Discover our curated collection of vintage children’s books — rare and collectible hardcovers spanning the 1920s through the 1980s. From beloved classics by A.A. Milne and Robert Louis Stevenson to first editions of Mary Norton’s Borrowers series, each book has been hand-selected for its condition, illustrations, and charm.
Our vintage children’s storybooks feature gorgeous mid-century illustrations, gold-stamped cloth bindings, and the kind of tactile magic that modern reprints simply can’t replicate. Whether you’re searching for a specific title like I Know an Old Lady illustrated by Abner Graboff, or browsing for rare illustrated editions from the golden age of children’s publishing, you’ll find treasures here.
Perfect for collectors, nostalgia lovers, and anyone looking for a meaningful gift with real history. Every book ships carefully packaged from our Hudson Valley studio.
Browse the collection below — or explore related categories like Signed & Inscribed Books and Vintage Children’s Series Books.
The White Doe Sallie Southall Cotten 1901 First Edition Presentation Copy
$131.00
This is a "very good plus" or better vintage novel in cloth wrapped boards.
No writing, no loose, torn or folded pages. The binding is intact and tight. Deep red cloth wrapping on boards is uniform all around, not sunned. Board corners are crisp, with just a hint of surface wear at the corner tips. Decorations on the front board are crisp, intact, not rubbed
Text block closes tightly and is square.
Inside the front pastedown there is an illustrated plate affixed noting that this book was one of 300 copies gifted to the Elizabethan Garden Fund by the author's daughters after her passing in 1929.
Please see accompanying images for exact condition.
Original dust jacket is complete with some light edge wear and chipping at the spine edges, now in a removable archival sleeve.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
The White Doe Sallie Southall Cotten 1901 First Edition Presentation Copy
$131.00
This is a "very good plus" or better vintage novel in cloth wrapped boards.
No writing, no loose, torn or folded pages. The binding is intact and tight. Deep red cloth wrapping on boards is uniform all around, not sunned. Board corners are crisp, with just a hint of surface wear at the corner tips. Decorations on the front board are crisp, intact, not rubbed
Text block closes tightly and is square.
Inside the front pastedown there is an illustrated plate affixed noting that this book was one of 300 copies gifted to the Elizabethan Garden Fund by the author's daughters after her passing in 1929.
Please see accompanying images for exact condition.
Original dust jacket is complete with some light edge wear and chipping at the spine edges, now in a removable archival sleeve.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
A Visit to William Blake’s Inn 1981 First British Edition Hardcover
$59.00
"A Visit to William Blake's Inn", by Nancy Willard, illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, published in 1981 by Methuen's Children's Books in London.
First edition, second printing before publication.
Large 10 x 11" hardcover with brown paper boards over a tan cloth spine, heavy semi-glossy pages, 45 pages.
This is a "very good" vintage book with with the only flaw to speak of being the tale of the spine is bumped.
The vintage dust jacket shows the original publisher's price of 7.95 sterling inside the front flap. A little edge wear in places, but overall a very pleasing vintage wrapper, now protected in a removable archival sleeve.
See accompanying images for full condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Ms. Willard was awarded the John Newbery Medal Award for "William Blake's Inn" and wrote more than 65 other books including the award winning Anatole trilogy. She passed away in 2017.
A Visit to William Blake’s Inn 1981 First British Edition Hardcover
$59.00
"A Visit to William Blake's Inn", by Nancy Willard, illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, published in 1981 by Methuen's Children's Books in London.
First edition, second printing before publication.
Large 10 x 11" hardcover with brown paper boards over a tan cloth spine, heavy semi-glossy pages, 45 pages.
This is a "very good" vintage book with with the only flaw to speak of being the tale of the spine is bumped.
The vintage dust jacket shows the original publisher's price of 7.95 sterling inside the front flap. A little edge wear in places, but overall a very pleasing vintage wrapper, now protected in a removable archival sleeve.
See accompanying images for full condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Ms. Willard was awarded the John Newbery Medal Award for "William Blake's Inn" and wrote more than 65 other books including the award winning Anatole trilogy. She passed away in 2017.
Nancy Willard “Gutenberg’s Gift” 1995 Factory sealed NOS Pop-up book
$89.00
"Gutenberg's Gift", by Nancy Willard, illustrations by Bryan Leister, published by Harcourt Brace in 1995.
A brand new book, still sealed from the publisher.
I don't know, since it is sealed, but I would have to assume it is a first edition since it comes from the author's personal stock.
This is a copy from the author's private collection from her studio work space!
