New-York tribune., 1922-12-10

CpmCnt, their tastes He knows only that
he ought TO get them some books. He goes
out with an armload Of things with some
colored pictures which strike him as being
about calculated to suit the aesthetic devei-
opment and comprehension Of low grade
riorons, two or three more "solidn books
with no pictures IN them al all and which
neither OF the children will ever open after
Christmas Day, and possibly a volume or so
'h has been urged upon him by proprietor
who has been stocked up with them for two
seasons.
Uncle Jim may be fortunate enough to
pick, entirely by chance, only excellent
books; he may be fortunate enough 20 buy
books which, even II they are not adapted
10 the mental ages Of his nieees and neph-
ews are good books which they may grow up
20, or which their fathers and mothaSs will
enjoy fully and the children partially when
they are read aloud, say books like The
Story Of Mankind" By Hendrix Willem Van
Loon; maya the Bee" by Waldemar Bon-
sells; "Rootabaga stories,r by Carl Sand
burg; "The Well in the Wood by Bert
Lesion Taylor; "Aliee in Wonderland" by
Lewis Carroll; "The Adventures Of Doctor
Dolittle," by Hugh Loftingi "More Beasts for
Worse Children" By Hilaire Belloei "Mar-
tin Pippn Of the Apple Orchard" By Eleanor
Farjeon; Daniel Boone by Stewart Ed
ward White; Beyond Rope and Fence By
David Grew; "solario the Tailor" by Will
liam Bowen; or mighty Mike a collec-
tion Of Finnish fairy tales by Parker Fill
more. In other words, he will make no mis-
take in buying these books or any Of the
books recommended by Librarians or teach
ers. even IL they are not adjusted to the
mental development Of the children for
whom they are intended. The point is that
ne will please the child more II that child
is five years old il he will buy The Bird
Nest Boarding House" or "The Nelyeteen
Rabbit than il he buys "ROotsbaga Stories"
which is more readily enjoyed BY children
over eleven. He will make a mess Of IT II
ne buys blndly and unthinkingly. Most
bachelors and spinsters land most parental
do. which accounts for the enormous sale OF
ehildren's books which children never
LOOK al.
THE selection Of gift books Tor Adults Is
an easier matter. II is not bad rule
10 buy for others books you have especially
enjoyed, presuming that the friends to whom
Won wish to send books are OF somewhat
the same tastes as yourself. IL IS an ahront'
Of course. to send novel By Miss Ethel NJ
nell 10 one on whose shelves you have seen
aAupe Severn and the Fieldings," "hr. Pro-
haekp ~Tono Bungay," Ethan Frome' and
"Tbe Golden Bowl" or 'Jurgen,' Ulysses
.swann's Way" "Pcle; the conqueror,'
THE Growth Of the soil,p or "old People
and Things That Pass" It Is an ahront'
likewise, 10 send any one Of these books
70 one who habitually reads Miss Dell or
isabel Ostrander or Berta Ruek, though pos
.iblv you will be rewarded for your ahront
in heaven.
In the way OF gift books In special hoii-
aav editions there is an ample selection.
should recommend especially:
East Of the Sun and West Of the Moon
CDoran) II only for the illustrations IN color
no Kay Nielsen. Nielsen has taken a httle
from ali sorts OF expert draftsmen-Hokusai
and Utamaro, Beardsley, and the illustra-
tors for "La Vie Parisienne,' Howard rye
and the great German poster eolorists; but
he blended these pilferings ir.o what
amounts 70 genius. II genius II is not and
hs illustrations are a,pleasure TO tie eye
aMoby Dick" (Dodd Mead. BY Herman
Melville. an exeellently gotten up edition OF
this indubi,able classic Of adventuring ano
philosophizing. illustrated b. Mead shaeier-
srhe child's Wonder Book" (Dorsn), by
Nathaniel Havthsrne, illustrated ~ AHAur
Rackham.
4Ethan Prone Cseribner's), By Edith
49,, -. .neeiaI limited edition de-