Jessie Willcox Smith's work is enjoying somewhat of a welcome resurgence. Her knack of capturing the innocence and purity of childhood is a refreshing counterpoint to the publicized horrors of today's news. She seemed able to capture something in children that even those closest to them had missed...my mother-in-law, who is at present nearly 94 years old, appears in this book twice: one painting of her was done at age three, and the other at age six. She refers to the painting of herself at age six, which hangs in her office area in her assisted living residence, as "me in my better days."

This splendid book should be in every nursery library. It contains hundreds of nursery rhymes, some very well known to American children and some not so familiar including the 51 rhymes with morals found in the original Mother Goose collection that was printed by Isaiah Thomas in Massachusetts in the years just following the Revolutionary War.
The book is printed on high quality silk-smooth paper and is printed in large clear type with charming black and white accent illustrations of children and characters from that era. Familiar and well-known Mother Goose verses as well as perhaps unkown verses are included. Many beautiful illustrations by the amazing Jessie Willcox Smith enhance this volume, a few in black and white, but most in full color, full page glory. Smith, born in 1863 is, in my opinion, one of the finest illustrators of children ever. She never used professional models and preferred to search out the right child for the picture. As a result her illustrations bring images to us straight out of history and capture with an appreciative heart the sweetness of childhood, unsurpassed.
This book is truly a treasure, one that is sure to be enjoyed for many years to come.

This is one of my daughters favorite books, she easily learned her numbers by reading it at bedtime every night. This illustration is really captivating, and I love to just pick it up and look at it myself!

This is simply a beautiful book about the illustrator Jessie Wilcox Smith. Eugene Mitchell (Gene Mitchell on the book cover) has captured the charm of this special artist. It includes not only a biography, but an autobiography in Smith's own words about her experiances painting children. The full color illustrations are beautiful enough to frame. Since it is out of print, and if you can find a used one, grab it, this is a book that Jessie Wilcox Smith admirers don't want to miss. My only regret is that the Mitchell didn't do further books as promised in this one.

The PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN proves yet another of MacDonald's fantasy charmers (q.v. AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND), as the novel presents the adventures (psychological as well as physical) of protected Princess Irene (aged 8) and a brave miner boy with the unlikely name of Curdie. The tale involves the schemes of evil goblins who lurk below the earth, who exult to tease and torture the "sun people" as they call humankind. Can a mere youth foil the callous machinations of these subterranrean fiends?

Princess Irene meets a mysterious but loving old lady at a spinning wheel (have we heard this somewhere before?), while Curdie proves himself a useful ally to her King-papa. Her faithful but outspoken nurse, Lootie, learns some bitter lessons, as she is almost dismissed by the king and (even worse) by Irene herself. Grown ups must learn to believe what they hear from honest children; children must learn to believe what can not always be seen or what makes scientific sense. Any little girl who sees herself as an unrecognized princess can learn to behave with the grace and dignity of a True Princess. Boys will admire the courage and resourcefulness of the miner's son--the only one in the kingdom to realize what the goblins are plotting. A quaintly spun yarn (with gentle edification for children) for readers of all ages.

This wonderful children's novel tells the story of eight year old Princess Irene. Cared for by her nurse Lootie, she lives in a mountain farmhouse while her father rules over the region from a mountain top castle. The local folk work as miners but are beset by the Goblins who inhabit the underground. Irene is saved from the Goblins by Curdie, a thirteen year old miner, and she in turn saves him. The whole thing is told in a pleasant conversational style and is filled with humor, word games, magic, derring-do, and pure wonderment.

George MacDonald, a Congregational minister turned novelist, who seems nearly forgotten now, was one of the seminal figures in the development of Fantasy. His influence on other Fantasy authors is obvious, he was a childhood favorite of JRR Tolkein, who especially liked this book, and C.S. Lewis named him one of his favorite authors. His own stories draw on many of the themes and characters of classical European fairy tales. But where they were often merely horrific and meaningless, MacDonald adds a layer of Christian allegory. Thus, Irene and Curdie are eventually saved by a thread so slender that you can't even see it, but which leads them back to safety, teaching Curdie that you sometimes have to believe in things that you can't see.

The book would be interesting simply as a touchstone of modern fiction, but it stands up well on its own and will delight adults and children alike.

