August Explains (Only Signed Copy)

Phil Ressner

Published by Harper & Row, New York, 1963

About this Item

What makes this book unique is the signed inscription by the author. No other copy for sale on the Internet is signed. Moreover, the author wrote a number of books and no other of these books is signed. So, once listed, this will be the Only signed copy of any of the author's books. The inscription is on the inside cover. It reads: '5/67, For Teddy, I'd rather be a bear. Are you one?-- Phil Ressner.' August Explains was also his first book. I'm not identifying this book as a First Edition. Harper & Row, beginning in the early 1960s, identified first editions by stating they were so. However, I've seen some variance to this rule when it comes to their children's books. Also, there are only a few other copies for sale on the Internet which suggests to me that this book, his first book, had a very small printing, and probably only one printing. For that reason, I suspect that this is in fact the first edition. There are no additional printings listed. In any event, you can see the covers in the photos provided. They are in pretty nice shape. There is some darkening/spotting off some of the edges. There are also a few small spots on the rear cover. There are a few light scratches off the top edge of the front. All four corners have some rub-through. The blue edges have spots of rubbing where the blue has been removed. The black spine is in nice shape. The book is square and solidly bound from cover to cover. The pages are nicely tight. So are the covers. The pages are exceptionally clean. I turned them all over without finding any instances of soiling. I don't see any conspicuous creasing, no turned-down or placeholder corner creases. There are no markings. There are no attachments. And no one has written their name or anything else anywhere in the book. The illustrations by Crosby Bonsall are charming. They are all in excellent condition. And that covers condition. 'Mr. Ressner worked as a subway motorman before he broke into editing. In 1965 he published the first of his books for very young readers, "August Explains" (Harper & Row), the tale of a wise old bear who is very good at magic. Writing as Phil Ressner, he followed that up with "Dudley Pippin" (Harper, 1965), about a boy's exploration of city delights. Other titles were "At Night" (Dutton, 1967), "Jerome" (Parent's Magazine Press, 1967), "The Park in the City" (Dutton, 1971) and "Dudley Pippin's Summer" (Harper, 1979). He also wrote short stories.'.

Seller Inventory # 003093

Bibliographic Details

• Title: August Explains (Only Signed Copy)
• Publisher: Harper & Row, New York
• Publication Date: 1963
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Crosby Bonsall
• Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Signed Children's Books or Juvenile Fiction
  • One-Of-A-Kind
  • First Book, First Novel