“BEARS CAN’T LIVE IN HOUSES WITH PEOPLE”: THE BEAR, INSCRIBED BY RAYMOND BRIGGS TO JULIA MCCREA, HIS EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

BRIGGS, Raymond. The Bear. London: Julia MacRae Books, 1994. Slim quarto, original pictorial boards, original dust jacket. $1500.

First edition, inscribed on the title page to his editor and publisher, "For JULIA with Grateful Thanks for all your work on this book. with love from Raymon. 1 September 1994."

This tale of a polar bear who lives in Tilly's house is beautifully illustrated. "Briggs uses sly humor and serious themes, twitting the world and beliefs of adults to the delight of children of all ages" (Silvey, 84). Precedes the quarto edition of that same year. The recipient of this copy, Julia MacRae, was an important figure in the world of children's publishing; she was in part responsible for publishing both Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Briggs' own Father Christmas. After working as an editor for Constable, Collins and Hamish Hamilton, in 1979 she left Hamish Hamilton to start her own imprint, Julia MacRae Books, which published the present work.

Water damage to both book and jacket, causing slight wrinkling. A very good copy with an excellent association.