M.B. Goffstein
Let me start this post by saying that Children's Books are not my specialty.
While my knowledge of this area of bookselling and collecting has certainly grown over time, this has always been one area where I have always felt a bit, well...inadequate.
Sure, I can identify some of the obvious high spots, like Seuss 1st Editions, and I know who Arthur Rackham and Maxfield Parrish are, but if you put me in a library sale, the Children's section is just about the last section I explore. This is certainly not because I don't enjoy browsing through the Children's section, but probably more of a lazy excuse for not paying too much attention to a section that is usually so...messy. Thumbing through the contents of the Children's table is always a mish-mash of ultra-slim paperbacks, ex-library copies, books made of plastic and all kinds of other bumps in the road. Not to mention that this always seems like one of the most competitive and desired sections at the beginning of a sale. No, I prefer to do my children's book scouting when the crowd has thinned out quite a bit.
Early on in my career, I happened to purchase a well-cared for collection of children's books from a former book critic, and this provided about as much of an education on the genre than I ever had before, or since.
Goffstein is one illustrator whose name and distinctive design style stuck with me over time, and I have had decent luck with most of her titles, especially in hardcover, ever since. They don't appear to be particularly scarce, and although they are never extremely valuable, they usually clock in and sell briskly in the $25-50 range. As is the case with almost any books, signed copies, true 1st Printings, and copies in Fine, Near Fine or even Very Good condition will usually attract a premium.
Below are a few of her titles worth looking for, and here is a link to a wonderful site featuring color photographs of her complete bibliography, including her first book entitled Brookie and Her Lamb.
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