Mission for Oliver

London: Jonathan Cape, 1953.

An adventure story set in 1805 about a drummer boy in the British Army sailing on a troopship to Sicily. With his cousin Polly also on the boat the adventures really start. First edition. Seven b/w text illustrations and one in colour as the frontispiece. 190 pages. Top of text block stained red as issued. Back of jacket well browned, internally super clean and bright with owner's inked name and date 1955 to first front endpaper. A near fine copy. Among many works, Daniell (1906-65) wrote 26 non-fiction titles for Ladybird Books from 1958 until his death, seven as David Scott Daniell and 19 as Richard Bowood.