Books

New York, The Viking Press, 1953. . First edition, first printing; folio; illustrations and pictorial endpapers by Bemelmans, contemporary ownership inscription on half-title; publisher's cloth, pictorial wrap-around dust-jacket, a few small chips and closed tears with slight loss to head of spine, but overall a very good, fresh example. A very good first edition of the second in the Madeline book series, which won the 1954 Caldecott Medal for 'most distinguished picture book'. The author/illustrator courted some controversy when the work won this prize, seemingly joking with two Time magazine reporters that the whole tale was in fact an allegory for a far more mischievous tale of prostitutes, brothels and unplanned pregnancy; unfortunately this 'joke' was taken at face value and printed in Time, outraging the Caldecott Prize committee and provoking Bemelmans to threaten to sue the magazine.

In this second Madeline book, Miss Clavel and the girls are saved by a dog after Madeline falls into the river.