“Prior to the 1980s, very few U.S. books or books published outside the United States for younger children mentioned lesbian and gay characters, much less those that were bisexual or transgender. Jane Severance’s When Megan Went Away (1979) is considered by many children’s literature scholars to be the first U.S. children’s picture book to depict a lesbian relationship as well as a separation (divorce) between lesbian partners. However, the book was published by the small feminist press Lollipop Power and was not readily available to rainbow families” (Naidoo, p. 40). Small octavo, pp. 32. Original cream card wrappers, lettering and illustration on front cover in brown. Illustrated throughout by Tea Schook. Trace of label removal to rear cover, else a fine copy of this fragile publication. ¶ Jamie Campbell Naidoo, Rainbow Family Collections: Selecting and Using Children’s Books with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Content , 2012. £1,250 [150970] 125 SHEPARD, Ernest H. (illus.); MILNE, A. A. Two original ink drawings from “Piglet Meets a Heffalump”. 1926 Original artwork for Winnie-the-Pooh depicting Christopher Robin, Piglet, and Pooh The two concluding illustrations from chapter five of Winnie- the-Pooh (“In which Piglet meets a Heffalump”) and both published on page 68 of the original 1926 Methuen edition. The first drawing shows Christopher Robin eagerly jumping by a concerned Piglet (to accompany the text “‘Well,’ said Christopher Robin, putting on his shoes”). The second drawing shows Winnie-the-Pooh with his head stuck in a jar of honey (to accompany the text “Crash went the Heffalump’s head against the tree-root”). E. H. Shepard sold his original drawings for Winnie-the- Pooh at an exhibition held at The Sporting Gallery, Covent Garden, London, 26 November – 21 December 1926. The pairing of these two drawings, sold together, was presumably the artist’s. As usual with Shepard’s drawings, the published versions are smaller than originally drawn and fine detail in the original tends to be lost. The buttons on Piglet’s top, Christopher Robin’s jumper and the wall of the heffalump trap have a clarity of line which was lost or blurred when published. Original drawings (91 × 62 mm and 50 × 54 mm) on artist’s board (160 × 112 mm and 107 × 84 mm), ink, first drawing signed with initials (“EHS”) lower right, with remnants of artist’s signature and address on reverse, mounted, framed, and glazed with conservation acrylic glazing (framed size 320 × 245 mm). Strong and unfaded ink drawings. Some browning below mount, not affecting image. £110,000 [150695]
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124 SEVERANCE, Jane. When Megan Went Away. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Lollipop Power, Inc., 1979 The first children’s book to feature lesbian characters Scarce first edition, first printing, of the first children’s book to represent a lesbian couple. Published by the small feminist press Lollipop Power, it predates by a decade Lesléa Newman’s Heather Has Two Mommies ; a discussion of artificial insemination made Newman’s book highly controversial and perhaps overshadowed the significance of this work in representing lesbian family dynamics. It is scarce in commerce; just one copy is held institutionally outside the United States (LSE).
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
CHILDREN’S BOOKS & ORIGINAL ARTWORK
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