Ages seven to ten
Childhood in Egypt Anne Viccars Barber (Bles 21s). The charm of Mrs Barber's auto- biography rests in its minute scale: illustra-
tions show her, half a century ago, self- possessed, inquisitive and no bigger than a thumbnail in lace drawers and pinafore. The six year old narrator has the judicious severity ('the blancmange for lunch was very tough') and laconic wit of the very best feminine diarists; no small girl should be without this book.
The Poor Boy Who Followed his Star and Children's Poems Robert Graves illustrated by Alice Meyer-Wallace (Cassell 18s). Insipid and undistinguished fairy tale eked out with dog- gerel verses; remarkably dismal illustrations.
The Day Tuk Became a Hunter and other Eskimo Stories Ronald Melzack illustrated by Carol Jones (Macmillan 18s). Grim, stout and wily heroes worsted by their wives, defying the fiendish polar bear or trapping witches. ("This man is the best carver in the land. Let him cut your toe-nails!') A fierce imagination and an enigmatic wit pervade these excellent arctic legends, retold in Professor Melzack's enviably crisp prose and decorated with woodcuts in sumptuous brown and black.
Doctor Dolittle : A Treasury Hugh Lofting compiled by Olga Fricker (Cape 21s). Selec- tions from the travels and adventures of the Great Vet. Handsome volume, including some unpublished illustrations and representative ex- tracts for pickers and choosers and those who can't stand the good doctor in bulk.
Children's Singing Games collected and edited by Alice B. Gomme (Dover 9s 6d). Eight brisk, cheerful and sardonic ancient games, preoccupied more often than not with corpse, funeral, grave. Gaily and profusely decorated, with music, admirably practical in- structions and brief notes, first published 1894.
Junior True Books (Muller lOs 6d each). Motor Cars: dazzlingly laconic expose of the internal-combustion engine and its powerful secrets, e.g. 'the axle rods make the wheels go round. When the wheels go round, the car moves.' Indispensable primer for small mechanics and infant Fangios. Youthful geo- graphers should study Rivers—bold definitions of delta, watershed and fluvial pollution.
The Hole in the Wall edited by Gillian Avery (ouP 15s). Eight soothing and seductive tales by nineteenth century ladies: Maria Edge- worth at her most provoking, Charlotte Yonge superb on the hatefulness of boys, Jean Ingelow on the temptations and delicate moral problems which afflict sensitive small girls.
Jack Fox Detective Ingemar Fjell illustrated by Staffen Torrell (Macmillan 16s). Astute young fox, called in by perturbed badger to in- vestigate jam theft, unmasks the frightful criminal Limping X; gripping tale, enchanting drawings, just the job for youthful students of detection.
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