Books published by publisher Bodleian Library, University of Oxford

Reynard—a subversive, dashing, anarchic, aristocratic, witty fox from the watery lowlands of medieval East Flanders—is in trouble. He has been summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion, charged with all manner of crimes and misdemeanors. How will he pit his wits against his accusers—greedy Bruin the Bear, pretentious Courtoys the Hound, and dark and dangerous Isengrim the Wolf—to escape the gallows? Reynard was once the most popular and beloved character in European folklore, as familiar as Robin Hood, King Arthur, or Cinderella. His character spoke eloquently for the voiceless and disenfranchised, but also amused and delighted the elite, capturing hearts and minds across borders and societal classes for centuries. Based on William Caxton’s bestselling 1481 English translation of the Middle Dutch, this edition is an imaginative retelling of the Reynard story, expanded with new interpretations and innovative language and characterizations. With its themes of protest, resistance, and duplicity led by a personable, anti-heroic Fox, this gripping tale is as relevant and controversial today as it was in the fifteenth century.

The range of J. R. R. Tolkien’s talents is remarkable. Not only was he an accomplished linguist and philologist, as well as a scholar of Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature and Norse folklore, but also a skillful illustrator and storyteller. Drawing on these talents, he created a universe which is for many readers as real as the physical world they inhabit daily.Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth explores the huge creative endeavor behind Tolkien’s enduring popularity. Lavishly illustrated with three hundred images of his manuscripts, drawings, maps, and letters, the book traces the creative process behind his most famous literary works—The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion—and reproduces personal photographs and private papers, many of which have never been seen before in print. Six essays introduce the reader to the person of J. R. R. Tolkien and to main themes in his life and work, including the influence of northern languages and legends on the creation of his own legendarium; his concept of “Faërie” as an enchanted literary realm; the central importance of his invented languages in his fantasy writing; his visual imagination and its emergence in his artwork; and the encouragement he derived from his close friend C. S. Lewis and their literary group the Inklings. The book brings together the largest collection of original Tolkien material ever assembled in a single volume. Drawing on the extensive archives of the Tolkien collections at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, which stretch to more than five hundred boxes, and Marquette University, Milwaukee, as well as private collections, this hugely ambitious and exquisitely produced book draws together the worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien – scholarly, literary, creative, and domestic—offering a rich and detailed understanding and appreciation of this extraordinary author. This landmark publication, produced on the occasion of a major exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford in 2018 and at the Morgan Library in New York in 2019, is set to become a standard work in the literature on J. R. R. Tolkien.

There are many things cats can do that children can’t, such as lap up milk, leap double the length of their bodies, and use their tongues as combs. There are also a number of things that cats can’t do, like sing children to sleep, or get down from trees . . . Abner Graboff combines the voice of childhood innocence with a wonderful sense of fun in his quirky book about the mysteries of cats and their secret lives, inspired by the Graboff family’s own beloved cat Tarzan. Told from the point of view of a young child, this whimsical tale is complemented by Graboff’s characteristically playful and bold illustrations.

Veronica is your average hippopotamus with a big dream: she wants to become famous. But with so many hippopotamuses wallowing in the cool mud and swimming and splashing in the clear water along the riverbank, it’s more difficult to stand out than one might think. So Veronica does what any determined young mammal would do: she sets off to find her fortune in the nearby pink-and-white city. If she were the only hippopotamus, everyone would surely take notice, and it would be marvelous—or would it? Many miles from the cool, muddy riverbank, the men and women of the pink-and-white city stare at Veronica, bump into her with their cars, and shout angrily when she steps on their toes. In the city, Veronica is not only conspicuous—she is very much in the way! Mishaps befall her at every turn. While taking a curbside nap, she is issued a warning for stopping traffic. When she bathes in the public fountain, the townspeople cluck unsympathetically. At the farmers’ market, Veronica is unused to city manners and helps herself happily to an entire cart of fresh, delicious vegetables—including the paper bags. When a policeman is called to capture the hungry hippo, Veronica decides that the city is not the place for a hippopotamus. But the hustle and bustle of city life is not the only surprise to come from Veronica’s big journey. When she returns home to the riverbank, she finds her dream has come true after all. From that day forward, Veronica is famous among the hippopotamuses, who gather each day at sunset to hear about her adventures in the pink-and-white city. Originally published in the 1960s, Veronica by Caldecott Medal–winning author and illustrator Roger Duvoisin is the most recent addition to the Bodleian Library’s newly minted children’s book imprint. For little readers with big dreams, it offers a timeless tale of the surprising places those dreams may take us.

Bears spend the winter months slumbering deep in dark caves. But they’re not the only wild animals with strange sleep habits. Horses do it standing up in stalls or fields, their tails switching at troublesome flies. Seals like to stretch out their flippers when settling in to sleep. And your dog or cat probably curls up quite happily in a cozy box or basket. Sleepy Book by Charlotte Zolotow invites young readers to explore bedtime in fields, forests, and other places animals make their homes. In the book, children will find many familiar favorites, like a flock of birds huddled for warmth, but they’re also sure to make new friends, from a snowy crane standing on one long leg to a tiny black spider fast asleep in its web. Each facing page contains a beautiful illustration by Vladimir Bobri. Originally published in 1958, Sleepy Book is one of the most recent additions to the Bodleian Library’s children’s book imprint, and it’s the perfect story to read before saying goodnight.

