Books in Shaped Books series

"The Three Bears", originally published in 1928 and illustrated by Frances Brundage is a grand choice for reproduction. It is a classic story, undertaken by many illustrators drawn to its suspenseful elements and narrative thrust. Brundage is, like most American illustrators of her era, rather unappreciated, but her work in "The Three Bears" is lovely and gentle. The bears are essentially sweet, rather than menacing, while Goldilocks is more a charming imp than destructive. The bears’ home is appropriately lovely, as is its unwelcome human visitor. Despite the havoc Goldilocks wreaks, one does not sense that any serious damage has been done. Our version is another in our popular series of children's shaped books.

Beaches hold a powerful appeal for children. It is for them a place where they are free to play, build, and discover. The place where land and sea meet enfolds them, and there they seem to blossom in a timeless paradise. The combination of dramatic natural beauty and childhood joy is one that holds great appeal to children’s book illustrators, resulting in a wealth of images of children enjoying the pleasures of sand and sea. We have assembled from our library of vintage children’s books the images for this simple shaped book, and paired them with a text, which celebrates – from the point of view of a child – the many appeals of life on the beach. Artists include: Pelagie Doane, Henriette Willebeek Le Mair, Millicent Sowerby, Susan Beatrice Pearse and Jessie Willcox Smith.

This lovely die-cut Mother Goose is a thoroughly charming introduction to give or read to a young child. Margaret Evans Price has a great appeal to young readers. Her illustrations are just right, and her brief selection of rhymes is judicious. Some of the rhymes included are: Little Bo-Peep, Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, Jack and Jill, Goosey Gander and Simple Simon.

We are pleased to present our delightful shaped version of A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson with illustrations by Fern Bisel Peat. The collection first appeared in 1885 and has proven popular with children and their parents over the past 100 + years. We were drawn to reprint this version especially, for the appeal and high quality of the illustrations and how well they fit with the poems chosen. This version is designed specifically with the very young reader in mind, hence the bold and colorful artwork and selective offering of poems. It includes: The Lamplighter, The Land of Counterpane, Bed in Summer, My Shadow, The Swing and more.