Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Children’s Classics: Rainbow Series

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Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Children's Classics: Rainbow Series

barnes noble leatherbound children kate forrester covers

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Introduction

This series of children’s classics was designed by Kate Forrester, and first released in late 2011. It is fondly known as the ‘Rainbow’ classics series. All the silhouette designs are printed directly onto playful (bonded) leather hues, and feature embossed foil finishes, pretty end papers and silver edged pages. The book are unabridged, and illustrated throughout with color reproductions of the illustrations that accompanied the book’s historical first printing. Most of these illustrations are drawn from the period known as the ‘golden age’ of illustration and are really delightful.

FAQ

What is the binding made of?

All the silhouette designs are printed directly onto playful (bonded) leather hues, and feature embossed foil finishes, pretty end papers and silver edged pages. 

How many books in the series?

There are 18 titles in the series, and an additional 9 cover variants. The books in this series are no longer in print and are not super common, but they are a fun and achievable challenge to chase down if you’re interested in building a set. Completist collectors should note that a couple of the volumes have slightly different colored cover designs depending on which printing they are, as noted below (as a general rule of thumb, the earlier printings have less gilt, and feature the title in a contrasting spot of color, while later printings do not have the spot highlight).

The books in this series were also later reprinted with different cover designs (the B&N Illustrated Children’s Classics series), and the number of available volumes was expanded . If you are looking for the other collections, check out the Guide to collecting Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions.

The Complete List of Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Children's Classics

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (first edition)

Illustrated by F. D. Bedford

ISBN 9781435133471 (blue cover)
09/30/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (second edition)

Illustrated by F. D. Bedford

ISBN 9781435142015 (green cover)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Illustrated by W.W. Denslow

ISBN 9781435139732 
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (first edition)

Illustrated by Ethel Franklin Betts

ISBN 9781435137844 (pink & black)
02/16/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (second edition)

Illustrated by Ethel Franklin Betts

ISBN 9781435142091 (pink & blue)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Illustrated by Charles Robinson

ISBN 9781435133440 (purple & black)
09/30/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (second edition)

Illustrated by Charles Robinson

ISBN 9781435142121 (purple & silver)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

Illustrated by John Tenniel

ISBN 9781435139756
04/14/2014

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Illustrated by Sidney Paget

ISBN 9781435148109
04/04/2014

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham

Illustrated by Nancy Barnhart

ISBN 9781435139718
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Grimm’s Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm

Illustrated by Noel Pocock

ISBN 9781435139725
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Greek Myths by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Illustrated by Walter Crane

ISBN 9781435142831
03/18/2013

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

BN Rainbow Kipling Jungle Book 9781435142824 2013 1st rev

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Illustrated by Maurice and Edward Detmold

ISBN 9781435142824
03/18/2013

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

Illustrated by Henry J. Ford & G. P. Jacomb Hood

ISBN 9781435142848
03/18/2013

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Illustrated by Paul Bransom

ISBN 9781435144682
04/04/2014

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (first edition)

Illustrated by M.A. Claus & W.A.J. Claus

ISBN 9781435137837 (green & black)
02/16/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (second edition)

Illustrated by M.A. Claus & W.A.J. Claus

ISBN 9781435142107 (green & silver)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle (first edition)

Illustrated by Howard Pyle

ISBN 9781435133464 (red & black)
10/19/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle

Illustrated by Howard Pyle

ISBN 9781435142060 (red & silver)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (first edition)

Illustrated by Lucy Kemp-Welch

ISBN 9781435133488 (blue & black)
09/30/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (second edition)

Illustrated by Lucy Kemp-Welch

ISBN 9781435142022 (blue & silver)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (first edition)

Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth

ISBN 9781435133433 (yellow)
09/30/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (second edition)

Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth

ISBN 9781435142084 (orange)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (first edition)

Illustrated by Milo Winter

ISBN 9781435137820 (blue & black)
02/16/2012 

→ OOP. Check availability at Abes | eBay

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (second edition)

Illustrated by Milo Winter

ISBN 9781435142114 (blue & silver)
09/25/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss (first edition)

Illustrated by Thomas Heath Robinson

ISBN 9781435133457 (tan cover)
10/19/2011

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss (second edition)

Illustrated by Thomas Heath Robinson

ISBN 9781435142077 (orange cover)
10/01/2012

→ OOP. Check availability at Amazon | Abes | eBay

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