The Reluctant Dragon.
New York: Holiday House 1938/1899, 1st thus; tan cloth boards with green dragon and brown borders, titles, and boy, in dark green jacket with panel of same picturem blank back flap, , many ink drawings in text; 5.75 x 6.2. Juvenile hardback.
The sweet and sensible dragon, who feels an obligation to be terrifying, works out his mock battle with St. George well enough to fool the villagers. "The Reluctant Dragon first appeared a chapter in Dream Days. This first and only separate edition has been especially illustrated by Ernest Shepard, who has surpassed himself in doing justice to the eternally youthful magic of Kenneth Grahame."
CONDITION: Near Fine in Good Minus jacket; no names, straight, clean and tight with darkening pages, in jacket with little loss of paper but the spine has been rubbed and chipped and is nearly detached; unclipped. $1.25. Item #22955
$95