From Barnes & Noble
Acclaimed author Cooper Edens brings together Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "garden of verses" and illustrations from the 18th and 19th centuries in this beautiful children's read, now in a board book edition. Eight of Stevenson's poems appear in the book -- including "The Land of the Counterpane," "The Lamplighter," and "Foreign Lands" -- all accompanied by full-color paintings from renowned illustrators, such as Bessie Collins Pease, Charles Robinson, Florence Edith Storer, and others. Parents will adore sharing Stevenson's verses with their children, taking them back to a pastoral time when life seemed simpler. In "The Cow," the narrator describes a hungry cow: "The friendly cow all red and white, / I love with all my heart: / She gives me cream with all her might, to eat with apple tart." And in "The Swing," the speaker famously asks: "How do you like to go up in a swing, / Up in the air so blue? / Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing / Ever a child can do!" Just right for a new generation of children who will quickly cherish them as much as previous readers, these timeless classics make a perfect gift that will remain in the mind and the heart forever.
From the Publisher
First published in 1885, Stevenson's verses so truly reflect the feelings of young children--about being small, the bliss of going up in a swing so high, discovering one's shadow, happiness and sorrow and dreaming--that they have never ceased to be an essential part of a child's library. Robinson's beautiful pictures originally appeared in 1896 in the first illustrated edition.
Publishers Weekly
Rendered in brilliant candy-shop colors, Joanna Isles's folk-art designs, whimsical characters and striking typestyles put a beguiling face on a beloved work: Abrams's edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses glows with charm and vitality.
Publishers Weekly
A plethora of poetry books arrive just in time for National Poetry Month. Now available in a board book edition, A Child's Garden of Verses, compiled by Cooper Edens, pairs eight of Robert Louis Stevenson's poems with turn-of-the-century illustrations to captivate a child's imagination. For instance, "Happy Thought" ("The world is so full of a number of things,/ I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings") is embedded like a placard within a pen-and-ink by E. Mars (1900), while opposite, a 1940 illustration by Ruth Mary Hallock depicts a happy assembly of children and kittens, gathering for a snack break after a game of croquet. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Marilyn Courtot
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Children's Literature
These classic poems and the equally classic illustrations have been repackaged in a board book format. The poems are fairly complex even for an older reader and the idea that they will be appreciated and understood by children under the age of four seems to be a bit of a stretch. Perhaps the soothing sounds are sufficient and perhaps it is never too soon to introduce complex language, but I do think children of this age will get a lot more enjoyment out of simple nursery rhymes. This board book, in my opinion is really not one I would select for young children. It may be quite useful in programs where children who are older cannot handle regular books and it may even appeal to grandparents and great-grandparents who enjoy looking at the pictures created nearly 100 years ago. 2004 (orig. 1989), Chronicle Books, Ages 6 mo. to 4.
Children's Literature
The first edition of this book was published without illustrations in 1885. Since then, numerous illustrators with varied styles have taken on the task of adorning Stevenson's beloved poems. This new version by Caldecott Honor artist Diane Goode is wrapped in classy floral end papers and features alternating pages of color and black-and-white illustrations. Goode's frolicking children, imaginative backgrounds, and pastel colors successfully capture the childhood wonder and joy of Stevenson's poems. An afterward by Peter Glassman gives a brief biography of Stevenson and explains why so many of the poems refer to a nurse instead of a mother. Glassman also tries to justify why another edition of this work was needed, suggesting that other illustrators have been overly sentimental while Goode's work is livelier. A home or library without this classic book should make this edition a first choice. The illustrations are absolutely delightful, as well as multiethnic and gender balanced. Yet, one still has to wonder why so much energy and effort was put forth into a work that has already been published, quite adequately, several times.
Children's Literature
A whole new generation of children and their parents will delight in discovering this reissue of Stevenson's poetry. Where else can one find such an excellent description of a child enjoying a ride on a swing, having fun with his/her shadow, erecting a wondrous city made of blocks, or sharing time with an imaginary playmate. The whole world opens up in such poems as "Foreign Lands," "Picture Books in Winter," and "My Bed is a Boat." A child's imagination is perfectly portrayed in "The Little Land" as the little boy closes his eyes and goes sailing off to the forest and fairyland and eventually returns home. The illustrations in both black-and-white sketches and full color perfectly capture the mood and action of each poem. Every picture is filled with details to enhance the words that illuminate the timelessness of childhood. A copy of this title should be in every collection, both in libraries and homes. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-- There are currently 14 editions of Stevenson's perennial classic in print, as well as single editions of "The Moon" (Harper, 1984) and "Block City" (Dutton, 1988) . Now here is another. The illustrations for this volume have been selected from the work of 20 illustrators published between 1896 (Charles Robinson) and 1940 (Ruth Mary Hallock). For those interested in the history of children's book illustration, the work of E. Mars (1900) may be of interest, as well as that of H. Willebeek Le Mair, with its sophisticated use of color. The strongest work is that of Jessie Willcox Smith, but Smith admirers may have the edition of the verses that she has illustrated entirely (Scribners, 1905). With the exception of the illustrators mentioned and Willy Pogany's charming end papers, the art work is second rate, although possibly of sentimental interest to adults. For children, the editions illustrated by Blegvad, Foreman, Smith, Tudor, and Wildsmith are better choices. --Ann Stell, The Smithtown Library, NY
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