Written and illustrated by Clay Lancaster. First edition, 1961. The Viking Press. New York.
"Nothing ever happens on Pennypacker Square, thought Timmy, as he slid between the sheets and pulled up the soft, warm counterpane. A chilly wind blew in through the open window. Then a flash of lightning lit up the whole room... The lightning flashed again, and Timmy caught a glimpse of trees and the iron fence around the square. In the center stood the statue of old Mr. Pennypacker, who wore a long cape and a tall stovepipe hat. One hand in his pocket, and in the other he held an umbrella. It was an odd thing; whenever it rained the umbrella was open and held over his head. ..."
Kirkus Reviews:
"How thrilling it would be to awaken one morning with a souvenir of an exciting dream! For Timmy from Pennypacker Square, the goose feather beneath his puppy, was proof of his amazing trip aboard the Periwinkle Steamboat, with Captain Bill and the talking animals. First stop was the glorious treehouse of Uncle Henry and Aunt Azalea, then on to the elephant-shaped palace of the Potentate of Poonlay Poo, and from there to blossom-shaped Sunflower Lodge. The precarious tour through the eerie domain of Mona Moss is happily offset by the hospitality extended in Plentius Plantation. And finally the last stop, Pennypacker Square and bed. This soft fantasy with its imaginative architectural wonders leaves us with that perturbing doubt; did it really happen?"
Clay Lancaster (1917 – 2000) was an American author, architectural historian, and advocate for historic preservation. His areas of interest were the architecture of Brooklyn Heights, the Antebellum houses of the Bluegrass region, the Japanese influence in America. In addition to The Periwinkle Steamboat, his children's books include Michiko, The Runaway Prince, and The Blue Plaid Riders.
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Condition: Very Good. Missing dust jacket. Yellow cloth cover boards with blue decoration: Light soiling from handling; faint dampstain on back cover, lower right. Small stains on pages 17 - 19, 24 - 27, 30 - 35, 42 - 43, else pages are undamaged and complete.
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