ANNUALS.
Tux staple Christmas fare of young readers is not to be ,eurtailed this year by any defection of the hardy annuals. The Boy's Own Annual and The Girl's Own Annual (R,T.S., es. each) are up to time, up to date, and up to standard. The bound volume of tho B.O.P. has plenty of naval and military matter, but not to the exclusion of the expected school stories and articles upon hobbies of all kinds. The war matter is sound, and free from cheap or vulgar caricature of our enemies. The illustrations include double-page coloured plates, photographs, and black- and-white drawings. The girls' volume is equally bright in these respects. Possibly there is not quite so much of war as some would think due ; there is more of feminine, dress than of arms or even of soldiers' comforts. It is distinguished by a sympathetic article upon England's predominance in Europe by Professor Roland Usher.---Messrs. Pearson send us the tenth bound volume of The Scout (6s. 6d. net). It contains every kind of literature that can stimulate thought and action in boys. The Chief Scout himself writes about the war and other subjects. ' School stories, competitions, science, and scout. lore help to make up about a thousand fully illustrated pages, --The . younger brothers and sisters have, as usual, their Chatterbox (Wells Gardner, Darton, and Co., 3s., or cloth ris.), with its lavish illustrations, plain and coloured. • There are puzzles, useful and amusing matter, articles 'to tempt the readers to become Scouts as soon as possible, and a serial story of Indian life by Mrs. Hobart Hampden.— A companion volume this year is' the Chatterbox News Box (same publishers, ls., and cloth ls. 6d. net), which contains instruction upon every kind of subject, from the British Empire and all countries of Europe to bees and naturalization. There is a good series 'of simple articles, " How Countries Help One Another," which . puts well for a child the interdependence Of nations, the best bat, alas ! not omnipotent handmaid of peace.—The same publishers send us, 'as usual, the 'bound volume of Sunday' (3s,, or cloth gilt 5a). This, again, is well illustrated in colour' and in black-and-white. 'The stories and verses have a more marked religious 'or moral tone. The puzzles are' mainly Biblical.-----Lastly,' there is The -Prize (same
publishers, Is. 6d., or cloth 2s., gilt 2s. 6d.) for quite young children, Besides short and serial stories, it has puzzles, plenty of pictures, and much to tell about animals and plants.
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