The Magic Finger. by DAHL, Roald - 1968

London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd,, 1968. First UK edition, first impression. Dahl had originally begun work on it in 1962, under its original title of The Almost Ducks. In the story, an eight-year-old girl, who hates to see animals killed for fun, develops a special power, similar to that of Matilda. The book was part of a project in which a group of writers were asked to create a story for children with a limited vocabulary. Dahl, who was very much against animal cruelty, wrote this anti-hunting story against "all the brave deer hunters and duck hunters in the country". However, Dahl's publishers were initially wary of repercussions from the US gun lobby and so waited until their option to publish had expired. It was later published by Harper & Row in New York in 1966 under the present title. Octavo. Original pictorial boards, titles to spine and front cover in black, pictorial endpapers. No dust jacket issued. Illustrated by William Pène du Bois. Soiling to boards with light spotting. A very good copy.