MacRae
Julia MacRae Books was a British children's imprint (1979 to 1999) that first published Anthony Browne's Gorilla, The Tunnel and the Willy books.
- Editions tracked
- 25
- First editions
- 5
- Books
- 25
- Years
- 1981 to 1994
About MacRae
Julia MacRae Books was a British children's book imprint founded in 1979 by the editor Julia MacRae, best known as the original publisher of Anthony Browne's picture books, including the Kate Greenaway Medal winners Gorilla (1983) and Zoo (1992).
MacRae had previously headed the children's list at Hamish Hamilton, where she worked with Raymond Briggs, Anthony Browne, Jane Gardam and Joan Lingard. She set up her own list within the Franklin Watts group and was known for long working relationships with her authors and artists. Gorilla won the Greenaway Medal and the Kurt Maschler Award, and in 1984 Books for Keeps noted that three of the four titles on the Greenaway shortlist, the winner among them, came from her imprint.
Browne's books for MacRae included Willy the Wimp (1984), Willy the Champ (1985), Piggybook (1986), The Tunnel (1989), Changes (1990), Zoo (1992) and his illustrated Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1988), which also won the Kurt Maschler Award. Ron Maris was another early discovery.
The list later moved to Walker Books and then to Random House. MacRae retired in 1995, and the imprint closed in 1999 after twenty years.
How to spot a MacRae first edition
We have not yet written the guide to MacRae's first-edition conventions. Until we do, check each book's own page: we list its points where we know them. Know how MacRae marked its firsts? Tell us.
AuthorsRobin McKinley (4)Anthony Browne (3)Beverly Cleary (2)Arnold Lobel (2)Jeannie Baker (1)Molly Bang (1)Byron Barton (1)Ruskin Bond (1)Ann Jonas (1)Robert Kalan (1)
Published by MacRae
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify a MacRae first edition?
Check the title page and the copyright page: a MacRae first edition gives the first date of publication with no later impression or edition stated. Each book's page here lists its own points.
How many MacRae books does MyVolumes track?
We track 25 editions published by MacRae, 5 of them first editions, across 25 books.
Where these facts come from
- Letter from London: Publishing Moves, Publishers Weekly, 1999 (publishersweekly.com)
- BfK News July 1984, Books for Keeps, 1984 (booksforkeeps.co.uk)
- Anthony Browne (author), Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 19 October 2026.