The passing of Maurice Sendak this week prompted a review of Cotsen’s holdings for a few special things to share with his many admirers.

The artist at work. Else Holmelund Minarik. A Kiss for Little Bear. Pictures by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row, 1968. (An I Can Read Book).

The half title of the Cotsen copy of the In the Night Kitchen Coloring Book (New York: Harper & Row, 1970) has a jolly drawing of the baker staring up at Mickey.

This pencil drawing of Jenny, Sendak’s beloved dog, guarantees the anxious book collector that this copy of Higgeldy Piggeldy Pop! (New York: Harper & Row, 1967) is the true first edition.

Here’s a tiny counting book, Ten Little Rabbits, that was published by the Rosenbach Foundation in 1970. Sendak inscribed this copy to Mr. Cotsen’s brood of four children.

A sketch of the ragamuffin Jack personalizes this copy of We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy (New York: Michael di Capua Books, Harper Collins, 1993).

Outside over there
I saw Esau
In the Night Kitchen
Eating chicken soup with rice!

***

What do you say, dear?
I DON’T CARE!
There must be more to life
Where the Wild Things are…
That’s just right.
Let’s read.

Else Holmelund Minarik. No Fighting, No Biting! Pictures by Maurice Sendak. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958).

Maurice Sendak. Higgeldy Piggeldy Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life. (New York: Harper & Row, 1967).