I am a 45 year old male and when my wife got this book out of the library for our kids I fell in love with it. I was disappointed to learn that it was out of print, but very happy to hear that I will soon be able to buy my own copy.

Tasha Tudor's descriptions of Corgis and Boggarts are priceless. "Corgis are enchanted. You only need to see them in the moonlight to know this."

...and found wanting. I would suggest you break down and buy this in hardcover, because you'll wear out the paperback due to re-reading. Pay special attention to the details in Tudor's drawings...they're half the fun. We're still wondering what "Rooti-Kazooti" tastes like, and what was in the "Peep Show" (probably baby chicks). This book has become part of our family folklore. If something exciting and wonderful happens, someone will say "Is/was it more fun than 'The Corgiville Fair'?" And the answer is usually no. "Well, then was it more fun than 'The Bat Jamboree'?" Which is another charming childrens' book who's events we use as the second comparison.

A wonderful children's story that could be enjoyed by everyone in the family! Tasha Tudor captures the characteristics and features of the corgi wonderfully. I bought my entire family a copy for Christmas.

I heard Ms. Martin speak at the National Wildlife Federation in Virginia just after she wrote this book. At the time, I had no idea who Tasha Tudor was. I loved the talk and the slides Ms. Martin showed us during her lecture. I bought the book because I wanted to remember these pictures for a long, long time. They are beautiful.

I showed the book to my granddaughters Hannah and Amelia who immediately recognized Tasha Tudor, since she illustrates children's books. The children and I enjoyed looking at the photos of Tasha's daily life. We see her working in her garden at different times of the year, feeding her goats, or walking with her Corgis (The Corgis are everywhere--probably why I love the book. You can garden and have dogs!)

In one photo, Tasha sits in the midst of a clump of pink lillies sketching a pretty model dressed in an 19th century antebellum gown of light grey silk. Another photo shows a closeup of a pretty blue bowl filled with fresh red raspberries resting on green mint leaves. In another photo, Tasha sits with a cup of tea in a delicate blue and white china cup and saucer.

The book contains examples of Tasha's artwork created for the children's books. There's not a lot of text. Think of this the photo album of your favorite Aunt. I own hundreds of art books and gardening books, and this is one of the prettiest.

I am a huge fan of Tasha Tudor. I received her book "Tasha Tudors Garden " for Christmas. I have read it already and I must say it is so full of information and the photos of the gardens and Tasha herself are absolutely wonderful. The author takes you into Tasha's world and talks about all of the things that make Tashas gardens so famous and loved by many gardeners around the world. Tasha has a great love for her plants and her animals. This book takes you to the heart of the person behind the blooms. I would recommend this book to any one who truely enjoys gardening and flowers. It is a real treat to read .

Tasha Tudor was my favorite childhood illustrator. What a delight to discover this photojournal of Tasha in her own home & garden- now I see where her artwork came from! Art-quality photos of Tasha, her grandkids & still lifes with flowers & fruit from her gardens. A beautiful book to cherish for a lifetime!

This classic edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's "A Child's Garden of Verses" is justly famed because it so beautifully pairs Stevenson's sometimes exuberant, sometimes melancholy poems on childhood with the extraordinary illustrations of Tasha Tudor.

Tudor's delicate watercolors complement Stevenson's work almost to the point that you think the two, living in different centuries, must share some time-travel telepathy with each other. All the classic Stevenson pieces are here: "The Swing," "The Land of Counterpane," the terrific poem about a child's shadow. Tudor depicts only children and animals herein--as it should be--without the presence of shadow of adults anywhere. Both Stevenson and Tudor understand in their bones that no matter what grown-ups may think, children inhabit a world of their own. That world is mostly beautiful, but sometimes fraught with danger or questions. Those hints are present here, but the overwhelming impression any reader will have will be that of beauty--both in words and in pictures.

With it's delicate Tasha Tudor drawings as a perfect accompiment to these famous poems for children(or the child within).this book is both lovely to look at as well as read. Would make a lovely gift for expectant mom;I'm saving this one for my niece & nephew..!

The moment my first grandson was born, I could not wait until he was old enough for me to read this wonderful book to him. It's time! The book was given to me when I was 4 and I still can recite most of the poems from memory. The poems and stories of Robert Louis Stevenson are simply the best. If there is a child in your family.....A Child's Garden of Verses is a MUST!

This was an early Christmas gift along with four other Tasha Tudor books and I LOVE it. Maybe because there is a bit of Tasha Tudor in me or because we live in a small cottage in the Sierras and have chickens, goats, vegetable, herb and flower gardens and love many of the same things she loves.

