New York: Exposition Press, (1951) dj. Hardcover first edition - A collection of whimsical poems written for imaginative children by this Montana author and teacher. 48 pp.

New York: Simon & Schuster, (2002). First edition - An easy to read chapter book, illustrated with line drawings by Mary Rayner. "Hobart and his talented pig family, who love to dance, sing, and write poetry, must prove their value to Farmer Mills before they become a side of bacon!" 58 pp.

Reading, PA: The Snyder Publishing Co., 1942. SIGNED hardcover first edition - A book written by Ethel M. Briggs, Northwest Branch Librarian at the Reading (Pa.) Public Library Hardback, which - in addition to telling a cute story about a boy named Tommy and his black Scotch terrier, named Arsenic (because he is 'poison' to so many things) -also explains much about how a public library works - beginning with it is "free for everyone to use." Illustrated with simple line drawings by the author. INSCRIBED by the author on the half title page and dated in 1944. 84 pp plus 1 pp Dewey classification chart.

Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1950. dj. Hardcover first edition - A story of Chinese village life, illustrated by Kurt Wiese, in which Su-Mei and her friends preserve the wheat crop and save her village from famine. Both the author and the illustrator had lived in China and have a sympathy and understanding of the people there. 246 pp.

Toronto: Stoddart, (1997) dj. Hardcover first edition - "The Secret World of the Bronte Children" by this award-winning Canadian author. A glimpse into their lives in an austere parsonage in Haworth in 1829, and of the miniature world created and described in tiny handwriting by four imaginative children - Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell Bronte. Illustrated with paintings by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson. Oblong format. 40 pp. ISBN: 0-689-811853.

New York: Troll Associates, (1987). Hardcover first edition - The Buglebby Books are written to teach the meaning of friendship to young children. In this one, "fears and bad dreams almost spoil Toony's time at a sleep-over, but her friends help her out with suggestions for making bedtime happier." Colorful illustrations by Vana Kondo. Large format, unpaginated. ISBN: 0-816709106.

New York: Harper & Row, 1990. dj. Hardcover first edition - A retelling in a way which stands the old stories on their heads of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Bunyan, John Henry and Jack and the Beanstock. Illustrated with drawings by Richard Egielki.

New York: The Seabury Press, (1976) dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - The author's first book for children set in St Louis in the 1960s where she grew up, this is the story of a boy who befriends a stray cat despite the landlord's rule of "no pets allowed," backed up by a threat to evict the family. Illustrated with a frontispiece and ten internal full-page pen and ink drawings by Mike Eagle. SIGNED by Brookins on the front endpaper with the words "with love" and dated in the year of publication. 135 pp. ISBN: 0-816431752.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, c. 1955. Hardcover - Although the copyright page only states 'published October 17, 1955' this is probably a printing from the early 1970's. Another in the delightful, and popular series of books featuring Freddy the Pig and the other animals on the Bean farm, illustrated in black and white by Kurt Wiese. Bound in illustrated boards. ISBN: 0-394-908104.

New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999. dj. Hardcover first edition - An amusing story, written in rhyme, and accompanied by the author's pastel illustrations, of a prima donna who discovers there is no water for her bath one morning. This Belgian author has added a slightly evil twist to this, as the self-centered singer fails to notice that the rain her voice has called down has flooded a village nestled in the hollow of a vale. ISBN: 0-8109-40930.

Charlottesville, VA: Thomasson-Grant, (1992) dj. Hardcover first edition - The author's absolutely wonderful first book, a wordless book in which three black and white cats perch on a branch above three impudent fish. Originally published in Belgium where it was the winner of the Prix des Critiques de Livres pour l'enfants de la Communaute Francaise de Belgique and an honorable mention for the Versele Prize. Unpaginated, large format. ISBN: 0-934738971.

Kansas City: Charles E. Brown Publishing Co. / Faultless Starch Col, (ca 1900). Small promotional booklets, just 3 by 5 inches, given out with each box of starch sold. Each volume contains a retelling of a familiar story, or an original story, often humorous, and also often bringing in "starch" into the story. At the end of the story are several pages of conundrums, jokes, interesting facts, etc. Illustrated. Colors of the covers vary - blue, brown, red, turquoise - and each is printed in the same color as the cover illustration. 16 pp each, including the covers,

New York: Harper Collins, (2006.) dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - The author's first book for children - "This is a book about how to be a bear, a monkey, a turtle, a snake, a spider, a dog - This is a book about how to be a person." SIGNED on the title page by the author/illustrator with a drawing of a bear. Illustrated with humorous three color drawings. Oblong format. Unpaginated. ISBN: 9780060546359.

New York: Harper Collins, (2010.) dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - "When the sun goes down and everything is wonderfully cold and dark, a vampire boy and a little witch go searching for children in the night. But this is no ordinary night. It is Halloween, and what they find may surprise them. . . " SIGNED on the title page by the author/illustrator. Charmingly illustrated in full color. Oblong format. Unpaginated. ISBN: 9780061140112.

New York: Harper Collins, (2008). SIGNED hardcover first edition - And "sometimes you don't." A charming book featuring a brother and sister - and a cat which follows them everywhere - and in very simple words and pictures shows life as a series of little victories and little disappointments. SIGNED on the title page by the illustrator Lisa Brown, with a drawing of a cat. Meredith Gary's first book for children. Oblong format, unpaginated. ISBN: 978-0061140167.

