Katie and the Smallest Bear

Katie and the Smallest Bear Story by Ruth McCarthy Pictures by Emilie Boon William Heinemann Ltd / Heinemann Young Books, London First published 1985 Hardcover, pictorial boards ISBN 0-434-94966-3 / 9780434949663 32 pages (approx.) Size: 19.5 × 25 cm Condition: As New This is a scarce first-edition hardcover of a gentle, rhythmic 1980s British picture book. Katie visits the zoo on a sunny day and invites the smallest bear to come out and play. He wriggles under the fence, borrows her hat and scarf so he looks “just like a little fat boy in a fur coat,” and the two spend the afternoon in the park on the swing, slide, seesaw and roundabout. When Katie feels dizzy and the bear’s hat flies off, they head home for sticky honey sandwiches, bananas, yogurt, and orange juice before returning the bear to the zoo. The text is simple, repetitive and ideal for reading aloud; small children can join in with the “Up, down, up, down, UP!” of the seesaw and the whirling of the roundabout. The illustrations are classic Emilie Boon: soft crayon-and-watercolour style, rounded forms, warm autumn oranges and greens, and a playful, slightly naïve charm. Boon’s distinctive soft lines and colours give the book the same special enchantment as her own titles from the same period. The cover shows Katie and the bear walking along a path beneath vivid red-orange trees; the endpapers and interior spreads continue the bright, open park and zoo scenes. Printed in Italy by New Interlitho SPA for William Heinemann Ltd, 10 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1X 9PA (also listed with Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg and Auckland). Copyright: Illustrations © Emilie Boon 1985, Text © Ruth McCarthy 1985. Original price £6.50 net. The boards carry the full-colour illustration; there is no separate dust jacket. About the author Ruth McCarthy wrote a handful of children’s picture books in the mid-1980s. Public biographical information is limited; she is chiefly known for the direct, rhythmic style that makes Katie and the Smallest Bear so effective as a read-aloud. The text is simple enough for toddlers yet warm and engaging for shared reading with slightly older children. This appears to be her best-known title.About the illustrator Emilie Boon is a Dutch-American children’s author and illustrator. Born in the Netherlands, she spent much of her childhood in California and Mexico before studying graphic design at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. After graduating she moved to London, where she began writing and illustrating picture books. Her first book, Peterkin Meets a Star, was published by William Heinemann in 1983. In 1985, she produced both Belinda’s Balloon and the illustrations for this McCarthy title. She later illustrated numerous books with Harriet Ziefert (including the Little Hippo series) and has published in several languages. She has taught children’s book illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and lives in the Boston area. Her signature soft lines, warm palette and appealing animal characters are fully on display here. This specific edition The 1985 Heinemann hardcover is the original British edition. It is distinct from the later 1987 Picture Corgi paperback (ISBN 0552523550) and from the American editions issued by Random House / Knopf. Clean, unread or near-unread copies of the Heinemann first edition are uncommon; most surviving examples show the wear typical of a well-loved children’s book. This copy is in as-new condition: tight, square, with crisp pages, bright colours and no inscriptions, tears, or significant shelf wear. A charming, scarce 1980s picture book in outstanding condition—perfect for collectors of Emilie Boon, British children’s books of the period, or anyone who enjoys gentle, rhythmic stories about friendship and play. …