1980 First UK Edition – The Magical Drawings of Moony B. Finch by David McPhail

Vintage 1980 First UK Edition – The Magical Drawings of Moony B. Finch by David McPhail

A wonderfully imaginative vintage children’s picture book, The Magical Drawings of Moony B. Finch by acclaimed American author and illustrator David McPhail.

This copy was published in 1980 by André Deutsch Limited, London, following the original 1978 American publication, and can be described as the First UK Edition.

The story follows Moony B. Finch, a little boy who loves to draw. Given crayons for his second birthday, Moony spends much of his childhood drawing both the things he sees and the extraordinary things he imagines. His artistic adventures eventually become rather more magical than expected.

The real joy of the book is McPhail’s distinctive artwork.

The pages are filled with lively, detailed colour illustrations featuring wonderfully eccentric characters, fantastical scenes and a particularly splendid green dragon. It has all the charm and visual character associated with late-1970s and early-1980s illustrated children’s books.

David McPhail has enjoyed a long career as both a children’s author and illustrator, contributing to a large number of books since the 1970s. His work is admired for its expressive drawing style, gentle humour and storytelling, making his earlier books increasingly appealing to collectors of vintage children’s literature and illustration.

This example retains its original illustrated dust jacket, which is an important feature for collectors.

Details

Title: The Magical Drawings of Moony B. Finch

Author & Illustrator: David McPhail

Publisher: André Deutsch Limited, London

Date: 1980

Edition: First UK Edition

Original copyright: 1978

ISBN: 0-233-97204-8

Format: Hardback with illustrated dust jacket

Printed in Great Britain by Sackville Press, Billericay Ltd

Condition

A good vintage example with general signs of age and previous handling.

The original dust jacket shows some age-related toning, light rubbing, creasing and wear around the edges and corners. The internal pages remain attractive, with the colour illustrations retaining plenty of brightness and character. There are occasional minor marks consistent with age and use.

Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description and show the condition of the actual book being offered.

A particularly charming vintage picture book with wonderfully quirky illustrations — equally appealing for a children’s book collection, a David McPhail collector, or simply as a nostalgic decorative book.

Why we love it

The illustrations make this one. From wonderfully observed everyday characters to Moony’s enormous green dragon, it has that slightly eccentric, imaginative quality that makes vintage children’s books such fun to rediscover.