
A 1990s compilation volume, the first of two. Illustrator unknown.
Evaline Ness illustrated the cover art for each of the first editions of these eight books, and the interior art of the first two storybooks. Margot Zemach drew the interior illustrations for the first edition of The Foundling.... Later editions of the Chronicles have featured covers by fantasy-art luminaries such as Don Maitz, Jody Lee and the Walt Disney Studios animators.
This page, Part One, catalogs the first three books in the series: The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron and The Castle of Llyr. Part Two catalogs Taran Wanderer, The High King and the three publications that now comprise The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain.
The Book of Three
Publisher
|
Holt, Rinehart and Winston (US)
|
Publication date
|
August 1964
|
Media type
|
Print (hardcover & paperback)
|
Pages
|
217 pp (hardcover 1st ed.); 224 pp (paperback)
|
ISBN
|
ISBN 0-8050-0874-8 (first edition)
|
OCLC Number
|
17720934
|
LC Classification
|
PZ7.A3774 Bn
|

The Laurel-Leaf cover art (with more recent frame) by artist Jean Leon Huens.
In July 1980 Dell Laurel-Leaf printed new, pocket-book editions with art by Jean-Léon Huens. These were extremely popular; by July 1984 Dell had printed ten editions of this cover.

The 1990s cover by Jody Lee.

The 2000s cover by David Wyatt.
In April 1990 Dell Yearling began printing gorgeous new covers illustrated by Jody Lee (see left) in what look to be watercolors and colored pencils. Ms. Lee is very much at the top of her game here, with vibrant color enhancing, rather than distracting from, the nuanced and highly realistic portraiture on display.
The Black Cauldron
Publisher
|
Holt, Rinehart and Winston (US)
|
Publication date
|
June 1965
|
Media type
|
Print (hardcover & paperback)
|
Pages
|
224 pp (hardcover 1st ed.); 229 pp (paperback)
|
ISBN
|
ISBN 0-8050-0992-2 (first edition)
|
OCLC Number
|
302887
|
LC Classification
|
PZ7.A3774 B1
|

English hardcover, artist currently unknown.

The Dell 1970s cover by Don Maitz.

The mid-80s Laurel-Leaf edition with the Disney artwork.
By the Eighth Dell Printing in March 1979, the cover art has been replaced by Don Maitz's more realistic oil painting, with loose brushwork and atmospheric clouds recalling Frazetta's expressionistic style.

The Laurel-Leaf cover art (with more recent frame) by Huens.

The 1990s cover by Jody Lee.

The 2000s cover by David Wyatt.
A newer edition put out by Square Fish -- a Macmillan imprint representing the best of Henry Holt's backlists -- appeared in 2011, with a digital cover painting by David Wyatt. The piece is impressive, depicting a dramatic scene never before illustrated, of the Huntsmen of Annuvin attacking a lovely yet understandably defensive Princess Eilonwy.
The Castle of Llyr
Publisher
|
Holt, Rinehart and Winston (US)
|
Publication date
|
1966
|
Media type
|
Print (hardcover & paperback)
|
Pages
|
204 pp (hardcover 1st ed.); 206 pp (paperback)
|
ISBN
|
ISBN 0-8050-1115-3 (first edition)
|
OCLC Number
|
302887
|
LC Classification
|
22921733
|

The Dell 1970s cover by Don Maitz.

The Laurel-Leaf cover art by Huens.
By the Sixth Dell Printing in December 1978, the cover art has been replaced by Don Maitz's more realistic oil painting, with loose brushwork, bright colors and atmospheric clouds recalling Frazetta's expressionistic style.
In July 1980 Dell Laurel-Leaf printed new, pocket-book editions with art by Jean Leon Huens. These were extremely popular; by December 1984 Dell had printed seven editions of this cover.
In April 1990 Dell Yearling began printing gorgeous new covers illustrated by Jody Lee in what look to be watercolors and colored pencils. Ms. Lee is very much at the top of her game here, with vibrant color enhancing, rather than distracting from, the nuanced and highly realistic portraiture on display.
The 2000s cover by Wyatt.

The 1st Dell paperback, same as the hardcover with a black border.
A newer edition put out by Square Fish -- a Macmillan imprint representing the best of Henry Holt's backlists -- appeared in August 2011, with a digital cover painting by David Wyatt. The piece, depicting the doom of Caer Colur, is a dynamic lightshow which, while very pretty, somewhat minimizes the role the human characters play in the event.
Illustrators Mini-Bios
Evaline Ness (April 24, 1911 – August 12, 1986) was an American commercial artist, illustrator, and author of children's books. As illustrator of picture books she was one of three Caldecott Medal runners-up each year 1964 to 1966 and she won the 1967 Medal for Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine, which she also wrote. She illustrated more than thirty books for young readers and wrote several of her own. She is noted for using a great variety of artistic media and methods.