Boston: Little Brown, 1988. dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - A book published in aid of the appeal to set up the Opie Collection of children's books at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Includes rhymes selected by Iona Opie from the collection, some never before published, and each rhyme is illustrated by a different children's artist, all of whom donated their efforts to raise funds to perserve this collection. SIGNED and dated by Marc Brown at his illustrated pages. Other contributors are Shirley Hughes, Ann Dalton, Reg Cartwright, Inga Moore, Maurice Sendak, Quentin Blake, Helen Oxenbury, Babette Cole and others. Dustjacket illutration by Maurice Sendak. A beautiful and unique book. ISBN: 0-316-650811.

New York: Harper & Brothers, (ca 1951, 1940) dj. Hardcover - The second book in the wonderful noisy book series. When the family takes the little black dog named Muffin to the country, he hears lots of new noises - what he hears is shown in the pictures, "with very little encouragement, children supply the appropriate noise and have a wonderful time doing it!" Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard. An early printing by Harper and Brothers, with 7 titles listed on the rear flap, price of $2.50 on dj.

New York: Hyperion, (1998). Hardcover first edition - Classic story of digging - by a mole, a dog, worm, a pirate and then a man with his steam shovel who digs a tunnel under the city - reissued in a small square board book format. Illustrated by Daniel Kirk. ISBN: 0*786804246.

Boston: D.C. Heath, (1939.). Hardcover first edition - A book for early readers, containing 10 stories by Brown, illustrated throughout in full color by the Walt Disney studio. Part of the Disney Story Book series. Stories include classics like The Ugly Duckling, and the Grasshopper and the Ants; but also Disney themes like Pluto's Kitten and Pluto's Chicks. 102 pp. Blue illustrated endpapers.

San Francisco: Chronicle Books, (1993) dj. Hardcover - San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge to Union Square, the cable cars, Chinatown, the Japanese Tea Garden, Mission Dolores, North Beach and more, fancifully illustrated with colorful collages by Elisa Kleven. Includes a brief chronology of the history of the city, and several pages of fun facts. Unpaginated, large almost square format. ISBN: 0-811802337.

Paris: Librairie Hachette, (ca 1949, c 1941). Hardcover - A lovely book in the original large format edition from Hachette. Lists through the first 8 titles on the verso of the copyright page (also states "Copyright by Librarie Hachette 1941" on copyright page, "depot legal 8213-5-49" on last page.) Text in French / texte en francais. Red elephant endpapers. 40 pp

Paris: Librairie Hachette, (1954). Hardcover first edition - Text in French (texte en francais) - a delightful story in the Babar series with detailed and humorous illustrations, from the double page spread of all the visitors streaming over the bridge to Celesteville to the animals venturing into the underwater world in their protective gear, complete with a 'chemise transparente' for the lion so he won't get wet. Folio. 40 pp.

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - A girl and her father go hunting for a fox who had stolen her pet rabbit - only to realize that the fox itself was hungry and deserving of pity. A lovely book with evocative illustrations by Allen Garns. The author's first book for children, and the first illustrated book by Garns. INSCRIBED by the author opposite the title page "To --- very special friends and neighbors" and dated in the year of publication. Large format, unpaginated. ISBN: 0-679-915249.

New York: Amulet Books / Harry N. Abrams, (2007). Hardcover first edition - In this, the fifth book in the series, the fairy-tale detectives Sabrina and Daphne Grimm investigate a series of magical thefts. Illustrated with drawings by Peter Ferguson. 282 pp. Cover by Allison Henry. ISBN: 978-0810993587.

New York: Workman Publishing, (1985) dj. Hardcover first edition - Buckley's first book for children, a fantasy which is part of the Goblin Tales series. Illustrated by John Gurney. "The subdued colors in Gurney's pictures reflect the dark doings set afoot by Wilfred Malachey, a newcomer at Brookfield Academy. Wilfred's allowance is small, his parents sacrifice to send him to the boarding school, so he steals to pay for luxuries enjoyed by the well-heeled students. But the discovery of the goblin residing in Brookfield's computer leads Wilfred to visions of real wealth. . The creature is not fooled, however, and he sets terms that terrify Wilfred even though he scales down his request considerably." (Publishers Weekly) Square format. 45 pp. ISBN: 0-894809237.

New York: Clarion, (1995). First edition - A book for older children - "A nostalgic look at life in a Belfast boarding school during World War II and an examination of the meaning of loyalty. Miss Muller, the language teacher whom all the girls once worshiped, is now the object of their suspicions. It's bad enough that she's German, but her furtive late-night walks seem to coincide with enemy air raids?could Miss Muller be a spy? Against her kinder instincts, the narrator, Jessie, gets caught up in her classmates' clandestine investigation." (From Publishers Weekly) 181 pp.

New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, (1994.) dj. Hardcover - A look at the Los Angeles riots from a child's viewpoint; story of cats - and people - who couldn't get along until a night of rioting brought them together. Winner of the Caldecott medal. Brilliantly illustrated in full color by David Diaz. Large square format. ISBN: 0-15-2010351.

New York: Clarion Books, (1986) dj. Hardcover - Told from the perspective of the little mice, this is the story of three brothers, clad in bright plaid shirts and lederhosen, who leave their snug cottage, intent upon finding the perfect gifts for their mother. Their early morning search is filled with dangers: a snake hidden in the thick underbush, a fox running by, but the mice persist. The illustrations by Jan Brett enhance the perspective with a dandelion fluff towering over their heads and a strawberry so big, it tips Biggest Mouse backwards. Slightly oversized format, unpaginated. ISBN: 0-899193870.

New York: Viking, 1970. dj. Hardcover first edition - A boy learns to deal with some difficult things in life, by this award-winning children's author. Illustrated with drawings by Fermin Rocker.