The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-01
New Publications,
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.


Young people at present read with such pleasure'
histories, travels and sketches suited flor their ell
ders and SO many stories and poems about children
appeal more readily to the mammas and papas that
the term Juvenile LITERATURE is not safe one to
employ and the only satisfactory libraries are those
filed with all the best new books and given up to
family use, young and old But the children en-
brace Harper's Young People''-there is no ques-
lion about that-ano here it is, ffty-two numbers
Tor loo3-big and abundant, bound sturdily In
green and red and gold. It holds wealth of good
reading and the illustrations In excellent taste
and remarkable for their beauty and spirit.
Donald and Dorothy, by Mrs. Mary Mapes
Dodge, the editor of St. Nicholas, whose story
Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates" is chidren's
classic is one of the books that the boys and girls
Will say they 'can't bear to lay aside when bed
time comes-"Just one more chapter" The book
is of a class by no means large enough where the
story is full of interest and yet bright wholesome
and natural.
We cannot say anything favorable Of "Esies
New Relations which may be intended for young
people but is profitable to readers of no age tits
full of absurd love quarrels and reconciatons, is
expressed in gushing language and In brief is very
nondescript little affair.
pretty autograph album-smali sized and sim
Hinkley Thorpe g. Dresser. 1t bears on each leaf
graceful little picture in sepa tnts and on it's cover
a small palette and paints They are suitable Xmas
gifts and little folks like them.
And now, attention! lads who read Ivanhoe' and
feel that glory leads only when clad in full armor
mounting 'gayly caparisoned" charger and arm
ed with battle and spear for you have it here in
all its grandeur in the Chronicle of the Cid' The
binding is excitement of itself with its silver and
scarlet, and plume to sweep the sky. This Spanish
hero, though, is historical less than legendary
and the book is, like Don Quixote, intended for
the libraries of grown-up people.
Man of War Lfe,'' by Charles Nordhotf, has a
brilliant binding and illustrated copiously by wood
cuts The story was published in 1855 but appears
brand new" this seasonal fate it deserves. 1t is a
capital yarn, and true too and it is sure to be fav-
orite
CoDbetfs Grammar was published in 1918 and is
now newly presented to notice. revised and annota-
tated by Alfred Ayres. The instruction contained
in it takes the form of letters to Cobbett's son
James, fourteen years of age. 1t is excellent an
English grammar one need wish Tor rather feel OBJ
hged) to read, -"confudgion to 'em' as Mrs. Camp
would say However there are CLEANS OF fun to be
had from this, gathered in the quaint illustrations
OF his principles of rhetoric and it would be difficult
to find keener or more discriminating treatment of
1.-THE art of speaking writing language correct
ly."
Lastly on today's list sof books that have to do
with young people comes "a Little Girl among the
Old Masters, with Introduction and comment by
W. D. Howells. The little girl, ten years Of age
and Mr.. Howells' little girl of course-during a
period of travel abroad, with her parents, made
sketches from the masters of early italian art-Fra
Angelica, Botticelli, Della Robbia and others.
These drawings we're done without instruction and
are reproduced just as they came from her pencil
description is quite inadequate. One should see
the wonderful effects in motion-the grace and Wig
OF combined in the young artists work. We can
but think of her as of Marjorie Flemming, -marve-
Ions in her precocty of talent yet entirely uncon-
scious and child-like in her winning ways. This
may rightly be designated one Of the wonderful
books Of the year