First printing of the second novel in Cleary's beloved mouse trilogy, the final book illustrated by Louis Darling before his death.
Near fine in near fine jacket.
Price: $400.00
"That's the way to do it," said the tomcat. "Mice are stupid creatures who are easily fooled."
Preceded by THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE and followed by RALPH S. MOUSE, RUNAWAY RALPH takes the reader through Ralph's adolescent misadventures as he leaves home in a fit of rebellion but finds himself trapped at a summer camp, imprisoned by a boy and a cat (one of whom is named Garfield, but not the one you'd think). The story was later adapted into a children's television special, which troubled critic Charles Solomon by leaving unexplained Ralph's decision to go home again. ("Even a mouse needs motivation.") Cleary's narrative, however, makes it perfectly clear why any mouse might learn to better appreciate his parents after a bad hamster roommate experience. An attractive copy.
Read more: Solomon, "Runaway Ralph Leaves Questions Unanswered," LA Times.
First edition. New York: William Morrow, (1970). 8'' x 5.5''. Original bright orange and black pictorial cloth. In original price-clipped red pictorial dust jacket. Illustrated in black and white by Louis Darling. 175, [1] pages. Light edgewear to boards, light rubbing and very faint chipping to jacket.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a Washington D.C.-area rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.
