The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-15

when the world was young and people had not last their faith in witches and enchantments. American children will enjoy them quite as much as do their little cousins across the water.
 GUN FODDER"
 (The Diary of Four Years of War). By A.
 Hamilton Gibbs, Major R. A. Fronlis-
 piece. Little, Brown & Co.,, Publishers,
 Boston.
 This is the story of the four years of varied service in the English fighting forces of the younger brother of Cosmo Hamilton. novelist and playwright, and Philip Gibbs, famous war correspondent. In 1914 young Hamilton Gibbs, Oxford graduate and author, enlisted in the Brit ish cavalry and went through hurried course of training Trooper A. H.. Gibbs, Ninth Lancers In France he groomed horses and performed scout duty until he was commissioned a second lieu tenant and returned to England to train with a division of field artillery. He saw many months of service in Egypt, and in Salonica, where his brigade was in the retreat of 1915; was invalided home in 1916, and in the spring of 1917 went to the western front with a field battery, wheer he was at first on the Armentieres sector. In 1918, by this time major decorated with military cross, he was in the thick of the retreat to the Marne, which he describes graphically. Then came the allied advance, during which a dose of gas ended Major Gibbs days of fighting.
 Major Gibbs, like his brothers, pos sesses the gift of writing. As an enlisted man, and as an officer, his experiences were unusually varied. His is, therefore, one of the most interesting, most illumi- 1 hating, of the personal narratives that have come out of the war. And it IS also passionate protest against war and a strong plea for tolerance, kindliness and brotherhood in the practice of peace. THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN"
 By Thornton w. Burgess. : Illustrations
 from drawings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Little, Brown & Co, publish CTS, Boston.
 Birds are funny creatures" said Peter Rabbit as he hoped over a low place | in the old stone wall. Tut tut, tut!' l said a rather sharp scolding voice, you 1 don't know what you are talking about 1 It was spring and the birds were re- i turning to the old orchard, the green meadow and the green forest Peter i, Rabbit was eager to learn many things
 
 wanted to know about their dress their nests, their food and their habits. What he could not find out for himself, Jenny Wren told him, for Jenny is busy-body and a great gossip It was through her l that he learned that Goldy the Or;ole and ] Redwing the Blackbird are cousins, and that Sooty the Chimney Swift and Skim. mer the Swallow are not even related There were fed of the feathered folk: about whom Jenny could not tell him. This is a story book that will be rea6 l by boys and girls with just as much in terest and enjoyment as the Bedtime Story Books. But it is more than story Ibook, 1t is an authoritative bird book St l written as to arouse the interest of ever 1 the httlest tots in their feathered neigh bors and at the same time enable them tt recognize them. It is beautifully illus trated in conol by Mir. Fuertes, who's faithful portraits of birds are famous among all bird lovers.