The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-11-13
ChiIdren's Books.

Literature for the little ones this week com.
prises the following volumes:
MICE AT PLAY. BY Neil Forest. (Roberts Brothers,
Boston. LoriDg, Short and Harmony
MARGUERITE's JOURNAL. Translated by the au-
thor of f"Rutledge." (G. W. Carlton, N. Y. Bailey
and Noyes)
SIX TO SIXTEEN. By Juliana Horatia Ewing
Boston, Roberts Brothers. Loring, Short ard
Harmony
"Mice at Play" is a fresh, lively little vol
ume, of which the mingled sweetness and
audacity are entirely American. Its aim and
general tone are exceedingly good, some of the
situations and dialogues very bright, and 9TH
ers exaggerated and not quite refined. While
| respect, obedience AMI love TO the mothers and
fathers who act as wholesome means of re.
straint to merry mice at play, are everywhere
upheld, the pranks and naughtiness of these
same generous, warm-hearted but needless
mice are made so funny and interesting as to
throw the narrative of those rare, sweet occa-
sions when they were 'quiet as MICE quite in
| to the shade. If the working out of the book
were equal to its design, if the fun never be-
came rough and overdone, and if in brief, it
| were equal to its best throughout-it would be
a most charming little story
"Marguerite's Journal the name of whose
French author is not given, is very graceful,
tender and refined story. 1t is especially for
Catholic readers, and would be a very delight
full addition to Sunday School or private libra
ries for the use of children of that faith 1t
the journal of little girl her friends, her trials,
her joys: and gives vivid and picturesque
accounts of life in France, on the ocean and in
tha Tc1a 0fp
that is denomnational in the story, its sweet
influence must be acceptable everywhere. The
fault of the book is its excess of the emotional
element; the successive griefs that overwhelm
the little heroine in the loss of friends and in
the separation from home render the book
rather narrowing for sensitive little girls.
But if they will only remember that Marguerite
and her sorrows were all imaginary, while the
pleasant places that she saw, and the lessons
of sweetness that she learned, are real-they
will have found the way to enjoy the
story Alright.
''Six to Sixteen is one of the very best
stories for young girls among the many good
ones. In its style. it somewhat resembles the
graceful, leisurely minuteness OF Jean Ingelow's
'Off the Skelligs," though Of course it makes
no pretenson to rival in artistic finish that de-
lightful poets prose. 1t is q story that will
charm thoughtful girls; it is thoroughly fresh,
bright and refined in tone, and full of genuine
interest. 1t depends very little upon incident
for its charm, but whatever of plot there can
be said to exist, is closely interviewer with the
thoughts, plans and fancies of the bright girls
who are its heroines, and it possesses the merit
of lifelike reality. The scene where Jack
escorts Madame to the village fair, and the
shadowy dreamlike chapter called "a Twi-
light Exiitence" are especially artistic IN their
opposite traits, and recall strongly some Of
Miss Ingelow's work. 1t is pleasure to
Recommend this book to the attention of those
in search of stories for Young girls.