Books for Babies
THE books published this year for quite small children are a disappointing collection. From amongst the twenty or thirty which hive been sent to us, not one has illustrations which will bear looking at again and again until their very smugness increases their preciousness ; and it is the illus- trations which are the most important part of a very little child's book ; the child can invent the story for himself. Only one or two books can be wholeheartedly praised.
Messrs. Dean's selection of rag books have the tantalizing fascination of being indestructible. (Why is it that children kill the thing they love ?) Great Friends (9d.) has most realistic and well-painted pictures of wild animals ; while there are equally realistic paintings of domestic animals in Pets at Home (9d.). Country Stencil Book (2s.), Easy Painting Books (1s.), and Animal and Bird Colouring Book (2s.) will while away many a long foggy afternoon. It is more amusing to paint the picture outlined on the right side of the page before looking at the finished work of art on the left. The Magic A.B.C. (Dow and - Lester, 3s. 6d.) will be a real surprise ; pictures appear on the blank pages in the book when they are rubbed with an old silver coin.
For children of about four or five, Mr. William Nicholson's Clever Bill (Heinemann, 5s.) is an excellent present. His clever and original tinted drawings suggest such a definite idea that no words are necessary to explain the story told in the pictures, and only, a few words are given. This book, hovi- ever, may be appreciated even better by grown-up people.
" I think he must be nearly grown-up now, for he is quite big ; but he is dreadfully mischievous still, so I think the sense in his brain can't be grown-up yet. Brains are in people's heads, and in puppies' heads too, and sense is in your brains." So writes Mrs. Cradock in The Bonny Book of Josephine (Blackie. 10s. 6d.). It is strange that some people think such nonsense will appeal to children. Miss Honor C. Appleton's illustrations, however, are charming. Only imitations of the classical Beatrice Potter books appear to be published this year. Miss Helen Haywood's The Mouse That Ran (Frederick Warne, ls. 6d.) has none of the hair-raising, blood-curdling adventures of The Tail of Peter Rabbit.
But there are two or three books which will, without doubt, win their way to children's hearts. First and foremost there is Mrs. Williams-Ellis's But We Know Better, beautifully produced by Jonathan Cape (7s. 6d.), written for children who have just learnt to read for themselves ; very few hard words arc used. The chief secret of its certain success is that the stories are told in confidence to the reader, who is made to feel deliciously important. He always " knows better." The humour in the book is perfect children's humour, crude, grotesque and uninalicious. " Frieda's Ark " and " The Magic Carpet " are _particularly attractive stories. Mr. Clough Williams-Ellis's illustrations are very uneven, some of them are delightful, all will be fun to colour.
Anotherbook which has charm is A Ride on a Rocking-Horse (Chatto and Windus, 3s. 6d.), by Mr. Ray Garnett. It is the story of a ride on a magical dappled horse over hill- tops and valleys into the land of the clouds. There is romance in this story, as also in Tales from the Enchanted Isles by Miss Ethel May Gate (Oxford University Press. 8s. 6d.). The fairy tales in this book are delightfully original and the illustrations are most decorative. It would be too difficult for small children to read for themselves, but is an eiccellent book to read aloud in front of the fire to children of all ages. Other books to read aloud which can be thorOughly recom- mended are Travels in Fairyland, by Miss Daphne Miller (Sidgwick and Jackson, 5s.), and Katinka's- Travels to the Himalaya, by " Peter Sage," illustrated by Margaret Tempest (John Bale, Sons and Danielsson, 5s.), also two animal stories, Bam : Ike Story of an African Boy, by Mr. G, Seaver (Oxford University Press, ls.), and Skiddle, by Miss D. Fairbridge (Oxford University -Press). Miss Rose Fyleman's A Little Christmas Book (Methuen, 2s.) has two charming stories and several delightful poems in it, but we wish it was not quite such a little book. Another really ex- cellent book for children rather older is Sir Knight of the Splendid Way, by W. E. Cule (R.T.S., Os.). It is charmingly illustrated.
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