DONALDSON, Julia; [Axel SCHEFFLER, Illus.] ~ Room on the Broom.

FIRST UK PRINTING. Macmillan Children's Books, London: 2001.

Large, oblong 8vo., publisher's pictorial laminated boards, featuring a witch and her cat aboard a broom at night; together in the repeat dustwrapper (unclipped, priced £9.99 to the front panel); decorative endpapers; illustrated throughout in full colour by Scheffler; THE BOOK perhaps a touch bumped at spine ends and corners; internally clean, occasional very light creases to pages and some very minor marks; else near-fine in the very good plus WRAPPER which has some minor rubbing to spine tips, and two closed tears; one approx. 2.5cm to the lower flap; the other 7cm, extending into the front panel, with chip at head. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition, first printing, with full number line 1-9. One of Donaldson's earliest published works, together with the illustrator Axel Scheffler. 'Room on the Broom' follows the adventures of a witch who, whilst flying with her trusty cat, loses her hat, her bow, and her wand in turn - each of which is rescued by an animal, who she invites to share a ride on her broomstick. When she is captured by an evil dragon, it is up to her band of trusty creatures to rescue her from becoming dinner. Like her other works, 'Room on the Broom' proved highly successful, and won six book awards shortly after publication. In 2012, it was adapted for film by the BBC, first airing on Christmas day narrated by Simon Pegg and starring the voices of Martin Clunes, Rob Brydon, David Walliams and Gillian Anderson. "I wanted to write about a witch", Donaldson later wrote, "and I asked myself, “Why do witches always have a cat? Why not some other animals as well?” "Sometimes I think about doing a sequel", she continued "maybe Groom on the Broom? But it hasn’t happened yet." Despite the tears, this remains a scarce copy to find in nice condition, and together with wrapper.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good +