblong 4to, [40]pp. Maroon quarter-cloth spine stamped in gold, gray boards pictorially blind-stamped. Sand-colored endpapers; color illustrations on nearly every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed).  Signed by three-time Caldecott Medalist, David Wiesner.

First edition.  2002 Caldecott Medal winner! This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book begins familiarly enough, with three pigs going off to build houses of straw, sticks, and bricks. But the wolf’s huffing and puffing blows the first pig right out of the story... and into the realm of pure imagination. The transition signals the start of a freewheeling adventure with characteristic Wiesner effects — cinematic flow, astonishing shifts of perspective, and sly humor, as well as pure flights of fancy. Satisfying both as a story and as an exploration of the nature of story,  The Three Pigs  takes visual narrative to a new level.
Regularly $100... now just $60

[PAUL O. ZELINSKY]
Swamp Angel . By Anne Isaacs. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. NY: Dutton, [1994]. 4to, [34]pp. Glazed color pictorial boards. Wood patterned endpapers; color illustrations on nearly every page. A fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (no medal affixed).  Signed by the author, Anne Isaacs, and the artist, Paul O. Zelinsky .

First edition.  A 1995 Caldecott Honor Book! A delightful tale illustrated by Caldecott Medalist, Paul O. Zelinsky. Here’s an original American folk-tale about a woman as strong as Paul Bunyan and as undefeatable as John Henry. Swamp Angel can lasso a tornado, and drink an entire lake dry. She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art illustrations – painted in oil on maple, cherry, and oak veneers – are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this rollicking tale of the American frontier. 
  Regularly $85... now just $45

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