"Barnaby And Mr O'Malley" by Crockett Johnson (Pseudonym Of David Johnson Leisk), published by Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1944. First edition. Fully illustrated comic book.

Hard boards with black lettering on front board and spine [some wear and soiling]; 5" x 7.1/2"; gift inscription dated "12/25/44" on the front endpaper; "Contents" page has a bottom corner missing; 328 pages; some soiling and wear, good/ very good condition.

"A year ago, when we published Barnaby, we had to introduce him and his pudgy, goldbricking, pink-winged, cigar-smoking Fairy Godfather, Mr. O'Malley to people who were unlucky enough not to have access to a newspaper where the strip was running. But now Barnaby and Mr. O'Malley have swept the country. It has been a landslide year for both of them; dozens of newspapers have added the feature about them, to the enhancement of their circulation -- This, therefore, and quite simply, is the New Barnaby Book.

It has the very cream of the cream in it, from the magic but non-germinating seeds which Mr. O'Malley supplied for Barnaby's victory garden right on through the sequences with Gus the ghost, the search for the father of Gorgon the talking dog, and many others to the last regrettable affair of Mr. O'Malley and his campaign for Congress - financed by a trunkful of old Confederate two-dollar bills." [from the publisher]

Crockett Johnson (1906-1975) was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip Barnaby (1942-1952) and the Harold series of books begun with Harold and the Purple Crayon. From 1965 until his death Johnson created over a hundred paintings relating to mathematics and mathematical physics. Eighty of these are found in the collections of the National Museum of American History.

US: Priority (c.2-5 days) ------------- $12.50
Canada: Priority (c.2-6 weeks) ------ $32.50
World: Priority (c.2-8 weeks) ------- $45.50