[CHILDREN'S BOOKS]. BANNERMAN, Helen (1862-1946). Trio of First Editions, including: Little Black Sambo. London: Grant Richards, 1899. 16mo. Illustrated with 27 full-page color illustrations by the author, printed by Edmund Evans. viii, 57, [1, blank], [1, printer's imprint], [1, blank] pp. Publisher's full green cloth, boards and spine stamped dark green. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING (No. 4 of "The Dumpy Books for Children" on ads opposite title-page) of this "revolutionary-style picture book" (Schiller). Rare in any condition, Schiller states, "the book is firmly rooted in the annals of children's literature and it is a proverbial rarity in first edition among other historical juveniles...should a census eventually be attempted, there would probably be fewer copies located than of the notoriously rare and suppressed 1865 Alice." [And:] Ibid. The Story of Little Black Quibba. New York: Frederick Stokes & co., 1903. 16mo. Illustrated. [143] pp. Publisher's brown cloth backstrip over pictorial boards. Text mis-bound (upside-down) in binding.THE TRUE FIRST EDITION.  [And:] Ibid. The Story of Little Degchie-Head. London: James Nisbet, 1903. 16mo. Illustrated. 143 pp. Publisher's full green cloth, front board stamped in red and black, spine lettered in black. THE TRUE FIRST EDITION OF THIS UNUSUAL AND LITTLE-KNOWN OF BANNERMAN'S BOOKS. 

Helen Bannerman (1862-1946) wrote her stories to entertain her own children. Little Black Sambo was their favorite. The author never intended the book for publication, but through the encouragement of her children and friends the manuscript was shown to E. V. Lucas who agreed to publish it as the fourth title in his series of "The Dumpy Books for Children..." (Schiller, p. 381). When first published in October 1899, The Story of Little Black Sambo was a revolutionary-style picture book. Compared with its contemporary school of illustrators Crane, Greenaway, and Caldecott, the pictures are simple yet bold. Together with Beatrix Potter, Helen Bannerman established the genre of children's books that gave pictures and text equal importance. 

Bindings worn, soiled, spines toned, text with occasional soiling, Little Black Quibba has ink library stamps on fp. Generally good.