15 DECEMBER 1923, Page 24

BOOKS FOR GUIDES AND SCOUTS.t

The Girl Guides' Book' is welcomed by a few words from Lady Baden Powell, the Chief Guide, and her praise is well merited by this second volume of stories of adventure, chap- ters of natural history, and talk about games. Mr. Edgar

• (1) Doctor Dolittle. By Hugh Lofting. London : Jonathan Cape. [es.]— (2) The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle. Same author and publisher. [is. ed.]. t (1) The Girl Guides' Book. Edited by M. C. Carey. London : Pearson. [es.]— (2) Poppies and Prefects. By Winifred Darch. Oxford University Press. [3s. ed.] —(3) Bow Audrey Became a Guide. By F. 0. H. Nash. The Sheldon Press. 12s.l —(4) Peggy Pemberton Brownie. By 11. B. Davidson. The same publisher. [1s. 6d.]--(5) The Island Camp. By E. Talbot. Same publisher. Lia.)--(6) The Oxford Annual for Scouts. Oxford University Press. 138. 6d.]

Chance gives a short account of his entrancing studies of the Cuckoo, and H. B. Davidson gives useful woodcraft advice to the camper, saying truly that you only have to " rough it " if you do not know what to do—at least under normal weather conditions. The book is well printed and got up. Poppies and Prefects' might be described as a High School story with a Guide atmosphere. The incidents, which are of a mild character, follow one another with a steady flow, and with little climax. The characters are marked but not very living ; the details of the French element in the story is perhaps the most convincing.

How Audrey Became a Guide: is a story entirely on Guide lines. Peggy Pemberton Brownie is a very pleasant study of a lonely child, with a strongly-marked character, and the appeal of the Brownie spirit to her is natural and well carried out.

The Island Camps is a pleasant tale of two brothers, Scouts, and their sister, who camp on an island in a river while the family house is infected by scarlet fever. There is a mystery, a villain and areturn of a long lost relation—all quite conven- tional, one had almost said ritual, but entirely satisfying and in keeping with the story, and it will no doubt be properly enjoyed by many young people. The Oxford Annual for Scouts' is on the lines of the Guide book already described, with its stories, natural history and camping. An otherwise very good article on Patrol Treks has one rather doubtful piece of advice as to carrying kit. The Scout is told to roll it in his blanket, and carry it over his shoulder, thereby pressing on his chest and interfering with his breathing.