Mrs Molesworth [Mary Louisa Molesworth] — Miss Mouse and Her Boys

London, Macmillan and Co. Ltd. 1897. First edition. Cloth. A lovely first edition children's book by Mary Louisa Molesworth, illustrated throughout by Leonard Leslie Brooke. The first edition. In the publisher's original pictorial cloth binding. With an engraved frontispiece and six full page plates by Leonard Leslie Brooke. Collated complete. Leonard Brooke was a British artist and writer, known for his charming children's illustrations during the late nineteenth century. A lovely children's book by Mrs Molesworth, the pen-name for Mary Louisa Molesworth. Molesworth wrote numerous books for children, notably, 'Tell Me a Story', 'Carrots', and 'The Cuckoo Clock&apos. She has been called, "the Jane Austen of the nursery". The half title page is present. With the previous owner's ink signature to the front free endpaper dated 1897. In the original pictorial cloth binding. Externally, smart with some shelf wear to the extremities. Fading to the spine. Some small marks to the rear board. Age-toning and a few spots to the paste-downs. Offsetting to the free endpapers. Previous owner's ink inscription to the front free endpaper. Internally, binding strained but still firm. Loss to the lower corner of pages 115 - 122 and pages 97-100. The plate on page 97 is loosening and could become loose with further handling. Pages lightly age-toned but the text is otherwise bright and clear. Spotting throughout. A few marks throughout. Offsetting to the front blanks. Very Good . Ill.: L. Leonard Brooke. Very Good .