1 DECEMBER 1917, Page 9

STORIES FOR CHILDREN.

Ma. A. A. Mrtnre has essayed the difficult task of writing a comical tale for young children, like Thackemy's immortal The Rose and the Ring. It cannot be said that his Once on a Time (Hodder and Stoughton, 6s. net) is altogether a success, for it is a little too clover and the fun is a little too boisterous, but there are many amusing pages in this chronicle of King Merriwig of Euralia,and Mr. H. M. Brock's illustrations are first.rato.—Mr. H. T. Peck's The Adventures of Mabel, illustrated by Mr. Harry Rountree (G. G. Harrop, Os. net), will delight children, for it describes the tremendous adventures that children can have on a farm. " The Animal Party " and " The Grey Rat under the rump " are among the best stories in an amusing book.—Finding a Fairy, by Miss Carina Cadby (Mills and Boon, 2s. 6d. not), is a clover and whimsical little story of a child in the country who tried to find a fairy. It in illustrated with photographs.—Another good book for small children is Tommy Smith at the Zoo, by Mr. Edmund Selous (Methuen and Co., Is. 9d. net). Tommy's talks with the animals are enter- taining and also instructive.