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The book was sent promptly after the order and was extremely well packaged. We have looked on your website at the lovely shop and will certainly visit if we are in the area.With many thanks and best wishes for your continued success. S.B. (UK), Jan. 2013
BB
or Denys Watkins-Pitchford
What puzzled me and, I guess, many people when they first come across BB's wonderful illustrations, is - why did
Denys Watkins-Pitchford decide to use the pseudonym 'BB'? Well the explanation is quite simple - BB is the size of the lead
shot used for goose shooting.
He decided that it was much more memorable than his real name, was instantly recognizable and gave his work an air of mystery. In this he definitely succeeded and the mystery continues for the uninitiated today.
BB was born
on 25 th July 1905 , the second son of twins, in Lamport, in the Northamptonshire countryside. His father, a rector,
encouraged him to spend much of his boyhood exploring the countryside around the family home, Lamport Rectory, which was
a spacious Queen Anne period house. It was at this early stage that BB developed his talent for drawing and painting, and
at the age of 15 went to Northampton School of Art.
After art school BB obtained a position as assistant art master at Rugby School where he remained for 17 years. During his weekends at home he completed his first full length story, Wild Lone, about a one eared pytchley fox called Rufus. BB later wrote about this book "the story unfolded with a strange and quite frightening intensity - I could not write fast enough, it was as though my hand was guided by an invisible driving force". He completed the book in just eight weeks, sending it to the publishers Eyre & Spottiswoode along with the story Sportsman's Diary . Most unusually the publisher accepted both works, a great compliment for a young writer.
BB's fifth book and his first children's book, has the instantly memorable title of The Little Grey Men. It's an enchanting story of four gnomes - Sneezewort, Dooder, Cloudberry and Baldmoney, who live under an oak tree beside Folley Brook. This book was a well deserved winner of the prestigious Carnegie Medal in 1942. BB went on to write some 20 children's books including Down The Bright Stream , a sequel to Little Grey Men, and Monty Woodpig's Caravan - the story of a bachelor hedgehog of settled habits, who one day met a dormouse, Milly Gobbysim. They got married and set off on an adventurous honeymoon in Monty's caravan.
Other children's books by BB include a series of nine books about Bill Badger
in which Uncle Bill and Izzybizzy, his hedgehog friend, sail countless miles up and down the canals in their barge
The Wandering Wind .
BB is a man
of many interests, but one of his most consuming was his passion for the majestic Purple Emperor (Apasture Iris)
butterfly. He realized that the butterfly was on the brink of extinction, and therefore spent long hours seeking it
and finding its eggs and larvae which he raised in specially built outdoor breeding cages.
Right: Illustration from Monty Woodpig's Caravan.
Another of BB passions was fishing about which he wrote several books. The first of these was The Fisherman's Bedside Book . This title is more common than his other fishing book because it was published in 1945 at the beginning of a revolution in the angling world, and therefore sold well as fisherman snapped up every title looking for new ideas. The Fisherman's Bedside Book was the third in the Bedside series of five books.
BB went on writing books well past his 70th birthday, although the frequency slowed down and the style became
more reflective in tone. In all BB wrote and illustrated over 60 titles and also illustrated at least another 30 books
written by other people, his illustrations being distinctive for their black and white scraperboard style. He was
awarded the MBE for Contributions To Literature in 1989, and died a year later aged 85.
Since his death BB's books have become ever more sought after, mainly for his delightful yet simple illustrations. In the year 2000 a group of BB's fans founded the BB society, who now issue regular newsletters, an annual journal and conduct an ongoing programme of events.
You can find out more information about the BB Society on their website
Submitted by Adam Parker
A selection of BB books in stock
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1601554
Eyre & Spottiswoode. 1st. 1950. Very good condition with no wrapper. The letters are written by a countryman to a younger friend abroad and they describe the routine of country life throughout the year. A tranquil book designed for casual reading, with superb b/w illustrations perfectly in keeping with the subject and the mood. Green boards. Green endpapers are maps. 281pp. 8.5 x 5.5". Corners rubbed. Foxing to endpapers. Contents generally clean. [S]
Price: £18.00
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1303772
Hollis & Carter. 1st. 1945. Very good condition in an almost very good dustwrapper. Light blue cloth with silver lettering to spine and vignette of flying geese to front cover. B/w wood engravings throughout. An attractive country book from the pen of "BB" in which he looks back to his boyhood, tells of the friends he made, of expeditions in search of birds and first attempts at fishing and shooting. 8.75x6.5". 198 pages. Spine and corners bumped. Small brown spot to front pastedown. Foxing to contents else clean. Dustwrapper is edge worn with loss at corners, slightly grubby on rear panel. [R]
Price: £48.00
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1202806
Methuen Children's Books Ltd.. 1st thus. 1978. Very good condition in an almost very good dustwrapper. Three brothers decide to run away and try their hand at living and surviving like outlaws, on Brendon Chase. A classic story of survival and adventure, enhanced by a wealth of natural history lore and superb illustrations by the author. Green cloth, gilt lettering to spine. 304 pages. Originally published by Hollis & Carter in 1944. A few marks to covers. Some foxing. Wrapper has closed tears and edge-wear with some browning. [S] 0416588301.
Price: £28.00
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1202229
Eyre & Spottiswoode. 1947. Almost very good condition in a good dustwrapper. Green cloth. Introduction by the author, written during the Second World War. Superb b/w illustrations throughout. Page-edge browning. Wrapper lightly browned and torn with loss. [S]
Price: £20.00
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1801684
Hollis & Carter. 1st. 1952. Almost very good condition with no wrapper. A collection of fairy-stories illustrated by 12 glorious colour plates plus b/w chapter head and tail decorations. 143 pages. Light blue cloth, silver titles. Edges rubbed and worn, boards scuffed. Inscription in ink to front endpaper. Foxing to text block and a few page margins. A few grubby margin marks. All plates present. [S]
Price: £75.00
BB, . Illustrated by BB, . Stock no. 1801681
Methuen Children's Books Ltd.. 1st thus. 1978. Nearly fine condition in a nearly fine dustwrapper. Three brothers decide to run away and try their hand at living and surviving like outlaws, on Brendon Chase. A classic story of survival and adventure, enhanced by a wealth of natural history lore and superb illustrations by the author. Green cloth, gilt lettering to spine. 304 pages. Originally published by Hollis & Carter in 1944. A few minor foxspots to vertical margins and text block else a fine copy in a fine pictorial wrapper slightly browned. [S] 0416588301.
Price: £50.00