The Foundling... was first published in 1973, with six stories; since 1983 the collection has included eight, including two storybooks originally published as single titles under the "Owlet" imprint at Holt, Rinehart. Evaline Ness provided 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 of 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.