ANNUNCIATA AND THE SHEPHERDS

New York: Harper & Brothers, [1938]. [40] pages. Original pictorial yellow cloth stamped in red and green. [16.7 cm.] A good plus copy in like dust jacket. Moderate foxing to cloth, but internally clean. Early owner's inscription dated 1942 on front free endpaper. Jacket has several small tears and short repairs on verso with archival tape (minimal loss, not affecting lettering), a small abrasion to front panel, and some light soil. Early printing of the author's first book. [It is more commonly found under the imprint, "Gentry Press, New York," dated 1938, which appears to have priority. Comparison of the title page with a bookseller's photo of the Gentry issue suggests that only the imprint was reset.] Illustrated with wood engravings in the text by Willard Clark, most of which are printed in color. A charming children's book set in San Antonio, describing the traditional Christmas miracle play, "Los Pastores." Janette Sebring Lowrey (b. 1892) was a Texas writer of juvenile fiction. Scarce in the dust jacket.