Description

“PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR”: FIRST EDITION OF A BEAR CALLED PADDINGTON, INSCRIBED BY MICHAEL BOND

BOND, Michael. A Bear Called Paddington. London: Collins, 1958. Octavo, original rose cloth, original dust jacket.

First edition of this children’s classic, inscribed by the author on the half title, “To the Badgetts, from PADDINGTON and Michael Bond.”

“Paddington’s appeal came not only from the hilarious situations and mishaps in which he found himself? but also from Peggy Fortnum’s pen-and-ink sketches, which capture Paddington’s bewitching charm and combination ‘little boy/small bear’ character? Bond’s books recognize the everyday worries of small, accident-prone children and treat their fears with compassion, wit, and laughter” (Silvey, 70-71). “This is ideal fare for young children and? Peggy Fortnum’s illustrations add to the appeal of a pleasantly natural series” (Eyre, 70). Connolly, 60

Bright dust jacket price-clipped with only minor rubbing to spine ends, small ink mark and two small closed tears repaired on verso. A lovely, near-fine copy of a very scarce first edition, especially so inscribed.