Books published by publisher The British Library

Originally collected in Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories in 1902, The Cat that Walked by Himself is one of the best-loved cat tales ever written. It is a story of the beginning of domesticated life: Man meets Woman and they move into a cave and set up the first household. Dog, Horse, and Cow come out of the Wild Woods and become tame. But Cat refuses, “I am not a friend and I am not a servant. I am the Cat who walks by himself and all places are alike to me.” Woman makes a bargain with Cat to allow him to come into the cave and sit by the fire and drink milk. But when night comes, he is once again the Cat that walks by himself. The contrast between the cozy, domestic world and the cold, dark outdoors where the cat still has his freedom make this a compelling tale and a fun take on the independent feline character. This beautiful book is illustrated with the original pen-and-ink drawings by Kipling, including the iconic picture of the cat “walking by his wild lone through the Wet Wild Woods and waving his wild tail”.This edition also offers two other favorite children’s stories told by Kipling, “How the Camel Got His Hump,” ‘”The Elephant’s Child,” and “How the Rhinocerous Got His Skin.” This charming book is the perfect gift for children, cat lovers, and Kipling fans alike.

This classic children’s book, first published in 1905, combines charming rhymes with beautiful illustrations of cats at play in a wealth of delightful scenes: shopping; throwing a Christmas party; learning to spell; even playing havoc at bath time. The British Library is reprinting this enchanting book, previously almost impossible to find, for the first time in over one hundred years.

Throughout his life, Edward Lear maintained the same love for painting that caused him to be compared to Audubon at age nineteen—and later saw him give brief drawing lessons to Queen Victoria. Nonsense Botany and Nonsense Alphabets contains numerous examples of the illustrations and pictorial descriptions from Edward Lear’s incredibly imaginative reserve of plants and creatures, each with appropriate captions and lyrics. His strange botanical illustrations include the likes of Manypeeplia Upsidownia, Piggiwiggia Pyramidalis, and Pollybirdia Singularis, while the Nonsense Alphabet consists of three sets of illustrated alphabets that twist and turn around bizarrely addictive imagery and language: A was an ape,Who stole some white tape,And tied up his toes,In four beautiful bows.a!Funny old Ape! Regardless of Lear’s inspiration or impetus, these writings and their accompanying images remain adored by children and adults alike, and the more than 150 illustrations presented here testify to Lear’s enduring popularity as a heroically comic poet and serious artist.

Mark Twain once famously said "there was but one solitary thing about the past worth remembering, and that was the fact that it is past and can't be restored." Well, over recent years, The British Library, working with Microsoft has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its collection of 19th century books.There are now 65,000 titles available (that's an incredible 25 million pages) of material ranging from works by famous names such as Dickens, Trollope and Hardy as well as many forgotten literary gems , all of which can now be printed on demand and purchased right here on Amazon.Further information on The British Library and its digitisation programme can be found on The British Library website.

Mark Twain once famously said "there was but one solitary thing about the past worth remembering, and that was the fact that it is past and can't be restored." Well, over recent years, The British Library, working with Microsoft has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its collection of 19th century books.There are now 65,000 titles available (that's an incredible 25 million pages) of material ranging from works by famous names such as Dickens, Trollope and Hardy as well as many forgotten literary gems , all of which can now be printed on demand and purchased right here on Amazon.Further information on The British Library and its digitisation programme can be found on The British Library website.

The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), began collecting folklore in 1806 in response to a renewed German interest in the subject. Their first collection of fairy tales, Children’s and Household Tales, was published in 1812, forever popularizing such stories as “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Rapunzel,” and “Snow White.” Mervyn Peake’s illustrated edition of the Grimms’ Household Tales was originally published in 1946, and this is the first time it has been made available since then with the original color illustrations. Like the Grimms’ stories, Peake’s illustrations combine the comic and the sinister and evoke a strong sense of childhood fear and humor. Stories by the Grimms remain wildly popular to this day, and this beautiful edition contains many old favorites such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” “Snow White,” and “Cinderella,” as well as a number of less familiar tales. Complementing the stories and illustrations is an introduction by novelist Sarah Waters, a lifelong fan of Peake’s illustrations.

Mark Twain once famously said "there was but one solitary thing about the past worth remembering, and that was the fact that it is past and can't be restored."Ê Well, over recent years, The British Library, working with Microsoft has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its collection of 19th century books.There are now 65,000Ê titles availableÊ (that's an incredible 25 million pages) of material ranging from works by famous names such asÊ Dickens, Trollope and Hardy as well as many forgotten literary gems , all of which can now be printed on demand and purchased right here on Amazon.Further information on The British Library and its digitisation programme can be found on The British Library website.

The stories of Hans Christian Andersen are known all over the world and he is one of the most translated authors of all time. Andersen's fame rests on his fairy tales and stories, written between 1835 and 1872, among the best known of which are "The Ugly Duckling," "The Little Mermaid," "The Princess and the Pea," "The Snow Queen," "The Nightingale," and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier." With these fairy tales, inspired by the great tradition of the Arabian Nights and by the brothers Grimm, Andersen became known as the father of the modern fairytale. Moreover, Andersen's works were original. Only twelve of his 156 known fairy stories drew on folktales. This complete collection of Andersen's stories is based on Jean Hersholt's classic translation.Andersen's stories have been widely illustrated by some of the best-known illustrators of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in particular those of the Edwardian period - the Golden Age of illustration - including W. Heath Robinson, Arthur Rackham, Mabel Lucie Atwell, Kay Nielsen and Edmund Dulac. Around ninety of the stories are illustrated with reproductions of original illustrations from classic Edwardian to contemporary illustrators. In addition, there are thirteen newly commissioned illustrations for some of Andersen's less well-known stories.

First published in 1932, Herbert and Eleanor Farjeon’s Kings and Queens is considered a classic of children’s literature. The charming poems, each one dedicated to a different King or Queen, tell the story of the forty-one English monarchs since William I in a humorous manner that has delighted generations of children. This beautiful facsimile edition features wonderful illustrations by the artist Rosalind Thornycroft and presents the book as it was originally designed to be enjoyed. Its witty approaches to history will entertain children and parents alike.

Children around the world have heard of “The Owl and the Pussycat.” Perhaps they have even recounted the tale of “The Dong With a Luminous Nose” or “The Pobble Who Has No Toes”; maybe you have heard your own son or daughter singing along with “The Jumblies”: “They went to sea in a Sieve they did, In a Sieve they went to sea.” Edward Lear’s poetry and prose celebrates the unbridled joys of living and has influenced writers and illustrators as far-ranging as Terry Gilliam and Ricky Gervais. Nonsense Songs and Stories contains some of Lear’s best known poetry about real and imagined creatures, each characterized by the author’s irreverent view of the world and timeless, whimsical vision. Whether you grew up with Lear’s flights of poetic fancy or a fan of his captivatingly clever illustrations, this volume is sure to delight, surprise, and inspire you.