New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-07
CHRISTMAS BOOKS.
STORIES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.

Outlaw tScrihner & Wclford) which cominenus ~
not only to tho boys for whom IL was "i ~ ,ho
IN older readers ms we'll Certain epsoue' III 'iN
Jo,lo,a,o beros career are so powerfully SCI lor1ii
that fbev cannot be read without sur " '''
nulse Grettir is barbarian, q slayer VI n','
an outlaw for good cause, yet there - so "uO"
a.. = noble in his life so pathetic in his suher-
inc and so SPLENDID in his courage, thst te reoef
,,ns, share in the authors evident admiration
Co.. hin, In the development of the story great
aoo1 ~ information rs TO life in ancient lceiand
q ,,oturalIv brought in Mr. Baring-Goulds arehae-
o,oo;ca1 lore serving him well here. II exception
no taken 10 this really thrilling story IT Is tnao
two of its illustrations are not calculated 10 give
pleasant dreams to such young people as may
.tndv them after their Christmas mince-pie
HIGHWAYS and High Seas lScrbner ~ wei
ford). by F. F. Moore, is not an enduring nit oil
juvenile literature, such as Grettir promises u
be but il is nevertheless a book which VIII pie"se
hovs II is n story of the last century-a tissue
of adventures with hghwaymen kidnappers ana
rirates and exciting from beginning to end IL
is harmless enough: if its seventeen.yesr-old hero
performs prodigies of valor, his period ana MS
surroundings are too distant TO suggest emulation
IN the most bloodthirsty youngster. fIipWlhs
rho Spvs Roberts Brothers. is delightful httle
story wherein various animals play suggestive
narts and talk in a natural and humorous fasnlon'
In this fable for children" Mrs. Wesselhoeit mas
achieved little gem of fun ana wlsuo"'
In Charge. by Mary E. Palgrave (Whfttaker),
is a story Of smuggling days IN Englano Inc
interest of the book centres about the heroine,
who 40 the risk of her. life responds to Bill
tannias call of duty and by working me
semaphore defeats the snugglers, and ultimately
roceiyes the usual reward of female
hsrmsrnSan excellent husband. Theresa
al San Domingo a. c. McClurg d CO..
is translation from the French of
Madame A. Fresneau. 1t is story of the negro
instruction Of 79l and would be more interesting
if the translator had not put the clever original
into sucb stiff and stlted English. The secret
Of a good translation is not to drag your book
through the dictionary, but to catch the soul
of it and cothe ii in the body of the new
Language Mr.. J. q. Giman's Kingdom OF
Coins (Roherts Brothers., is a neatly illustrated
book. wherein the small hero is taken into money
land in O dream, and witnesses various practical
representations of such old sayings as take
care of the pence and the pounds wlllttake care
Of themselves money makes the mare co.
etc 1t is a pleasant story, but is below the
level of the " Alice in Wonderland books, which
apparently served as model.
"Yours and Mine" Robert Carter & Brothers.,
by Anna b. Warner, is a Sunday-scheol book of
an unusually high type, It's lessons OF pracucai
upselfshness being puesentsd with exceeding
force. There could hardly be better git 1or
greedy and self-indulgent youngster. Dave
Philbrickn Robert Cartar d Brothers., the fourth
volume of the Rock Cove Series" is stuffed with
lively incidents of a New.England winter.
I'm North in a Whaler, tWhittaker) is a new
volume of the " Look Ahead Series by the Rev.
t. A. Rand. Ii has some lively accounts OF Arcnc
experiences and its hero is very goOd BOY.
Storm Mountain Porter d Coates, by +. ).
Ellis, is a story full of fights with the Indians,
and one which ought not TO be mentioned IN the
same day with the Pathfinder Why should
any writer of to-day try TO retrace trails made
by the feet of Cooper? "Esther's Fortune Por-
ter g. Coates. by Lucy G.. Lille, relates the ex
perences of an orphan girl, who finds herself
stranded in Munich with $40 in her purse and
a magnificent voice How various scheming peo-
pie undertake TO bring her out upon the stage
and how she renounces her fattering prospects
for the sake of an agreeable husband the book
explains at some length. The story is intended
for girls
Frances Mary Peards Blue Dragon" Whit
talxer,. is an uncommonly entertaining tale. The
scene is laid in the Chester of Henry VIIs day. and
IFS episodes include a Miracle Play, visitation
of TIE plague, and witch mobbing The at
mosphere of the olden time is admirably main
tanned, ana Ougbt 10 give an lntelngenO girl IL
taste for history. The young heroine is noble
character and there is not a dull page in her
story. Another book to be recommended to
bpys. not grls-is Kibboo Ganey" Roberts
Brothers., by Walter Wentworth. 1t has an
impossible hero in the person of
handsome African chief who has been
brought to America as a slave when thirteen
gears old, and who returns TO his tribe when a
man. The beautiful literary language of this
gentleman rather destroys the illusion of the
narrative-but in spite of that blcmish it is an
animated and attractive book. pure and manly
in tone. c. A. IIentys story of our Civil War,
with Lee in Virginia" Scribner d Wexford, is
full of adventures, slavery furnishing as many
opportunities for the invention of stirring situa-
tons as the army life described Mr.. IIcnty en-
deavors to be strictly impartial in tone but it is
easy to see that all his sympathies are with his
Confederate hero and his comrades. His BY
Pike and Dyke" (Scribner d WOlfordJ can be
more cordially recommended 1t is spirited his
torical tale describing the career of an English
youth actively engaged under the Prince Of
Orange in the fierce and bloody struggles attending
the rise of the Dutch Republic. Ned Martins
escape from Alvas emissaries viii give delightful
shudders to youthful readers. The book is really
valuable preparation for the reading of Motley.
We have only one fault TO find with The Blue
Fairy Book 1Iongmans. Green * Co.., in which
Mr.. Andrew Lang has collected the most charming
versions of all the good old stories beloved by
chden for hundreds of years. This fault is in the
type, which is not quite as large as II might be
for young readers not inclined TO drop volume
when twilight approaches. 1t is q pretty book.
and the illustrations are admirable Many Of these
tales have been freshly translated and adapted.
and others known and appreciated but not usually
included in such collection, have beeo added.
handsome and useful edition of the older favor
ties has also been made by Mrs. Valentine and
published by T. Warne d Co, under the title
of The Old, Old Fairy Tales" This volume has