THE PARADE TO PARADISE. An Illustrated Fable.

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Original burgundy paper-covered boards with titles in black to the upper board, in dustwrapper. Marbled endpapers. Illustrated in colour throughout by the author. A very near fine copy, the binding square and firm, the foot of the spine with a minor bump. The contents are clean throughout and without previous owners' stamps or inscriptions. Complete with the very good original dustwrapper that is lightly rubbed and creased at the extremities.

Signed by Charles van Sandwyk in black ink on the half title. The author's fifth book, an illustrated poem about a party of grumbling, dissatisfied birds that learn the true route to paradise during a long journey. Van Sandwyk is a South African born Canadian artist, illustrator and writer whose work is influenced by 19th century artists such as Arthur Rackham and Beatrix Potter. He has a long-lived love of the culture and landscape of Fiji, a country he first visited at age 19 and where he now lives for part of the year in a grass thatched house. The tropical sights of Fiji greatly inspired the scenery and wildlife of the present volume, which pair wonderfully with van Sandwyk's Victorian-toned sensibilities to create a quirky and whimsical world of birds.