Zigzag Fables. Pictured by J. A. Shepherd. (Gardner, Darton, and
Co.)—This is a book of comic animals, in which some old favourites from the collections of fables are illustrated in a really funny way by Mr. Shepherd's imaginative pencil. One of the happiest is the "Lion in Love." The proposal, the suitor under- going the paring of his claws and the drawing of his teeth, and the breaking off the match by the countrymen's club, are very cleverly given.—An Alphabet, by William Nicholson (W. Heinemann), is full of vigorous drawing. Mr. Nicholson's Ostler (0), Robber (It), and so forth, are really striking figures. But it wants an experienced taste to appreciate or even to under- stand them. We are inclined to doubt whether the little folk will like them. Any child that does may well have the root of the matter in him. — Darton's Leading Strings (Gardner, Darton, and Co.) is a book of sketches of child-life with fairly good illustrations.—In a reissue of " Walter Crane's Pie4-nre- Books " (J. Lane) we have Valentine and Orson and Puss in Boots. —From Me to You (Jarrold and Sons) is a third series of a painting-book which bears that title. The designs include flower- pieces, ships, landscapes, illuminated texts, &c. The uncoloured design is on one side, the example to be imitated on the other. Each design can be detached, for the purpose of a memento.
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