Junior Department
p. 89 · Read in the full issue
Some Specials In The
° j gp°d-class books published for children these days fascinate adults almost as much as the youngsters for whom they most unusual children’s books are published s Work (1913) Ltd. Some of these are of Continental origin have been translated into English; and all of them are beauti fully illustrated, frequently in a most unusual way.
The only fault parents are likely to find with them is the price, which is not cheap. However, nothing could be more appropriate for a special-occasion gift for children in the three to seven years bracket than any of the batch that have come in this month from this publisher.
THE POINTED BRUSH, by Patricia Miles Martin, is the story of small Chinese boy, the only one of six brothers who could read and write, who was able to save Elder Uncle when mere brute strength had failed. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and unusual. (Australian price, 13/3).
HENRIETTA CHUFFERTRAIN. a story in verse by James Kruss, translated by Marion Koenig, with illustrations that are original and amusing. Would be appreciated by the three to four age group. (Australian price, 10/9).
CLEAN CLARENCE, by Pricilla and Otto Friedrich. The story of a pig who refused to get into the trough and eat with his brothers and sisters but stood off with his snout turned up in disgust. Clarence was the despair of Farmer Jones but he finally ended up as a trained pet with a blue ribbon around his neck. Coloured drawings help to tell the story. (Australian price 13/3).
LOST BEAR, by Ann Durrell. The Very Back of Beyond is where the lost animals go, and usually are pretty happy. But Little Brown Bear has other things on his mind. This book is illustrated by real photographs, in colour and black and white, of toy animals—taken by Desmond Russell. (Australian price, 15/6).
THE “I CAN READ” BOOKS —Youngsters during their first year or two at primary school shouldn’t have much difficulty in reading these books for themselves. The stories are amusing, the illustrations are clever and help out, and the words used are simple and within the vocabulary of most seven-year-olds. The three that we have are numbers four, five and six of the series: JULIUS, the story of a young gorilla who went all the way to America from Africa to become the star turn in a circus, and loved it. SAMMY THE SEAL, who lives in the zoo and should be happy there but yearns to see the out side world. And LAST ONE HOME IS A GREEN PIG, about a duck and a monkey who challenge each other to a race and use their wits, legs and some strange conveyances during it. (Australian price, 12/each).