ROSS, Diana; [Dorothy GRIDER, Illus.] ~ The Golden Hen

FIRST UK PRINTING. Faber and Faber Ltd., London: 1942

8vo., bright yellow cloth printed in red with the image of a hen to the upper board; lettered in red to backstrip; together in the pictorial dustwrapper printed in yellow, black and green replicating the cover design; title vignette and a further 27 illustrations in line throughout text, including many full page; THE BOOK very good, a little bumped at corners and spine tips with a touch of darkening; the endleaves and paste-downs very faintly spotted, even marginal toning throughout; contemporary ownership inscription in blue ink to the front free endpaper; the WRAPPER, seldom found at all, very lightly rubbed at edges, with some creasing and closed tears to the upper edge, mostly affecting the spine area; discretely repaired internally with tape. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First edition, first printing. Diana Patience Beverly Ross (1910 – 2000) was a children's writer and artist who often, as is the case here, illustrated her own books under the pseudonym Gri (the name of her cat). Perhaps best known today for her 'Little Red Engine' books (beginning with 'The Little Red Engine Gets a Name' in 1942), the present work is one of her lesser-known collection of stories for slightly older children, aged seven to twelve. Based on folk tradition, the books are nonetheless ones in which "the frightening and horrible side of the traditional tales has been carefully avoided." The stories here include 'The Old Man of the Mountain', 'The Toad with a Jewel in her Forehead', and 'The Creature in the Bed'. Scarce in the dustwrapper.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good
JACKET: Very Good