Just So

The King of Ireland’s Son, by Padraic Colum. Illustrations by Willy Pogany.

“The King of Ireland's Son is a children's novel published in Ireland in 1916 written by Padraic Colum, and illustrated by Willy Pogany. It is the story of the eldest of the King of Ireland's sons, and his adventures winning and then finding Fedelma, the Enchanter's Daughter, who after being won is kidnapped from him by the King of the Land of Mist. It is solidly based in Irish folklore, itself being originally a folktale.” – Wikipedia. Another ex-library book, and another pairing of Colum and Pogany. And another San Antonio library sale find. [As such, this is not my cover.] For all that is going for it, I can’t say I’ve read it as yet.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Hardback.

Celtic Fairy Tales, by Joseph Jacobs, Illustrations by John D. Batten.

Ex-library book, one in the series of Jacob’s fairy tale collections. Irish, Scottish, and Welsh stories, with great old pictures that were re-run by the likes of Peter Haining in their great scrapbooks of the 70’s. [Also not my cover.]

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Fairy Tales. Hardback.

Hubble’s Bubble, by Elaine Horseman. Illustrations by John Sergeant.

“Hubble's Bubble, by Elaine Horseman, illustrated by John Sergeant (W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1964). This book was actually in our middle school library, and I was pretty interested in it, but I could never check it out. This is because my last name is Babel, and anything with the word bubble or bobble in it was grist for the mocker's mills (and if you think no-one would have noticed me getting this book, you have forgotten how intensely public life in middle school is). Instead, I browsed it on the shelves, and was interested in the general set-up: five British children have a magical summer adventure in a cathedral court. The character I liked was Alaric Hubble, aged 12, a science enthusiast who buys an old book (from a disappearing shop, no less!) of what he thinks are chemistry experiments, but which turns out to be full of magical recipes. A lab in a secret room, animal transformations, and flying adventures ensue, along with the intrigue of keeping the adults from finding out. I am still in the process of reading this, so forbear to give a final opinion, but it is certainly redolent of period airs, from John Sergeant's line drawings to the advertisement for P. L. Travers "new" book, The Fox at the Manger, on the back.” -Power of Babel. I finished this secondhand library book and enjoyed it.

Ranking: Essential Nostalgia.

File Code: Fantasy. Children’s Novel. Hardback.

The King of the Golden River, by John Ruskin. Illustrated by Fritz Kredel.

A 1946 book that still has its jacket. Ruskin’s famous fairy tale and illustrated by the same artist who did our old copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Bought at Yesterday’s Warehouse.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Fairy Tale. Hardback.

Rhymes and Verses: Collected Poems for Young People, by Walter de la Mare. With Drawings by Elinore Blaisdell.

Contains such great poems as ‘Dame Hickory’, ‘Some One’, ‘John Mouldy’, ‘I Saw Three Witches’, ‘The Ride-by-Nights’, ‘The Hare’, and many others, de la Mare’s poetry is always limpid, full of nature and mystery and an incantatory power. I bought this in the college bookstore.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Poetry. Anthology. Softcover.

Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling. Illustrated by the Author.

I got this copy years ago at Hastings, having already read it in the McQueeney library and seen some of the stories in tons of collections and textbooks. “Kipling began working on the book by telling the first three chapters as bedtime stories to his daughter Josephine. These had to be told "just so" (exactly in the words she was used to) or she would complain. The stories describe how one animal or another acquired its most distinctive features, such as how the leopard got his spots. For the book, Kipling illustrated the stories himself.” – Wikipedia.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Children’s Book. Hardback.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting. Illustrated by Michael Hague.

With some slight revisions to remove certain elements deemed racially insensitive. Perhaps I would prefer the original version with Hugh Lofting’s illustrations, but there it is; Michael Hague is a great illustrator, and I wanted his art. Dolittle is of course a classic work, and besides the Rex Harrison movie (good, but wearisomely long), I enjoyed the 1970 Depatie-Freleng cartoon series. A sailing ship, talking to animals, doctor bags and top-hats – a fine childhood brew!

Ranking: A compromised classic, but Essential.

File Code: Children’s Fantasy. Adventure. Hardback.