New-York tribune., 1906-12-15
ANIM4L HEROES.
Holiday Books for Young People.

Animals are this season less the material Of
realistic biography selected by naturalists than
the accorepaninents of conventional fiction The
most amusing-as well as the most significant of
animal character-of the books dealing with
four-footed creatures is Mr.. Waiter Emanuers
Dogs of War" Charles Scribners Sons. 1t
purports to be written by Ears" a dog chron-
icler of other dogs dotngs and Of the doings in
particular of Captain" a gentleman OF not
very high degree in the canine world. but one
Of q just and martial nature and one, moreover,
greatly admired and beloved by Ears" We
informed that "The Dogs Of War was the
name of a famous dogs club, a club whose
motto was Defiance Not Defence and whose
members attacked sight all thorough breeds
giving themselves airs. 1t is almost needless
to say that envious rivals called them 1.-THE
Hooligans." 1.-THE Gargoyles" and the like.
''Esarss" descriptions of his fellow members and
their adventures are shrewd well comic,
and so vivid that the reader must acknowledge
a previous acquaintance with his types. Full
of prejudces is Ears" He cannot away with
Toy Dogs-concerning one of them he processes
TO be uncertain as to whether he was more like
a mosquito or penwiper-he declares that all
poodles are either fops or clowns and as for
dachshunde he cannot stand them at any price.
"It tires me to look at them" says Ears"
Before I have carried my eye from the snout
to the tail am bored" His anecdotes and rem
tniscences are accompanied by q quantity of
delightfully."- humorous illustrations of dog life
and character by Cecil Aldin. These are full
Of humor, q hurnor perfectly natural and never
obtruded. Another pleasant dog of the day Is
Ready the Reliable Qittle, Brown Sc Coz. The
canine hero in this pretty story by Lily F. Wes-
sehoeft is not at all impossible being and
probably no young reader will be Scientific
OTrCh ro Ohi 10 n 7ioI1
Ready converses with or listens to his animal
friends.
In Polly, the Autobiography of a Parrot Oh.
NJ. Caldwell Company, of the most mis-
chievous members of her tribe tells the story
of her naughty life From one destructive mis-
deed TO another Polly passes without ceasing
but there is something of fun and affection in
her bird nature that wins forgiveness from her
readers as well as from her owners. Yoppy.
the monkey of last years Animal Autobiog-
raphy," reappears in entertaining fashion in
this volume. partly cheerful partly touch
ing. and altogether readable little story is THE
Flight OF Puss Pandora (IittIe Brown & Coz.
by Caroline Fuller the author of that equally
attractive book Of former years. The Alley Cats
Kitten" Pandora is a winning creature. as
many a cat knows how to be, and she passes
through much happiness and many sorrows and
dangers Of course everything ends we'll for
her humen friends as for herself. There is
mirth in the story, good sense, and sympathetic
gentleness. In "BIackie, His Friends and His
Enemies Little, Brown & Col Madge A. Big
ham has taken some familiar old fables and
turned them into little tales, with d small black
rat for hero. II is somewhat surprising to find
lion living at large in the country at no great
distance from Madison Square. but everything
is possible in FabIe-land.
'Two-Legs'' Charles Scribners Sons) is the
more or less well known story by Carl Ewald,
translated by \. Teixeira de MattOs The quaint
narrative describing the way in which the two
original human beings gradually acquired en-
pire over the wild animals who preceded them
on this round earth will commend itself TO all
little people. The name-tale OF The School
for Donkeys and Other Stories CE. P. Dutton &
Coz by Mrs. Manners Lushington, has for hero
a very unreasonable boy. who because Of his
naughtiness is transformed by fairy into
donkey and goes to a school in which he learns
various impressive lessons. When he runs away
he passes through adventures which teach him
additional morals and he is at last restored 10
human shape a much improved little boy. In
'fWee Wrinkles and Snowfall" (Harper & Bros
Gabrielle Z. Jackson introduces several pets
who are OF an engaging sort, especially SNOWFALL
the pony-a most lovabIe beast.
book in which the manner Of Mr. Seton
Thompson Is recalled is "Shaggycoat the Bioc-
raphy of a Beaver George ". Jacobs & Coz
by Clarence Hawkes.. The career OF this four
footed American" is traced from his babyhood
Though all the interesting episodes of his dam
building his adventures In the water world and
his many escapes from ruthless foes. The reader
leaves him the patriarehal head or Beaver City |
with its monstrous DAM
The engineering genius of this huge undertaking
was shaggy-coat, who sat upon his broad nat tail |
and directed his many workmen Near by seated |
always posted while they worked He rarnsd |
them OF danger and they gave their whole atten-
ton TO the work. AT the first Suspicious sound hs