History of the Hoppers by PARKER, Bessie & Nancy - 1912

London: W & R Chambers, 1912. Rebacked in cloth, inner hinges reinforced, two marginal stains caused by tape, some edgewear.. Quarto, colour plates and illustrations in the text, early ownership inscription on front free endpaper; a good copy in the original illustrated boards. First edition of this justly famous children's book with anthropomorphised kangaroo characters - 'perhaps the best known story entirely devoted to the kangaroo' (Robert Holden, The Mint Exhibition, 1985). The story follows a family of anthropomorphised kangaroo characters - 'perhaps the best known story entirely devoted to the kangaroo' (Robert Holden, The Mint Exhibition, 1985). The book is illustrated with 12 delightful full page sepia lithographs as well as many textual illustrations. Set in Australia amongst a number of adorable native animals including a koala and an emu, the wonderful illustrations capture the Hopper family's many adventures as they run their general store. It has recently been shown the authors of this book were sisters Bessie and Nancy. The Parkers produced a number of picture books including Arctic Orphans, Lays of the Greys, and Cinderella at the Zoo, all with anthropomorphised animals.