Watkins-Pitchford, D J (Aka "BB") - Bill Badger's Voyage to the World's End - (Hardcover in Jacket)

Did belong to a library before but book and wrapper survived surprisingly well - 88 pg.   >>>  Matty McVole, Cap'n Bill Badger and Izzybizzy the hedgehog take a voyage in Bill Badger's barge to World's End. Before they reach their destination, Izzy, with the help of Beggar Rat, rescues Tatterdemalion and other stray dogs from the dog pound and leads them into an adventure by getting involved with a traveling circus.   >>>   Countryman, author and artist Denys Watkins-Pitchford is probably best known by his pen name BB, a name derived from the size of lead shot he used to shoot geese. His work has many followers, some who were enchanted by his children's stories when they were in the nursery, others who revel in his descriptions of country pursuits, especially carp fishing and shooting, and a third group captivated by his illustrations.   -   Born on 25^th July 1905, Watkins-Pitchford was a sickly child who was educated at home and thus had plenty of free time to roam around the countryside with his fishing rod, shotgun and drawing pad. His combined loves of art and nature are at the root of his success as an artist and author.   -   His first book The Sportsmans Bedside Book was published in 1937 and was quickly followed up with nature based tales, such as Wild Lone, the story of a Pytchley Fox (1938) and The Countrymans Bedside Book (1941).   -  The authors most famous book, however, is The Little Grey Men which recounts the adventures of Dodder, Baldmoney, Sneezewort and Cloudberry, the last four gnomes in England.  From the age of four BB was convinced of the existence of "little people", having encountered a gnome in his nursery, this meeting allowed him to bring his gnomes to life so vividly. The story was to win the Carnegie Medal for Childrens Literature in 1942.   -  Both his children's writings, which appear under the pen-name BB and his nature books and illustrations, attributed to his real name, Denys Watkins-Pitchford, are highly collectable and his work is kept very much alive by an active and vibrant BB club.