The Tales of Uncle Remus
Bedtime Read-Aloud Children’s Animal Fiction Southern & Appalachian Folklore African-American Retellings Fantasy/Trickster Tales Middle-Grade Classics Collectible Illustrated Fiction
Julius Lester’s 1987 first-edition hardcover of The Tales of Uncle Remus re-imagines the classic Brer Rabbit stories for modern readers while keeping every ounce of their rollicking, porch-swing spirit. Parents searching for a collectible bedtime book will love how Lester’s lyrical prose and sly humor hook ages 4–8, yet still deliver the deeper cultural layers that fascinate teens and adults. 176 pages of vibrant, full-page illustrations bring Brer Fox, Brer Bear and the briar-patch trickster to life, making this volume as much a display-worthy art piece as a read-aloud treasure.
This vintage copy carries the extra charm of a personal inscription on the front endpaper—light, original handwriting that places the book squarely in the 1980s and adds provenance without affecting readability. The dust jacket shows only light shelf scuffing, the closed page edges have a single small spot, and the binding is tight and square, so the book feels sturdy in small hands yet pristine enough for collectors hunting a first printing. It sits perfectly on nursery shelves, classroom book carts, or between other beloved modern classics like The Wind in the Willows or Charlotte’s Web.
Because demand for Lester’s Newbery Honor retellings keeps rising, clean first editions with illustrations and jackets are becoming scarce. Snagging this inscribed 1987 copy now means owning a piece of children’s literature history that will outlast trends and retain—if not increase—its value, all while giving every generation in the house a nightly ticket to laugh-out-loud adventures in the critter-filled Georgia countryside.
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