Jessie Wilcox Smith Books

I remember this book from my youth--the short story "Potato, Potato" was a bedtime favorite. The illustrator Jessie Wilcox Smith paired sweet color pictures with lovely folk tales and the result is a delightful book. Other standout stories are "the Selfish Giant," who would not share his garden with children, and "Becky's Christmas Dream," which I had not realized until now was a Louisa May Alcott short story. Equally accessible to boys or girls (some tales would seem to be more geared towards boys and some towards girls, though most are neither) and beautifully bound. Ages that most appreciate this would probably be 3 or 4 to 8 or 9. A collection worth getting your hands on!

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" is such a classic. Although I've heard some of the famous lines from this charming story, I never read it through. The illustrations are darling. This sweet little poem will get you in the holiday spirit. I recommend.

I grew up in the 70's ... I had this book it was my mother's in the 50',s and her mother's in the 20's .... it hastens back to a wonderful time of imagination and literacy in children as well as their parents ... really lovely book .. A wonderful swing ride into a time past, and the land of nod

Just love the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. Loved them
as a child and still do. And the illustrations are
wonderful - reminds me of when I was a little girl, and
we sometimes need that.

The poems are charming and the illustrations are beautiful. I like it as much today as I did when I was a child.

My kids, 6 and 4, were not thrilled with the book either. Their interest in the book revolves around the illustrations--why do the boys look like girls, why are they wearing sailor suits, and where are the pirates?

At any rate, even if your child does not enjoy the poetry, it is a good opportunity for kids to learn about what life was like for children a long time ago--what they wore, the games they played, and how they lived.

This is a beautiful book, using some of the same artwork as the book I grew up with in the 1940's, and enhanced by other works of art. The poetry, although from another age, still appeals to children with its beautiful rhythms and clever rhymes.

A Child's Garden of Verses has always been one of my favorite books, and over the years I've given dozens of copies of it as First Birthday presents to the new children in my life. This is the most beautiful edition I have ever seen of these beloved poems. The illustrations are wonderful! They're taken from numerous editions over the years, and they cover a variety of styles and time periods. I couldn't be happier with this book, and I can't wait for the opportunity to give it to more children who I hope will grow to love it as much as I do.

The world is so full of a number of things
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.

This is a classic British "children's" story and is more for adults or older children. It was written in the 1860's. It's a charming look at the transformation of a dirty chimney sweep into a clean 4" water-baby, but on a higher plane also a look at the death of children during this Industrial Revolution time period. Beware: some of the author's prejudices come out in this book especially when it comes to the Irish which he represents as dishonest and magical. There is also an abridged version, and if you use this book with children, you might want to use the abridged version or explain these things to them. If you are an adult, you should read the unabridged version. Charles Kingsley had a good time writing this book!

"The Water-Babies" by Charles Kingsley is best described with reference to J. M. Barrie's more famous work "Peter Pan", both of which belong in the canon of Victorian fairytales. Kingsley's work is poised between two words: the world of Christianity and the whimsical realm of fairies, and the onset of the scientific and historical developments that resulted in the evolution theory, industrial factories and the War. Although certainly not as famous as Barrie's tale of the boy that never grew up, Kingsley's story is equally fascinating, though much more difficult to read.

Tom is a young chimney sweep of London, under the brutal care of Mr Grimes who doesn't hesitate in sending him up the filthiest, narrowest chimneys whilst he collects the money from downstairs. Tom himself is quite the little savage, but when his master is employed at Harthover Place, he is in for a surprise. Getting lost on the rooftop and crawling down the wrong chimney, Tom finds himself in a room where three things change his life. The first is a picture of the Crucifixion on the wall. Having no idea who Christ is, Tom is rather intrigued by the picture: "Poor man, he looks so kind and quiet. But why should the lady have such a sad picture in her room?" The second is the young girl asleep in the bed, beautiful and peaceful. The third is his own reflection in the mirror, which horrifies him - "Tom, for the first time in his life, found that he was dirty".

Accidentally waking the little girl on his way out, Tom sets the entire household upon him - out of the house, across the moorlands and down the valley to meet his "death" in a nearby creek, and his rebirth as a water-baby. And there his adventures really begin, as he investigates his new form, meets the river-folk and begins his journey to be reunited with the little girl in the white bedroom - Ellie, who has not forgotten the boy who woke her from her sleep.

