The adventures of Billy Bee

London : Background Books [by arrangement with Domus Publishing, Melbourne], 1946. First UK edition. Small quarto, publisher’s cloth backed pictorial papered boards (fine) in the original dust jacket (edge wear and rubbing, pale stain around the tail of spine), 79 pp, with 5 colour plates and line illustrations in the text; internally spotless, a fine copy in the very scarce dust jacket. Muir 1330.

This charmingly illustrated children’s story was a major publishing success for Adelaide writer Margaret Carter. ‘Billy Bee is of that rare company of immortals in the limitless land of the Ever Young. He is in the tradition of Pinnochio, Christopher Robin, Peter Pan and Wee Willie Winkie. Though a newcomer to these shores, Billy Bee is a favourite among the children of Australia and New Zealand. Of the first edition of his adventures – published in Melbourne at Christmas 1945 – more than 11,000 copies have been sold and his populaity is such that he is appearing again in Australia this year’ (jacket).