Bony-Legs
Fairy Tale Retelling Picture Book Bedtime Story Children’s Fantasy Vintage Children’s Literature Russian Folklore Early Reader Horror
Joanna Cole’s 1983 first-edition paperback “Bony-Legs” is the fairy-tale picture book that Scholastic teachers kept in their secret stash for read-aloud day. A witty re-telling of the Russian Baba-Yaga story, it stars the tiny but clever Sasha, who outwits the witch with the iron teeth and chicken-footed cottage. Cole’s rhythmic text begs to be chanted—perfect for bedtime or classroom circle time—while the late-’80s pen-and-ink illustrations glow with spooky greens and pumpkin oranges that feel nostalgic without ever being too scary for ages 3-8. Because this title went out of print quickly, intact first printings have become collector gold for vintage-children’s-book hunters.
What makes this copy special is its pristine, unmarked interior: no crayon, no school stamps, no dog-eared surprises—just the light shelf rub you’d expect from a book that spent four decades waiting for the right reader. The 1983 edition is noticeably larger than later book-club versions, so the art has room to breathe and the spine lies flat for easy page-turning during story hour. Parents who grew up on Reading Rainbow will recognize the era’s matte cover stock and the satisfying “thunk” of the perfect-bound pages—details modern reprints simply can’t replicate.
For gift-givers, this is the childhood keepsake that slips effortlessly into a baby-shower book basket yet intrigues YA collectors who specialize in dark fairy-tale retellings. Fantasy fans hunting first-edition Scholastic gems rank “Bony-Legs” right beside Cole’s Magic School Bus series for scarcity and charm. Secure this gently-loved copy now and you’ll own the edition that launched a generation of kids who still whisper, “Bony-Legs, Bony-Legs, iron teeth and bony legs…” every time they walk past the woods.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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