A Puffin book 11 x 18 cm paperback, 156(3)pp with black and white illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Signed by the author to the front free endpaper. The book is in lovely condition considering its age. The spine is firm and uncreased and there is just a touch of rubbing to the joints ant spine tips and a crease to the top, front corner. There is also a faint tide mark that runs half way down the fore edge on the inside cover. Internally the book has the usual toning to the pages that would be expected from a paperback book of this era but it is otherwise clean and there is only one crease to the top corner of one page affecting the margin only. What makes this book remarkable is that it is signed by the author and as such is extremely uncommon. This is the true 1st Edition of this modern classic children’s book, preceding the hardback edition published by Hamish Hamilton two years later. All in all a remarkable survivor which is now protected in a custom made solander box.