I like the fact that like Beatrix Potter another author I adore, she lives an authentic homestead life and loves her livestock, painting and making things with her hands. And I found some helpful tricks for catching the occasional mouse that gets in the place. And it is nice to read where someone else uses the good china daily and doesn't save it just for company. Or the joy of wearing clothes that some antique dealer would think are to valuable. And as she notes on page 112 "It satisfies me to spin and knit and weave. I love to be self sufficient, to learn how to make everything I use."

She speaks about and there are accompanying photos of the changes of seasons and the joys she encounters along the way. Her goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits and wild birds. Her cooking, spinning and how she plans for the joys in her life.

But I guess one thing I liked so much was her philosophy which she says comes in part from Henry David Thoreau and says "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." As she says "That is my credo. It is absolutely true. It is my whole life summed up."

Tasha Tudor gives me hope that it is possible to live a quiet, less stressful lifestyle.

This book is so wonderful, it surprises me there are any available. A book to be read, viewed, and re-read, it evokes feelings of joy, peace and hope for the future and will always be
in our library.

I was born in the year this book was first published and received it as a child. I spent many hours imagining I had a doll as wonderful as Annabelle with all of Annabelle's clothing and accessories. I absolutely loved this book as a child.

When I had my own little girls over 20 years ago, I bought them this book. While I don't think they were as entranced as I had been, they definitely enjoyed it. When my now-grown children were in their teens, my husband and I added a caboose to our family--a little princess who is now 11 years old who loves the book even though she is well past the ABC stage.

This book went out of print for some years and was nearly impossible to find. When it came back into print recently, I bought six copies so that I would have one on hand every time a friend had a little baby girl.

This would also be a good gift for girl's who enjoy collecting American Girls paraphernalia.

WOW! I am so glad to see this book back in print. My sister and I grew up pouring over our mother's copy and now that we both have daughters of our own we haven't known who gets to have A is for Annabelle. Now we can both have our own! This book is so delightful for little girls just starting out with their letters and learning to read. And the pictures are to die for. If there is a little girl in your life, do yourself and them a favor and BUY THIS BOOK!!!!

For years I looked for a reasonable copy of this book for a decent price, I scoured Ebay and ABE and found a few, but when I saw that it has been reprinted I was thrilled, this was a favorite book of mine as a child and I still have it in my head word for word. I can't wait to get my copy :), you will treasure it always, it is a wonderful gift for kids of all ages

There is a wild and romantic image associated with cottage gardens and this book gives us page after page of incredible photos that inspire us to create one of these intimate spaces of our very own. Opening photos of Tasha Tudor's Vermont garden draw us into the continuous flow of picturesque gardens that range from photos of simple doorway gardens to massive perennial borders.

Credit is given to the architectural elements in the garden such as an ornate gate or a brightly painted arbor. These aspects are important in establishing the depth of the garden and are often overlooked. Straight lines and hard surfaces help to add dimension to overflowing and seemingly out of control plants.
There are lots of examples of this throughout the book and they are defined not only by the gorgeous photos but by Ms. Hensel's thorough treatment.

Of course, the plants are the main focus and there are plenty shown and discussed. Roses take a whole chapter and, it is not by chance, that many of the plants are herbs. These have always been the carefree backbone of most cottage gardens. The emphasis, though, is not on becoming an expert with plants, but rather to start with a single idea and a few cherished plants and let the garden begin.

Margaret Hensel set out to create an interesting little book with photos of picturesque thatched cottages and became intoxicated with the gardens she found. The beauty she discovered as she explored country lanes and city streets led to the creation of this extraordinary book that showers us with the loving creations of many gardeners, both amateur and professional.

This is one of my very favorite garden books. Pictures are beautiful, and the book is informative...giving plant names and even showing layout drawings of how the plants were placed. The gardens were not designed by professionals but were created thru trial and error, the way most people do their own. Shows how pretty a garden can be without perfection. Even shows many tiny doorway gardens that should not be intimidating for busy American gardeners. I would highly recommend this book.

I am Martin Furniss of Cobblers Garden in England, one of the featured gardens in this beautiful and knowledgeable book. It is delightfully illustrated by the skillful photography of the author, and I enjoyed seeing my garden, and others that I know, brought to life by the photography. Many people have visited my garden as a result of reading this book. Other tour operators groups would recieve a great welcome and knowledgable lecture.

I had this book as a little girl and must have read it a thousand times. It's a beautiful book for any little girl but especially for one with very feminine tastes. I have a little boy but have bought "A is for Anna Belle" anyway, simply because it was such a precious part of my childhood.

