Of illustrated children's books we find that we have still
a multitude to appraise, or at least to mention. The "Old Corner" Annual, edited by Arthur Holme (Griffith, Farrar], and Co.), is described as a "collection of pictures, verses, and stories for little folk." The pictures are fairly good, the verses not good enough (we cannot insist too strongly that verses for children, as for grown.ups, ought to have something in them, and ought to be as scrupulous in all points of metre and rhyme as those that are intended for their elders) ; the tales will do sufficiently well—We may say the name substantially of another volume, from the same publishers, which has appeared under the care of the same editor. This is The Christmas Rose, intended for younger readere.—From the same publishers we also got Through the Year. Much pains have been bestowed on the illustra- tions, which are the work of a number of artists, and ou the Beleotion of verses, which are taken from Shakespeare, Burns, Keats (" In a drear.nighted December "), and others of the immortala. Mr. Austin Dobson contributes a pretty little piece, "Love in Winter," of which we quote the first 'stanza :—
" Between the berried holly-bash The blackbird whistled to the thrash, 'Which way did bright-eyed Bella go ? Look, speekle-back, acme. the 'wow.
Aro dniuty tracks I sae That wan] heside the shrubbery?'" Nor is the original verse unworthy of the association—The Little One's Own Companion, edited by Mrs. Elizabeth Day (Dean and Son), offers the attraction of "over three hundred original tales in prose and verse," and "over two hundred and fifty chromo-pictures by eminent artiste." The colouring does not always do justice to the work of the "eminent artists," for it is sometimes a little ornde. But the child who gets this " Companion " will be well-off for enter- tainment of various kinds.—From the same publishers we get Ths Sphinxc Mother Goose Rhyme., by Walter Strand's°, an elaborate pictorial riddle, which we do not profess to have guessed, or even attempted ; Buffalo Bill, a very brilliant picturing of some of the prominent figures and feats in Colonel Cody's entertainment ; and, perhaps the best of the lot for prettiness and variety, The Little One's Own hamper—Pet's Pastime (Routledge and Sons), • small volume of "illustrated stories in prose and verse," has been adorned by the pencils of Messrs. A. W. Cooper, Hal Ludlow, and Harrison Weir. The drawings are mostly vigorous, and there is a particularly charming little child running after a ball on the title-page.—From the Immo publishers we get another volume bearing the same sub title, and worthy of much the same corn. mendation, Sunshine and Storm; or, Stories in Prose and Verse.-- Joyf ul Days, by " Merrie Sunshine" (Ward, Lock, and Co.), generally justifies its description of itself as "Pretty Pictures. and Pretty Stories," but we must say a word of disapproval of the young lady who is "making such eyes" on the cover. She really does not do justice to the contents, which are always pleasing.—Bubblee. By A. W. Lockyer. (Marcus Ward and Co.)—We get here a number of very quaint, and mostly pretty drawings. The colouring is particularly pleasing, as great a success in its way as we have seen for some time. We cannot honestly say that the humour of the verses equals that of the pictures to which they are annexed, but then the latter are good beyond theavera ge.—Fairy Fan and Laughter. By Iaabel Lawford. (Gill and Sons.)—We are not quite sure whether ills not somewhat heretical to attribute "fun and laughter" to the fairies. Mirth they seem to have, but it is mostly of the mischievous kind. Did not Keats write of "Fairy-land forlorn" ? However this may be, Miss Lawford's talk about about the elves, "including the latest news from fairy. land," will certainly cause "fun and laughter." Some of the Glue. tratione are excellent, especially such as that on p. 19, with its groups of figures skilfully arranged.—Messrs. Griffith, Ferran, and Co. send us some very charming pictures of pretty little girls, with the title of The Children's Gallery. There are three series, each con- taining six pictures, very delicately drawn and coloured. Probably they will charm fathers and mothers, who will please themselves by tracing or fancying resemblances, even more than the little creatures whom they represent.—We had almost forgotten to mention another volume of pictures and verses, from Messrs. Dean and Son, Pictures, Scraps, and Rhymes. They are intended "to amuse, to colour, or to copy," a not very grammatical sentence, for it surely should rather run, "to be coloured or copied," but indicating clearly enough that the book will supply a want.
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