A controversial childrens story from 1936.... The Story of Ferdinand

Written by Munro Leaf and originally published in 1936, Illustrated by Robert Lawson, this highly collectable children's book tells the story of a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights. He sits in the middle of the bull ring failing to take heed of any of the provocations of the matador and others to fight.

Several countries banned and even burned Ferdinand. Leaf and Lawson published Ferdinand just two months after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The book was interpreted as a critique of fascism as tensions between nationalist and democratic governments were on the rise. Later, after the Spanish Civil War, it was still viewed as having a political agenda. During World War II, the British Air Transport Auxiliary started flying into Europe after D-Day and their pilots, who were non-combatants, used Ferdinand the Bull as their call sign.

This copy was published by The Reprint Society in 1955. Missing a dust jacket but otherwise in VG condition, this little gem has attractive red covers with gilt lettering, monochromatic illustrations, some kids pen marks inside covers.

Scarce find!