The Portland daily press., 1876-12-20
Recent Publications.
Holiday Literature.

Silhouettes and Songs Boston: Lockwood :,
Brooks & Co.; for sale by Dresser, Mcclellan
& Co.. is one of the daintiest gift-books of the
season. The volume is edited by the Rev.
Edward Everett Hale, the]songs, illustrative of
the months, are from poems by eminent au-
thors and the sihouettes are designed by Hell
en- Maria Kinds. Thei literary matter of the
book opens with that,extract from the Faerie
Queene beginning.
1.-THE months all riding came''
and proceeds with poems on the months BY
Lowell, Holmes, Celia Thaxter, Rose Terry,
and others. The silhouettes illustrative of the
months, are very tender and graceful, full of
sentiment and humor. The volume is elegant
ly gotten up. Its price is SO.
OF William Knox's "Oh, Why Should the
Spirit of Mortal be Proud in the handsome
dress given it by Lee Il Shepard very recent
mention has been made in these columns. The
edition with its designs is beautiful one, and
will attract many eyes to the book counters
where it is to be found. The volume is for sale
by Loring, Short & Harmon. Its price is So.
Lockwood, Brooks & Co. publish q neat
Bridal Souvenir, appropriately bound in white
cloth. and:containing blank for the marriage
certificate. 1t is for sale by Dresser, Mcclellan
& Co. at 60 cents.
The first edition of Miss Mary behring's An
Average Boys vacation, has been entirely ex-
hausted, and the second edition is now on the
shelves of the booksellers. This popular ju-
venile has met with great and deserved sue
cess and is favorite holiday gift.
Juvenile Literature.
As Christmas day comes nearer and the
friends of the expectant little people become
more and more embarrassed in selecting among
the many delightful gifts that crowd the
shelves of toyshops and bookstores, hint or
two may be be found helpful.
Dresser, Mcclellan & Co. have, for the
youngest readers, "a Houseful of Children
written by Mrs. d. P. Sanford, (Dutton & Co.
Boston). 1t is large volume with many beau
tifol illustrations and is written in charming,
refined style. The story is one to delight chill
dren. and is full of interest, while every moth
er who has experienced the difficulties OF Sc
lecting books that are precisely what she
would wish to place in the hands Of her chill.
dren, and the equally ardurous task of "mak-
ing up" stories to order, will feel sincere graft
tude to Mrs. Sanford for her beautiful work.
The little chrome upon the cover deserves
special mention and adds much to the charm
OF the volume.
The Sky Garden by Lizzie w. Champney
Boston: Lockwood, Brooks s. Co, Portland,
Dresser & McLelan) is a fascinating and
unique little volume, both as regards text and
illustrations. Following out, in the storytel-
ler's province the hint given by Mr.. Edmond
Stedman in his Victorian Poets to artists in
verse, Mrs. Champney bas taken scientific
facts as the exquisite groundwork for the most
delicate arabesques of fancy To each of the
twelve signs OF the Zodiac, to the Polestar,
Eclipses, and to the Tail of comet, she has
attached graceful little story, In which her
desire to interest her young readers in
the marvels of the heavens never
allows her for an instant to lose
sight of the storyteller's first aim-to amuse.
Fairyland is found again. The "Sky Garden" 10
more brilliantly hung with jewels than
was ever Aladdin's; the book Is as
delicously irresponsible as Alice in woE-
derland; as sweet and bright as the daintiest
little maiden could desire; and it has the happy
mingling of reality and imagination that child
hood, full or truth and fancy together, always
demands. The illustrations in deep sky-blue,
by Mr.. Champney, are very artistic and thor
oughly accord with the spirit Of the letterpress
Long Ago; Year of Child Life, by Ellis
Gray tBostoa: Lockwood, Brooks & Co.
Portland: Dresser, Mcclellan s. Co.., is nat
ural and exceedingly pretty story of some very
loveabe children. 1t is SO lifelIke, so sweet and
refined in its whole tone, that it cannot fail to
give much pleasure to each and all who read II.
There is little exaggeraton in some of the
characters-Reno, for example, who is a phe
nomenal Cyclopedess little rarer than the
dodo-but one recognizes Ellie, Hetty and
Dick as the dear children of every day. A
chapter about one Christmas tree opens the
story; chapter about another. little differ
ent but not less delightful, closes it-renderinc
this especially holiday gift The illustrations 5
are very poor.
Black Rifles Mission,j Tor on the trail, by Eli
jah kellogg Boston: Lee & Shepard. Port
land: Bailey g. Noyes) is a story for boys in
MIR. Kellogg's well.known style. It is full of
exciting adventure with the Indians, and
though lacking refinement, is thoroughly good
it is needless to say-in It's intention and aim