The child's own book. For April, 1839

49-64pp. Stitched, as issued, in original publisher's printed yellow wrappers. [Together with:] Another copy of the same work in variant publisher's printed blue wrappers. A trifle creased and dusty. Two copies, in variant coloured wrappers, of the April, 1839 issue of a monthly juvenile devotional periodical issued by the Sunday School Union Depository. This charming chapbook production was first issued in January 1833, each number priced at one half-penny. The continuous pagination of each monthly part allowed for the publisher to offer for sale complete annual runs, 'neatly half-bound', at the cost of one shilling - the majority of the proceeds going to charitable causes. In addition, as an advertisement to the lower wrappers of the present copies attests, volumes were donated directly to worthy causes: 'We have recently made the following grants of "Child's Own Book," in sheets: To the Sunday School Union, 200 volumes for School Libraries, and 5,000 back numbers for distribution in the Colonies, &c. To the London City Mission 5,000 back numbers for the distribution by its Agents.' Although copies of bound annual volumes are recorded by the usual databases (albeit very few), we have been unable to locate records for any individual monthly parts, nor indeed any surviving collected editions for 1839. Size: 16mo.…