I live about an hour's drive from where Miss Willard's family home is a block away from Vassar College where she taught for decades. In June of 2019 I received a voice message from the late Miss Willard's husband saying that he had various titles remaining from the stock her publishers had given her over the course of her career when a book went to print.
This is a gorgeous vintage pop-up in factory fresh condition and will make a wonderful addition to your collection or as a gift to that aspiring book lover and collector in your life!
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Nancy Willard “Gutenberg’s Gift” 1995 Factory sealed NOS Pop-up book
$89.00
"Gutenberg's Gift", by Nancy Willard, illustrations by Bryan Leister, published by Harcourt Brace in 1995.
A brand new book, still sealed from the publisher.
I don't know, since it is sealed, but I would have to assume it is a first edition since it comes from the author's personal stock.
This is a copy from the author's private collection from her studio work space!
I live about an hour's drive from where Miss Willard's family home is a block away from Vassar College where she taught for decades. In June of 2019 I received a voice message from the late Miss Willard's husband saying that he had various titles remaining from the stock her publishers had given her over the course of her career when a book went to print.
This is a gorgeous vintage pop-up in factory fresh condition and will make a wonderful addition to your collection or as a gift to that aspiring book lover and collector in your life!
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
The Wind in The Willows 1983 Kenneth Grahame Vintage hardcover
$34.00
This is a "very good plus" or better vintage hardcover in pictorial paper wrapped boards, published in 1983 by St. Michael, unpaginated. Illustrated by Val Biro.
The binding is crisp, hinges tight. No loose, torn or folded pages, no writing. Board corners are not bumped, spine tail might be just slightly so, hard to tell. Perhaps a smidge of a little surface wear in a place or two on the glossy boards, but nothing I can call out. Original store price sticker in British pounds on lower front cover corner.
Really nice vintage story book!
See accompanying images for full condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
The Wind in The Willows 1983 Kenneth Grahame Vintage hardcover
$34.00
This is a "very good plus" or better vintage hardcover in pictorial paper wrapped boards, published in 1983 by St. Michael, unpaginated. Illustrated by Val Biro.
The binding is crisp, hinges tight. No loose, torn or folded pages, no writing. Board corners are not bumped, spine tail might be just slightly so, hard to tell. Perhaps a smidge of a little surface wear in a place or two on the glossy boards, but nothing I can call out. Original store price sticker in British pounds on lower front cover corner.
Really nice vintage story book!
See accompanying images for full condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Arthur, High King of Britain — Morpurgo/Foreman 1995
$23.00
Arthur, High King of Britain by Michael Morpurgo — first US edition hardcover with dust jacket, illustrated by Michael Foreman.
Arthur, High King of Britain — Morpurgo/Foreman 1995
$23.00
Arthur, High King of Britain by Michael Morpurgo — first US edition hardcover with dust jacket, illustrated by Michael Foreman.
Drums — Boyd/Wyeth, Scribner 1960
$22.00
Drums by James Boyd — Wyeth-illustrated Scribner classic of the American Revolution. Orange cloth, 14 color plates. VG.
Drums — Boyd/Wyeth, Scribner 1960
$22.00
Drums by James Boyd — Wyeth-illustrated Scribner classic of the American Revolution. Orange cloth, 14 color plates. VG.
Children's Books, Vintage Children's Books, Vintage Children's Series Books, Vintage Mystery Hardcovers
The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure, 1946 Edition
Price range: $57.00 through $73.00
A "very good" vintage hardcover in a matching "good" original dust wrapper published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1946.
Identified by points as the "1946a-28" printing as per Carpentieri & Mular's guide to identifying printings of the Hardy Boys books. The sixth signature of the book has been mistakenly bound with the sixth signature from an earlier Hardy Boys adventure - "While the Clock Ticked" - replacing pages 155-186 with the text of that story.
Binding and hinges are fairly tight, not cracked or split. Internally, there can be a little space between signatures, but there are no loose sections pages. A closed tear on the outer edge of the frontispiece, otherwise, no tears, folded or loose pages. No writing. Board corners are nice and crisp. Pages 165-170, the upper corner of the page is slightly mis-cut. The tinting on the top edge of the text block is relatively uniform, a few very light, small scuffs. Paper on front and back boards is smooth and uniform. One small dent in the bottom edge of the front board.
Matching dust jacket shows losses at spine head and tail. Some light edge wear elsewhere, with light chipping at flap fold corners. Front and back designs still bright. Now protected in a removable archival sleeve.
