Books with author Charles Kingsley and Jessie Wilcox Smith

"IT was in 1863 that The Water-Babies was written, showing the naturalist in the fulness of his strength, fearlessly, yet tenderly, playing with the tremendous results of advanced science in the nineteenth century. . . ."The writing of the book was the outcome of a gentle reminder, at breakfast one spring morning, of an old promise, to the effect that as the three elder children had their book—The Heroes—the baby, my youngest brother, then four years old, 'must have his.' My father made no answer, 'but got up at once and went to his study, locking the door,' and in an hour came back with the first chapter of The Water-Babies in his hand. At this pace and with the same ease the whole book was composed. . . ."A visit in 1858 to Mr. W. E. Forster in Wharfedale, and to Mr. Morrison at Malham, gave him the local setting of the beautiful opening chapters. For the grandeur of the scenery of Godale Scar and Malham Cove had made a profound impression on his mind, as did the beauty of the Wharfe below Denton Park."Places he had seen, and many more he had read and dreamed of in his father's fine library of voyages and travels, fairies and men of science, fads and foibles, education true and false, Pandora's box and sanitary science—a matter always dear to his heart—the ways of beasts and birds, fishes and insects, of plant and tree and rock, of river and tide, are all interwoven here with the deepest truths of life and living, of morals and religion. So that while the book enchants the child, it gives the wise man food for thought. . . ."Happy are the children who get their first ideas of the marvels of nature all around them from such a lesson-book as this. . . ."And perchance, when they are grown men and women, and like Tom have won their spurs in the great battle, they may look back with thankful hearts to certain pages in The Water-Babies; pages which taught them, while as little children they read a fairy tale, what a fine thing it is to love truth, mercy, justice, courage, and all things noble and of good report."Thus Rose G. Kingsley, in a preface to her father's fairy tale, describes the impromptu manner in which The Water-Babies was written. Dashed off for the pleasure of his own little son, this book has charmed and entertained thousands of children for more than fifty years, and has undoubtedly in many cases taught "what a fine thing it is to love truth, mercy, justice, courage, and all things noble and of good report."

Shamed by his grimy appearance in the presence of an immaculate little girl, ten-year-old Tom — an ill-treated London chimney-sweep — promptly runs away. Diving into a river, he enters a magical underwater world of fairies and other whimsical creatures who teach him about truth, mercy, justice, courage, and other virtues. Although Charles Kingsley's fable can be read as simply a charming morality tale, it also blends elements of a scientific satire and a political tract. Kingsley not only parodied the controversy surrounding the then-new concept of natural selection but also helped foster legislation protecting abused children like his young hero. This wondrous hardcover collectible includes a dozen full-page color plates plus numerous line drawings by Jessie Willcox Smith, one of the most prominent women artists of the Golden Age of Illustration. Immensely popular upon its 1863 publication, this beloved classic continues to captivate modern readers just as it stirred imaginations over a century ago.

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written from 1862 to 63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. Written as part as a satire in support of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The book was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades. The book is beautifully illustrated by Jesse Willcox Smith.

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862–63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. It was written as part satire in support of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The book was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades, but eventually fell out of favour in part due to its prejudices (common at the time) against Irish, Jews, Americans, and the poor

Originally written as a children’s story, The Water-Babies follows the adventure of a young boy named Tom. Tom finds himself drowning and is then transformed into a water-baby. As Tom journeys through the river, he is challenged to prove that he is a moral creature. If he completes one final task, Tom can become human and his reward will be to become a great man of science. Does Tom complete the final task and become human or will he remain in the water forever? Charles Kingsley filled many roles in his lifetime. Kingsley started as a simple rector in a church, but later became the chaplain to Queen Victoria and private tutor for the Prince of Wales. Kingsley devoted his life to bring about social reform through his actions, committees, and his novels. Kingsley worked with many famous individuals to influence the world around him including Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and his friend, Charles Darwin. His last years were spent serving as a canon for Westminster Abbey. Kingsley died in 1875 and is buried in St. Mary’s of Eversley.

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862–63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. It was written as part satire in support of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The book was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades, but eventually fell out of favour in part due to its prejudices (common at the time) against Irish, Jews, Americans, and the poor.The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he appears to drown and is transformed into a "water-baby", as he is told by a caddisfly—an insect that sheds its skin—and begins his moral education. The story is thematically concerned with Christian redemption, though Kingsley also uses the book to argue that England treats its poor badly, and to question child labour, among other themes.

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862–63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. It was written as part satire in support of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The book was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades.