Hey, Al – Arthur Yorinks 1986 | 1st Edition

$79.00

Author: Arthur Yorinks;, Richard Egielski Illustrator
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, NY, 1986
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fine
Size: 8vo
Attributes: First Edition, Dust Jacket, Illustrated

First edition, first printing. Binding tight, internally fine, unmarked. DJ chipped at spine’s ends, edges worn with small marginal tears, price clipped. Fine in VG DJ.

Hey, Al – Arthur Yorinks (1986), Illustrated by Richard Egielski

Winner of the 1987 Caldecott Medal, this modern fable follows Al, a weary New York City janitor, and his faithful dog, Eddie, who are whisked away to a paradise-like island in the sky after a mysterious bird offers them an escape from their drab lives. Initially enchanted by the island’s beauty and carefree existence, they soon discover its sinister secret: the paradise is transforming them into birds. With Egielski’s lush, dreamlike illustrations—shifting from gritty urban realism to tropical surrealism—the story becomes a poignant meditation on contentment and the price of perfection.

If You Loved This, Try:

Tuesday (David Wiesner, 1991) – Another Caldecott winner with magical realism.
The Mysterious Tadpole (Steven Kellogg, 1977) – More New York whimsy.
The Stinky Cheese Man (Jon Scieszka, 1992) – Egielski’s art meets postmodern fairy tales.