Like all best friends, George and Martha do everything togethergo to the movies, play at the beach, and just hang around not doing much of anything. George and Martha teach each other (and adoring readers) that even in a close friendship, privacy is important, practical jokes can sometimes backfire, and among other things, pouring split pea soup into your loafers to spare the chefs feelings is not the best-laid plan. A man with a talent for friendship, James Marshall defined its very essence in his stories about the worlds two best friends. In this volume, all thirty-five episodes are brought together to celebrate friendship and two of the most lovable characters ever created. Each of these brief tales is filled with humor, and James Marshalls drawings are guaranteed to spark feelings of empathy, delight, and self-recognition.This collectors edition includes an introduction by MauriceSendak as well as appreciations by some of the top authorsand illustrators working in childrens publishing today.It is a true testament to James Marshall as an author, as an artist, and as a person that his work and his life inspired such a diverse and immensely talented group. Noted childrens book historian Anita Silvey provides an afterword.