I've enjoyed this book since I was a child, and plan to share it with my niece. Tasha Tudor's incredible illustrations capture the beauty of Annabelle, her wonderful costumes and accessories, as well as the Victoria era itself. It's a gentle reminder of the innocent times of the past.

I received this book as a present when I was about six years old. I came across this book the other day and I realized that I still have the entire book memorized! The book tells the story of a child going through the "b"ox on the chest in in hall" that contains her grandmother's doll and all the wonderful costumes and accessories of the Victorian doll completely in rhyme. The pictures are too beautiful for words. From Annabelle's "J"acket that she wears in the fall" to her "H"at with a elegant feather" this is a wonderful book to read aloud to a child and the beauty of the book will interest a young reader that would normally be too old for alphabet books. By the Way... I still have "A" is for Annabelle

In preparing our list of Christmas books to share with others, we had to search far and wide on amazon to find this particular book, a paperback edition of the classic Night Before Christmas.

This is the book I've used for years when reading this story to my own children, passing on Tasha Tudor and other illustrators. Why?

Although we can find the same poem and pay a lot more, with award winning illustrators, the illustrations provided by Douglas Gorsline are surely the best. They are quite colorful, and offer details little children love looking into...cats lie sleepily on the window sill, we see an overview of the town, the presents spilling from the open sack are intriguing and plentiful, and Jolly St. Nick is -- well, quite Jolly (as you can see by looking at the cover!)

The story is an "abridged version" - I'm not sure about other parents, but we read this on Christmas Eve, and we only have so much time and energy. Everything we remember from the classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore is in this version.

(From "'Twas the Night Before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse" to "He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!" In between we have everything, from the names of the eight tiny reindeer, to a belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly, including dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky".

In other words, don't be scared off by 'abridged'!)

Perhaps a hardcover edition might be more appropriate if you're giving a gift (unless you're giving to more than one child), but this book is one of the best offers we've found!

A classic done simply and inexpensively!

I discovered this book 31 years ago, for my daughter and it is still loved by all the family. The illustrations are wonderful, warm, charming and delightful and bring a special meaning to the story. We still read it to all the young children on Christmas Eve and for adults we read the story and pass a grab bag gift every time the word THE is mentioned. It would not be Christmas without this book. It is magical.

We have an inexpensive paperback version (see our reviews) of this classic poem, and we said that's enough for us. That was before we looked through this beautifully illustrated (by Bruce Whatley) edition of The Night Before Christmas.

The lyrics are the same, from book to book, but the fanciful illustrations in this one are enough to engage adults and children as they read this book together.

The perfect gift for any family whose Christmas tradition includes reading this classic!

Quite affecting. A very rich story of the "family-dynamics" in an antique doll-house. Perhaps best read to the younger child (under 10). There are some very complex emotions at play. My 7 year old burst into tears at Birdie's "sacrifice". Still it's important for young readers to experience a full range of emotions when reading, espcecially as they move into chapter books

Although I read this book for the first time when I was seven, it has stayed with me as one of my favorites. Reading it again as an adult adds a new layer of depth to the plot that so enthralled me in second grade. It is not just a story about dolls.

I am a doll lover and love reading about dolls. I know I can always rely on a Rumer Godden book to give me a good story about our little friends. I was pleased with this one, her first, actually, and I was lucky to get it at a great price at a secondhand shop. Score!

This is a fascinating lady and I have tried some of the recipes. All have been well liked by everyone who has eaten them. I would recommend this book as well as any other for adults and children alike. Her videos take you to another time and place - try them.

Do not let the whimsical dainty painting on the books cover make you think this is a book for children. It is in fact a book that adults will love. Especially those who love homesteading, simply living, family and friends.

Not only are the recipes wonderful but the author has included a dialogue on what makes the recipe one she likes but she also has done wonderful water colour paintings to accompany the recipes.

And the recipes are varied from Appetizers and Salads, to Soups, breads and muffins, Main dishes to desserts and beverages. It is a cookbook that will become a family heirloom.

Corgi Cottage, the memories, the recipes. All Tasha Tudor fans will want to add this book to their collection. Cookbook collectors must embellish their shelf with this book. Old recipes, simple delights and wholesome goodness jump from the pages of Tasha's beautifully designed cookbook. You'll feel the warmth of her kitchen and enjoy her easy cooking lessons. Once you try her mashed potato recipe, you'll never do it any other way. Tasha's Lemon Jelly soothes the most unsettled tummy. Curl up with this book, learn a bit of history and art appreciation, then off to the kitchen for hours of culinary delight!