New York is Book Country was a Manhattan street fair and literary celebration begun in 1979 and abruptly cancelled in 2003. Each year, a prominent artist or book illustrator created a poster to mark the event. Oftentimes, the artist was on hand to autograph the poster for attendees. The very first NY is BC featured two posters, one created by Edward Gorey and a second by Maurice Sendak. In subsequent years, only one was issued.

This original 25-1/4 x 17-1/2” color poster by children’s illustrator William Joyce (Dinosaur Bob, A Day with Wilbur Robinson, Santa Calls) features both King Kong and Joyce’s famous dinosaur atop the Empire State Building, reading (the Apes of Wrath) and munching a big apple. A background blimp (labeled Good-Read rather than Goodyear) pays homage to Sendak with a Wild Thing. The official poster of New York is Book Country, 1991, in Very Fine condition.