BARRIE, J. M. [James Matthew] (1860-1937). The Little White Bird. London: Holder And Stoughton 1902. 1st Edition. 8vo (195x130mm), viii, 312pp. Good. Original dark blue cloth binding with gold gilt lettering on the spine. Top edge gilt. Illustrated with a map of Kensington Gardens opposite the title page. Ex-library copy in good condition, library stamp on the front pastedown, light foxing throughout and more concentrated at the start and end of the textblock. Library sticker on the spine. Rubbing and marks on the boards and small chips at the head and base of the spine. Textblock square and true. Split between the front pastedown and the rest of the textblock along the spine, but this is purely cosmetic currently. 

This is a collection of ‘short episodes’ written by Barrie which capture life in contemporary London, with a particular focus on Kensington Gardens. This book is of note as the first appearance of the character of Peter Pan in Barrie’s writing. What began as a single chapter in The Little White Bird later became Barrie’s most famous and successful character, gaining him international acclaim and a character that lived on in the lives of children long after Barrie was gone. A copy of this book is essential for any Barrie collector or lover of Peter Pan and children's books. This copy is in very good condition, particularly internally where the textblock is clean and looks almost unread.