The Portland daily press., 1884-12-20
New Publications.
Books for Children.

L@OOAS AVE SMAUFCM
The child who does not get among his
other Christmas gifts bright new book
misses something which in these days he
has good right to expect. The publishers
this year have issued an UNUSUAL number of
excellent books adapted to all ages and con-
ditions of childhood. To many of these at
teution has already been called; but there
still remains on the book table many volumes
which shall now be briefly mentioned in a
class by themselves.
Little Arthur's History of Franceo is on
the plan of ''Little Arthur's England.o 1t
contains about in 800 pages, with few Illus
tratons, comprehensive and graphic sketch
of the progress of events in Frnace from the
earliest tunes TO the end of the Franco Prus-
sian war. Tbs authors name is not an
nounced, hut the book is one which NAV be
recommended for any boy or girl who is be-
ginning to be interested in the story of real
men and Dations.
new book by William H. Rideing will
please all the boys who ever read "Boys in
the Mountains" and the book he has writ
ten for these holidays will especially please
all who love 10 read about the sea and The
people who spend their lives on or near it.
1t is entitled BOYS Coastwise; or. All Along
Shore" and describes in way which is
both entertaining and instructive the life on
the wharves of commercial City, pilots
and their boats, ocean steamers, dangerous
coasts, the life-saving service, coast wreck
ers, how sunken vessels are raised, light
houses aud lightships. the work of divers.
and similar things. There is story enwov.
en- With it ALL The type is large aud the IL
lustrations are excellent. 1t will be voted
one of the best books of the season,
1.-The Duncans on Land and Sea- bv
Kate Tenant Woods, is the story of Scotch
family which emigrated 10 America and had
much wandering over land and sea. Their
adventures and experiences are full of inter
est and are well told. The authors aim is
20 convey useful information as well as 10
give pleasure. There are many illustrations.
"Hther and Thither," by Mary d. Brine.
is book especially adapted to little girls. It
is pleasant narrative about some little
TO ks who had very jolly times, which other
little ones will enjoy almost as well as the
ones who Anticipated in The sports and fes-
tiVals.
"Bi-Peep" is the title of an English maya
zine for the young children, something like
Babyland" or "The Nursery'' The yol-
ume for the year, prettiiy bound makes a
delightful book of short stories. poems, les
sons aud good pictures which any child lust
beginning TO read will find treasure.
Another bound English magazine for chill
dren called "Little Folks" makes good vol
ume for any boy or girl. The charm of sucn
books as these is the great variety of inter-
esting matter they contain, adapted to amEse
child in any humor when amusement is
possible.
"Chatterbox" is an established fayorite.
The yearly volume is expected in many
homes as certainly as Christmas Itself.
There are no signs of decay in its quality.
and the new number will be found equal to
any of its predecessors in the beauty and
value of its contents. 1t contains four hum
dred pages and is profusely illustrated.
"The Adventures of Prince Lazybones.
and Other Stories" by Mrs. w. j. Hayes,
make capital little book. There are four
stories in all, and they inculcate moral as
well as delight by their lively fancy and va
rious incident.
AHarper's Young People" is a magazine
which is treasure in its way, as thousands
of boys and girls well know because thew
receive and enjoy it every week in the wear.
But the bound volume for the year with its
more than 800 large pages is an almost mex.
haustlble store OF such literature and pic
lures as the little folks enjoy. The writer's
and artists who work for it are men and wo
men who have proved their ability to cater
to the taste OF the children, aud make no
failure. In its own field this magazine is
without superior, and the yearly volume
contains more than a dozen common chill
dren's books.
"ThIee Vassar Girls in South America,
Is the title of volume which details the in
ecidents of holiday trip Of three college
girls through the Southern Continent, np
The Amazon, down the Madeira, across the
lsthmus, and up the Pacific Coast to Pana-
ma. The author is Mrs. Lizzie W. Champ
ney. Such trip was not actually taken bv
any three girls precisely as told here: but
one would hardly discover that from the
contents. We believe Mrs. Champney has
herself visited South America, but at all
events she has made 50 faithful study of
the works Of travellers that she knows The
route well and all that is to be seen on IL
and she has fine talent of narration ard
description, so that the story as she tells it is
as natural as if it were actual, and fall of
useful information about strange land. II
is beautifully illustrated. Perhaps this ought
to be classed as young ladies' book rather
than children's book, but those who are
younger than college girls will read its pages
with much satisfaction.
Good stories for girls who are on the verge
OF womanhood are not very numerous, but
We arc disposed to think, after hasty exam
inatioD, that the one entitled 'sSix Girls.'
by Fannie Belle living, may be safely count
ed in. These six girls are of one family.
but they have variety of dispositions, ex-
perieBces and fortunes, and their home life
was on the whols quite happy and pleasant
to read about. Some of them travel, and
some get married; but that is what happers
in all large families, and in this one it was
the only way brothers could be brought into
the story. The tone of the book is thor
oughly wholesome and helpful.
The volume entitled Songs and Rbymes
for the Little Ones" which Mary j. Morri-
son has compiled, is gem in its way. The
selecti ms are chiefly from the writings of
the modern poets, aud especially from those
who have contributed so many pretty poems
TO the children's periodicals of the present
day. 1t is real service to the young people
to have the best of these collected and pre-
served 10 beautiful volume, and the book
makes one OF the best gift books for a child
which can be found.
Pretty LCcy Merwin," by Mary Lake.
man, is story for girls. Pretty Lucy was
sixteen when the story orens, and the pride
of pleasant home, with loving parents.
several brothers and sisters and troops of
friends. the story is about her joys and
sorro~s, trials and victories until she wins
husband. She was good girl and her story
Is pleasant one for all girls to know.
A beautiful aud useful book for any boy.
and one that every member of the family
may read with profit, is the volume by Sam
uel Adams Drake, entitled sour Great Ben
efactors." 1t contains brief biographies of
the men and women Bost eminent In liteYa.
tuIe, science, philanthropy, art. etc., from
The date of the Introduction of the art of
printing until the present time. Here are
set forth in an attractive way the chief Incl
dents in the careers of nearly hundred IA
nous men and women who have done yalu-
able service to humanity in various ways.
Portraits of nearly AL are given which with
.rnh IN aVnIollie liehu
each. There is hardly better book than
this to teach youth that there are paths to
fame aud honor besides the bloody track of
the warrior aud the devious ways of the nm
principed politician.E
"The Nursery" was a charming magazine,
as thousands of the little folks know. 1t
was designed fors the younger children, and