See images for complete condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Using Carpentieri's guide, I am able to identify this copy as what he labels a "1946A-28", meaning it is the first printing of 1946 and the 28th overall printing of the title. The first printing was in 1927. This edition features the original 25 chapter text and second generation cover artwork.
Children's Books, Vintage Children's Books, Vintage Children's Series Books, Vintage Mystery Hardcovers
The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure, 1946 Edition
Price range: $57.00 through $73.00
A "very good" vintage hardcover in a matching "good" original dust wrapper published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1946.
Identified by points as the "1946a-28" printing as per Carpentieri & Mular's guide to identifying printings of the Hardy Boys books. The sixth signature of the book has been mistakenly bound with the sixth signature from an earlier Hardy Boys adventure - "While the Clock Ticked" - replacing pages 155-186 with the text of that story.
Binding and hinges are fairly tight, not cracked or split. Internally, there can be a little space between signatures, but there are no loose sections pages. A closed tear on the outer edge of the frontispiece, otherwise, no tears, folded or loose pages. No writing. Board corners are nice and crisp. Pages 165-170, the upper corner of the page is slightly mis-cut. The tinting on the top edge of the text block is relatively uniform, a few very light, small scuffs. Paper on front and back boards is smooth and uniform. One small dent in the bottom edge of the front board.
Matching dust jacket shows losses at spine head and tail. Some light edge wear elsewhere, with light chipping at flap fold corners. Front and back designs still bright. Now protected in a removable archival sleeve.
See images for complete condition details.
Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.
Using Carpentieri's guide, I am able to identify this copy as what he labels a "1946A-28", meaning it is the first printing of 1946 and the 28th overall printing of the title. The first printing was in 1927. This edition features the original 25 chapter text and second generation cover artwork.
Big Book for Peace — Sendak, Dutton 1990
$17.00
Big Book for Peace by Durell & Sachs — 30+ authors incl. Sendak, Lowry, Paterson. 1990 Dutton 1st ed, dust jacket, Near Fine.
Big Book for Peace — Sendak, Dutton 1990
$17.00
Big Book for Peace by Durell & Sachs — 30+ authors incl. Sendak, Lowry, Paterson. 1990 Dutton 1st ed, dust jacket, Near Fine.
Out of Stock
Zilpha Keatley Snyder “The Velvet Room” Vintage First edition paperback c.1975
$645.00
The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder — First Aladdin paperback with Alton Raible illustrations. A beloved 1965 children's classic about a secret library.
Out of Stock
Zilpha Keatley Snyder “The Velvet Room” Vintage First edition paperback c.1975
$645.00
The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder — First Aladdin paperback with Alton Raible illustrations. A beloved 1965 children's classic about a secret library.
Lewis Carroll “Alice Through the Looking Glass” Vintage Hardcover 1989
$64.00
This 1989 edition of Lewis Carroll's classic sequel features full-color illustrations by Malcolm Ashman. Ashman's detailed watercolor paintings bring a distinct atmospheric quality to the familiar characters and chess-board world of Looking-Glass Land. A well-crafted illustrated edition suited for collectors of Carroll's work and classic children's fantasy.
Lewis Carroll “Alice Through the Looking Glass” Vintage Hardcover 1989
$64.00
This 1989 edition of Lewis Carroll's classic sequel features full-color illustrations by Malcolm Ashman. Ashman's detailed watercolor paintings bring a distinct atmospheric quality to the familiar characters and chess-board world of Looking-Glass Land. A well-crafted illustrated edition suited for collectors of Carroll's work and classic children's fantasy.
Robin Hood — Gilbert/Godwin, Garden City 1932
$32.00
Robin Hood by Henry Gilbert — 1932 Garden City edition with Frank Godwin color plates. Very Good- condition, 331 pages.
Robin Hood — Gilbert/Godwin, Garden City 1932
$32.00
Robin Hood by Henry Gilbert — 1932 Garden City edition with Frank Godwin color plates. Very Good- condition, 331 pages.
Johnny Blossom — Zwilgmeyer/Poulsson, Pilgrim 1925
$27.00
Johnny Blossom by Dikken Zwilgmeyer, translated by Emilie Poulsson. 1925 Pilgrim Press edition with color plates by Florence Liley Young.
Johnny Blossom — Zwilgmeyer/Poulsson, Pilgrim 1925
$27.00
Johnny Blossom by Dikken Zwilgmeyer, translated by Emilie Poulsson. 1925 Pilgrim Press edition with color plates by Florence Liley Young.