GRADE: A

So many fine reviews here already about MacDonald's powerful text (for children and adults). I would only add that this edition which includes 8 or 10 gentle and mysterious drawings (watercolors?) by Jessie Wilcox Smith portrays the fearful goblins (also Curdie, Irene, and her father, etc.) without weakening the strength of the tale or scaring the young reader. I purchased this book for an avid seven-year-old reader who loved the story and also commented on the "beautiful" pictures. The book is also good to read aloud to a number of children in a broad age range. My too-cool 11-year-old became mesmerized after the first chapter and found himself talking with his younger brother (!) about the story.

This book is really good. Some of the words are a little hard for young kids, but if your parents can help you it's enjoyable. Kingsley's style and allegorical references make this a delight to the senses, not only as a story, but as an example of a writer who truly enjoys his craft.

This book was a wonderful novel to read. It showed how little kids were treated durning this time period. Once the faries found Tom his life changed forever. The author explained how he started out as little boy and saying bad words to how he changed and in to a understanding boy. The book is a wonderful read because it shows what happens to others who don't know what it's like. Not all of this is true because it is a fairy tale. The author's one quote that stayed with me the most is "You're not supposed to belive all of this because it's a fairy tale even if you do believe. This is a powerful story and should be read to little children. It will show them that being bad is not the way to go. If kids learn tpo be nice when they are young then it can stop hatred and people being mean in future years.

The Water Babies is an excellent example of British Literature that should be promoted just as much as the works of Lewis Caroll or Dickens. Charles Kingsley's work was banned for quite a while. There is no question that this cleverly written fairy tale has a lot of hidden information to explore. Makes one wonder if one can still be an Anglican minister and promote evolution? Perhaps, one can. Mr. Kingsley has other wonderful works to explore and in addition, there is his niece, Mary Kingsley who wrote on Africa.

This book was very interesting. It is about an orphan girl who is sent away to live with her Grandfather in the alms. She is very happy there making lots of friends. Then she is taken away by her mean aunt to be a playmate with a rich girl; who she later makes bossum friends with. But she returns after being incrediaby homesick. The ending is very happy and uplifting, also my favorite part. Everyone should read this book because it is a VERY VERY good book.

Heidi is very exciting. She is very outgoing and adventurous. She gets sent to the Alm Mts. with her grumpy old grandfather. She shows him how to be nice and friendly. She meets a boy named Peter and they become good friends. He then shows her his family. Heidi meets his grandmother and falls in love with her and everything that she does. She then gets sent to a weird house.She soon came home.
This book is recommended for all ages to be read to or read by you!
Why am I telling you this go read it for your self!!!

Heidi is ranked up there with, "Where the Red Fern Grows" with it's genuine love and care of the hearts of children and adults. I read this book to my children when they were in 1st and K...several times I had to stop to choke back the tears.. or laugh in exhuberance. It's a heart-warming tale of a little girl who didn't understand the "status quo" and sought to make sense of not only her own world, but those around her. Her innocense, genuine love and acceptance is so moving and so inspiring.

A timeless tale of four sisters struggling their way through life during the Civil War. I have read this book more times than I can count, and I still love it. Once I pick it up I can't put it down, lost in this seemingly fantasy world, which was actually quite true more than 100 years ago.

My favorite thing about Little Women has to be the characters. Jo, the day-dreaming tomboy, Meg, pretty and proper, Beth, the quiet sweetheart, and little Amy, our artist, who always tried to grow up too fast. Then of course there's Laurie, the tall fun-loving boy-next-door, and so many other fabulous personalities (Aunt March, Fredrick Bauer, Hannah, Marmie, etc.) that I couldn't possibly name them all.

This book is one that I think everyone absolutely MUST read some time in their life, for it teaches moral values that should be used by people of all ages. I also reccommend Little Men and Jo's Boys to follow it up.