Like Barrie, Kingsley's story is chock full of allegory and moralising, namely concerned with images of baptism and rejuvenation, as seen from Tom's transformation from "dirty" (figuratively and literally) to the white form of the water baby, to the moral growth that he gains over the course of the story. Presiding over all of Tom's adventures is the Madonna-like figure of Mrs Do-as-you-would-be-done-by; a fairy queen that takes many different forms and names throughout the course of the story. As well as this, there are touches of the Victorian fascination with insect life, as Tom's `evolution' could also be compared with the pupae and larvae stages of the insect life cycle that (with the onset of microscopes) was being explored by biologists of the age.

But Kingsley's story falls short in several aspects, namely when he is speaking to an adult audience rather than a child one. Though the story is subtitled "a fairytale for a land-baby" and the narrator is conversational and chatty throughout (in fact the style reminds me a great deal of C. S. Lewis in the "Narnia" series) calling the reader "little man" and often providing legitimate queries that the reader would probably be asking at that time, often he strays away from Tom's story to discuss his own personal opinions and theories on the general mindset of the Victorian world - some of which is amusing, some of which is tedious.

For instance, Kingsley perhaps gives us the strongest evidence of the existence of fairies in the world - or at least why experts can never really claim that fairies, water babies and other such creatures do not exist. Only his own words can really do this justice; as the reader says: "But there are no such things as water babies," to which he answers with devastating logic: "how do you know? Have you ever been there to see? No one has a right to say water babies don't exist until they have seen no water babies existing." You can never prove a universal negative!

But these amusing ponderings, and tongue-in-cheek criticisms on other Victorian minds will probably be far over the heads of any children that the book is aimed toward. I can't believe I'm saying this, considering I hate having original books tampered with, but perhaps it would be best to read a young child an abridged version of Kingsley's story, and waiting till they're older for the complete text. For the record, I got my copy at age nine, and didn't get it finished till ten years later. Furthermore, it is a book of its time, and you'll find within its pages several disparaging remarks directed toward the Irish, Americans and several other ethnic groups (heck, this *was* written during the British empire!)

However, Kingsley's book is a necessary inclusion into the library of children's literature - namely because it can be enjoyed by adults too. With a poignant look at the horrors of a sweep's life, to the humorous commentary on his contemporaries, his intriguing philosophy on the nature of fairies and the sublime moments of Christian spirituality, this is a classic to be read and re-read in childhood, adulthood and old age; it'll be a different story each time.

I had to review this book because I was absolutely obsessed with it as a child. I can't count the number of times I must have read it. I'm not sure what my reaction would have been if I'd read it as an adult, as this work was meant for children, but based on my childhood memories, it's a great kid's book! I only knocked off one star based on some of the anti-Irish, anti-American references that were edited out of my childhood copy but are present in some printings.

Bought because it's purportedly a 'MUST READ' of recommended English 19th century literature and I'm trying to read every good book I can before I die (hopefully at 90). Unfortunately, this book is a waste of time as it's BoRiNg (even w/ the footnotes that I so dearly love).

I would like to point out that in 2008 Broadview Press will publish my unabridged edition of The Water-Babies with the original illustrations by Linley Sambourne. There will be a substantial introduction to the work as well as works by Lewis Carroll, Kingsley himself, and other contemporary writers that help place Kingsley's work in context.

http://www.broadviewpress.com/product.php?productid=912&cat=0&page=1

As an illustrator, Jessie Willcox Smith ranks right at the top along side Norman Rockwell. Smith gives the reader a glimpse into the whimsical world of childhood innocence. The reflection of childhood emotions illustrated by this artist allows the reader to look backward into his own childhood experience. Pictures are heartwarming as well as reflective of the childhood culture of the United States.

This is a lovely book by the original author and the famous illustrator Jessie Wilcox Smith. It's a nice book to have on the shelf during Christmas time. I received it in very reasonable time and in great condition. Thank you.

I think this book is neat, because it is the original. However my son was bored with the stark pages, and small faded images. He would have liked one of the more vibrantly illustrated versions of this story. So if you have young kids, pass this one up for something else.