Oxford Book of Poetry for Children.

BLISHEN, Edward. Illustrated by Brian Wildsmith.

$1,250.00

Item Number: 129349

London: Oxford University Press, 1963.

First edition of Blishen and Wildsmith’s acclaimed illustrated compilation of children’s poetry. Quarto, bound in full crushed red morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. With illustrations by Brian Wildsmith. In fine condition.

British painter and children's book illustrator Brian Wildsmith was highly influential in the realm of children's book publishing throughout the 1960s and 70s. He won the 1962 Kate Greenaway Medal for British children's book illustration for the wordless alphabet book ABC and was a runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1966 and 1968. In each of Wildsmith's books, the illustrations are just as important as the text. Of the Oxford Book of Poetry for Children, The New York Times stated "almost a part of the text as such, Mr. Wildsmith's illustrations brilliantly complete its varying moods and tempers."