Little Women is a charming story that transports back in time and tells the story of the March family. It follows the trials and triumps of the close-knit family living in the Civil War era. The four March sisters manage, although fequently challenged, to remain close throughout time. From the very first chapter the unique character traits arise Ð pretty, proper, and mature Meg, tomboy Jo who loves to read and write, shy and caring Beth who loves music and animals, and vain Amy with an artistic talent. They are as different as sisters can be, but their strong personalities bring them closer together. The family is held together by the loving parents who are devoted and fair. The parents work to mold their daughters into responsible young women by teaching them morality and love. It is very much a coming of age story, each girl striving to become a good woman, and tying to let go of their past. Even though it was written over a hundred years ago, modern readers can still relate to the story. The girls still fight, they serch for love, they deal with loss, they struugle with poverty and fitting in. The story teaches great morals that are as important now as they were when the book was written. The book teaches the value of family, the importance of self-improvement, and the truth that love can withstand all. It is a plot that will involve the reader, a book that you will not be able to put down. By the end of the novel you will feel like you know the Marchs personally and will want to read it all over again. This story has passed the test of time and is a beloved peice of literature that brings people together. It is a tale that has touched countless generations, and will continue to do so for many more.

Little Women, being one of the classics of American literature, is not surprising to be said one of the best books I have ever read. The story revolves around the home life of four close sisters and two strong, moral parents. As Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy grow up, their adventures and mishaps provide examples for any reader of all ages. As they grow up, they struggle with many ideas. First, they are constantly troubled by the necessity of being good, even when they want to be bad. Second, as they grow up, they confront different types of relationships with boys. Friendship turns into love and vice versa, making a strong theme of gender relations. The girls also struggle with the ideas of motherhood, sisterhood, pride, education, and marraige. Finally, two of the most important ideas in the novel are dreams and work. The girls spend their childhoods and adult lives trying to balance the two and fulfill both necessities. Also, throughout the book, society is explained, the harsh winters are described, and the profound work ethic of the people is portrayed to give the reader a strong sense of what it was like to be living during the 19th century. The book gives the reader some mportant guidance to people in similar circumstances in their adolescent years. The novel motivates positive decision making, looks past materialism, teaches morales, and shows us the importance of real happiness.

As an illustrator, Jessie Willcox Smith ranks right at the top along side Norman Rockwell. Smith gives the reader a glimpse into the whimsical world of childhood innocence. The reflection of childhood emotions illustrated by this artist allows the reader to look backward into his own childhood experience. Pictures are heartwarming as well as reflective of the childhood culture of the United States.

Jessie Wilcox's art is so wonderful. My favorite picture is called "Rebecca's Portrait."

It is sometimes found as a Crewel Kit/embroidery. Jessie Wilcox-Smith illustrated covers of Good Housekeeping in the early 1900s.

I have looked for the picture online, if anyone knows where I can find it, I would love to have you write to me. It is a picture of a little girl in a yellow dress with a yellow hat and she is holding a basket of flowers. I want to buy a print if I can find one.

A children's story that may be read on several different level's, North Wind is a timeless work of literature. Eagerly anticipated and listened to by the children I read it to, the story also strikes deeply at our adult sense of spirituality. This is the kind of writing that brings back the rewarding closeness of reading aloud to others. Too bad we don't do more of this.

This children's book has had a profound impact on my faith and spirituality. It is a book I have read and re-read over the years, especially when I am struggling with my faith. The story, Diamond's relationship with the North Wind, satisfies one on an almost mystical level. Its simple, beautiful story leaves one knowing that no matter what happens in the world, God is God; and we can rest assured that He is in control. We can be at peace, in spite of the pain and evil in the world.

Don't look for answers. Simply read the story and let it wash over you. If you have the faith of a child, you will not be unaffected.

This enchanting classic is as lively and moving to read as the day it was written. There is no Victorian stodginess or moralizing here. I remember reading an essay where Simone Weil lamented over the difficulty of portraying goodness in literature--in fiction evil seemed to dominate. Well here in the character of the lad Diamond is one of the most convincing evocations of human goodness and saintliness in literature, childrens' or adult. One is reminded of St. Francis of Assisi when contemplating Diamond; his purity, innocense, and unselfconsciousness float right off the page. I especilly call your attention to the dialogue between Diamond and his mother on the beach as she tries hopelessly to explain to him that now they are poor. His sublimely worldly (and yet otherworldly )responses are both hilarious and deeply moving. One of MacDonald's core beliefs, so often and passionately stated throughout his writings, is here given flesh and blood: goodness is truth.