'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking-Glass' are two of the most famous, translated and quoted books in the world. But how did a casual tale told by Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll), an eccentric Oxford mathematician, to Alice Liddell, daughter of the Dean of Christ Church, grow into such a phenomenon? Peter Hunt cuts away the psychological speculation that has grown up around the ‘Alice’ books and traces the sources of their multi-layered in-jokes and political, literary and philosophical satire. He first places the books in the history of children’s literature – how they relate to the other giants of the period, such as Charles Kingsley – and explores the local and personal references that the real Alice would have understood. Equally fascinating is the rich texture of fragments of everything from the ‘sensation’ novel to Darwinian theory – not to mention Dodgson’s personal feelings – that he wove into the books as they developed. Richly illustrated with manuscripts, portraits, Sir John Tenniel’s original line drawings and contemporary photographs, this is a fresh look at two remarkable stories, which takes us on a guided tour from the treacle wells of Victorian Oxford through an astonishing world of politics, philosophy, humour – and nightmare.

Someone has fallen into the rain puddle! But who is it? Well, on that point everyone seems to disagree. Is it the plump hen? The turkey? The curly sheep? The lovely, fat pig? Everyone sees something different when they look down into the puddle—until, that is, all the animals look at once, and see the entire farmyard underwater! Off they run in search of help, as the wise old owl perched in a tree shakes his head and chuckles to himself. This wonderfully silly children’s book, originally published in 1965, is ideal for reading aloud, a tale that perfectly captures the wonder of discovering the outside world.

Q is the Quadrille, danced at our partyR is for the Reindeer, of Santa Claus heartyW is for waggon laden with holly X is for Xmas tree all light and toys jollyThe celebration of Christmas throughout history is marked by rich traditions around the globe, yet British festive customs—exchanging gifts, singing carols, trimming the magnificent tree, and sipping wassail—take pride of place in our imaginations. Allowing us a glimpse of some of these customs is a facsimile edition of an Father Christmas' ABC, an1894 Victorian classic that chronicles the activities surrounding the holiday more than a century ago. Each charming color painting, one for each letter of the alphabet, reveals a custom of a Victorian Christmas. From the lighting of candles on the tree to bell ringing, ice skating, and making jam tarts, the beautiful illustrations vividly bring to life the spirit of the holiday and its history. Accompanying the illustrations are clever ABC verses that at the time were an alphabet primer and now are an intimate glimpse of Victorian domestic life. The lively verse recounts various holiday traditions, transporting us to the warmth and cozy comfort of a British home at Christmastime. Together, the rich illustrations and captivating verses create a unique and enchanting picture book on the special moments of Christmas. Father Christmas' ABC will appeal to readers of all ages as a nostalgic window into Christmases of a bygone time.

Every child knows that costumes are magical. Put on the right hat, add some imagination, and you can be anyone. That's what happens to a little boy in The March Wind. Finding a large black hat lying in the street, he tries it on . . . and instantly becomes a host of exciting characters: a soldier marching proudly through puddles, a cowboy galloping on his steed, a bandit fleeing the law under cover of night, a circus ringleader entertaining the crowd. But then the owner of the hat returns, and the boy finds himself face to face with the March Wind. Is this part of his imagination, too, or is something bigger happening? This charming children’s book, first published in 1957, is brought to life by the timeless illustrations of Vladimir Bobri, whose wonderfully imaginative renderings of the boy’s flights of fancy are endearing and captivating. It will charm parents and children alike.

Ambrose Bierce, journalist and former soldier for the Union army in the Civil War, began writing satirical definitions for the San Francisco Wasp in 1881, and later for the San Francisco Examiner, launching a journalistic career that would see him liked and loathed in equal measure and earn him the title of “the wickedest man in San Francisco.” A contemporary of Mark Twain, Bierce brought his biting humor to bear on spoof definitions of everyday words, writing deliberate mistranslations of the vocabulary of the establishment, the church, and the politics of his day, and shining a sardonic light on hypocrisy and deception. These columns formed the beginnings of a dictionary, first published in 1906 as The Cynic’s Word Book, which stopped at the letter L, and five years later as a full A–Z text known as The Devil's Dictionary. More than one hundred years later, Bierce’s redefinitions still give us pause for thought: interpreting reporter, for example, as “a writer who guesses his way to the truth and dispels it with a tempest of words”; un-american as “wicked, intolerable, heathenish”; and politics as “the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” This timely new edition of Bierce’s irreverent and provocative dictionary is the perfect gift for misanthropes and word lovers alike.

To celebrate the acquisition of the archive of distinguished artist Tom Phillips, the Bodleian Library asked the artist to assemble and design a series of books drawing on his themed collection of over 50,000 photographic postcards. These encompass the first half of the twentieth century, a period in which, thanks to the ever cheaper medium of photography, ordinary people could afford to own portraits of themselves. Each of the books in the series contains two hundred images chosen from a visually rich vein of social history. Their covers also feature thematically linked paintings, specially created for each title, from Phillips’s signature work, A Humument. Women & Hats explores the remarkable range found in the world of millinery, from outrageous Edwardian creations to the inventive austerities of World War II. Each of these unique and visually stunning books give a rich glimpse of forgotten times and will be greatly valued by art and history lovers alike.