Books

First edition, first impression, in a remarkably well-preserved first issue binding, with minimal flaking of the white blocking on the cloth. The author's only self-illustrated work, this classic collection of 12 stories and 12 poems includes "How the Camel Got His Hump", "How the Leopard Got His Spots", and "The Cat that Walked by Himself". "The stories, told with Kipling's oratorical diction and whimsical humour, clearly increase in complexity as the book progresses" (Grolier). The first edition was issued in two states of the binding. The first, on which the white blocking failed to adhere, was superseded by a more stably blocked one, on which the white decoration remained intact. Large octavo. Original red pictorial cloth, lettering to spine and front cover in white, pictorial design to covers in black and white. With 22 full-page illustrations by the author. Extremities lightly rubbed, white blocking on cloth largely intact except for a couple of small spots of flaking, minor silverfishing, small portion of rear cover faintly sunned, one corner bumped, edges and outer leaves foxed, contents clean. A very nice copy. Grolier Children's 57; Martindell 99; Richards A181; Stewart 260.

Just So Stories for Little Children is a collection of origin stories by the British author Rudyard Kipling. Considered a classic of children's literature, the book is amongst Kipling's best known works.