The Second-Best Children in the World Signed Edward Ardizzone first edition 1972

LAVIN, Mary [Edward ARDIZZONE, Illus.]
London: Longman Young Books, 1972
 
Crown 4to., white boards lettered in black, with colour illustration by Ardizzone to both upper and lower covers (repeating those on p. 18 and 27); black lettering to spine; in repeat dust wrapper (£1.35 net); [unpaginated]; printed on white cartridge paper, with 34 colour wash drawings in sepia line; some very light spotting to upper portion of boards; mild compression to foot of spine; else a near-fine,  very clean copy, in like dust jacket which has some corresponding markings to the upper portion, and a couple of small stains to lower panel. A very fresh example. Provenance: Printer’s file copy, with sticker marked W. S. Cowell, Ltd., together with their emblem of a seahorse, affixed to the front paste-down. With boxes ‘Text, illustrations, cover, binding, jacket’ all sometime ticked in blue biro. 
 
First edition, signed by the illustrator, presumably for the printer to the ffep. The book is dedicated in part to the author’s granddaughter, Kathleen MacMahon, who is herself also a novelist. 
 
Mary Lavin was an Irish writer best known for her adult novels and short stories. The Second-Best Children in the World was her first book for children, and tells the tale of three characters and their adventures around the world. 
 
Rare signed.