The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-11 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS BOOKS.

The Christmas Season brings its customary store
of goodly volumes, gay and gorgeous without,
and for the most part Slight and attractive within.
The majority of the bright books now before us are
children's books, and among these conspicuous in
its beautiful appearance is the volume on Our
Children's Pets, by Josephine (S. W. Partridge).
On the crimson cover of this book, surrounded by a
gilt frame, is the portrait of Robin Redbreast in full
song, and this picture, which is glazed and
shining like glass, is, in some mysterious manner,
let into the cover so as to appear like a veritable
picture in a frame. It is quite a curiosity in book-
binding, and most appropriate for a drawing-room
table book at Christmas time. A series of charming
illustrations, a chaffinch feeding its young, the pet
lamb, teaching to fly, and other kindred subjects,
with pleasant little sketches in prose and poetry,
render the interior of this volume not unworthy of
its very attractive outside.—Of a very different
character is a book lying by its side, a book illus-
trated with a pencil kindred to that which some
years back adorned the " New Tale of a Tub," and
evoked roars of laughter from all who caught a
glimpse of its marvels, the Hatchet Throwers,
by James Greenwood (John Camden Hot-
ten), illustrated by Ernest Griset, from his
original designs, and, assuredly, most original de-
signs they are ! Three separate stories are con-
tained in this amazing work. " The Astonishing
Adventures of Three Ancient Mariners," " Brass,
Brothers of Bristol, their Travels and Perils," and,
lastly, " The Crocodile Witch." The illustrations
are coloured, and are grotesque beyond the power
of:description. The Three Ancient Mariners are
first discovered " approaching the barbarous shore,"
clinging to a broken mast, with dilapidated gar-
ments, dishevelled hair, and distorted features.
More deplorable yet is their appearance while
" traversing the thirsty sands?' their tongues
hanging half a yard out of their mouths ! A
few pages later on we behold them swinging on
the branch of a tree above the open jaws of a
ravenous tiger ;in the next picture showing the
end of the tiger, but not of the peril;" the tiger
has been dashed over a precipice by a lion, who
has taken up his watch in the tiger's stead ; then
follows " Rhinoceros to the rescue," and rhinoce-
ros and lion are both flying in the air over the
chasm, while the rescued mariners swing trium-
phantly on their tree. Shortly afterwards they
encounter a band of cannibals, who, despising their
abject appearance, feed and fatten them for the
table, and when a little while afterwards the
mariners make their escape, and are then seen flying
for their lives, they appear so plump and fat that
it is with difficulty they can avoid being over-
taken. From what we have said some idea,
but a very inadequate idea,' may be formed
of the humour of these extravagant illustra-
tions.--Routledge's Every Boy's Annual contains
its usual amount of diversified articles on all matters
likely to interest boys. Carpentry and joining,
riding, rigging a boy's boat, with tales of interest
and adventure, such as "Paul Gerrard, the Cabin
Boy," by H. G. Kingston; " Fort Desolation," by
R. M. Ballantyne ; " The Pirate Island," by Anne
Bowman ; and some interesting " Anecdotes of
Dogs," by the Rev. C. Williams.--The author of the
" White Brunswickers" is favourably known to the
schoolboy, and that favourable reputation will be
increased by his new volume of romantic tales.
Balderscourt, or Holiday Tales, by the Rev. H. C.
Adams (Routledge), which amused the holiday
homes of the juvenile inhabitants of Balderscourt,
will enliven the holidays of many other juveniles
this Christmas time. First and foremost of the tales
is the " Smuggler's Cave," which is adorned with a
very spirited illustration of the escape of Charlie
Goring from the cave. He is descending a precipi-
tous rock by means of a rope, to which he clings
with desperation. The fight with the wolves is
another exciting picture, and the imploring entreaty
of the Marcher's Heir will make many anxious to
inquire as to his fate.—Madame de Chatelain has
presented a charming Christmas gift to youthful
readers, in the marvellous and mysterious history of
The Sedan Chair, and Sir Wilfred's Seven Flights
(Routledge). The secret of the chair itself, and
the mystery that hangs over it, is admirably well
contrived, and displays no inconsiderable powers of
imagination. The " Sedan-chair" will be treasured
in the juvenile library side by side with the fairy
tales and the legends of Eastern romance.—The
authoress of " The Wide, Wide World" contributes
two very delightful books for youthful damsels--
The Two School Girls, and Helen Montgomery's
Bookcase (Routledge), each volume illustrated with
some charming coloured pictures, and each containing
several tales interesting in style and beneficial in pur-
pose. The two school girls, the self-sufficient Annie
Shaler and the gentle Annie St. John are a perfect
contrast to each other. In the school room and
the play room these two volumes will find many
admirers.—Another very interesting story for young
people is Try and Trust, by the author of " Arthur
Moreland" (Routledge.) Mary and George, and
Fred and Charlotte Whitmore, with their various
faults and follies, struggles and successes, are the
heroes and heroines of a very attractive story—a
story containing a good moral lesson.—For younger
children Aunt Emma, by the author of " Rose and
Kate," is to be highly commended. It is just the
book to please little children, being full of the ad-
ventures of little children like themselves.—While
speaking of little readers, let us not pass over The
Children's Friend (Seely), with its capital illustra-
tions, and instructive stories in prose and verse.—
Tern Hood has, in a spirit worthy of the " Little
Piggy" that appeared some few years back, indited
some Jingles and Jokes for the Little Folks (Cassel,
Petter, and Galpin). The illustrations, by C. H.
Bennett, W. Brunton, Paul Gray, and Martin, are
capital. Some are charmingly graceful, and others
comically grotesque. Of the first class is the
exquisite little picture of Bessie at the ball—

" With her dancing eyes and her dancing curls,
The daintiost dancer of all the girls."
Tom Hood has also edited a Christmas book for
older readers, written by the authors of " The
Bunch of Keys," which was among last year's
Christmas books. The name of this volume is
Rates and Taxes (Groombridge and Sons). We
cannot think the present title a very happy one,
for although, as the editor remarks, rates and taxes