Evening star., 1922-12-10
Christmas Books

ing the boy scowl. that it has sort
of baby title. But. happily: the book
goes much beyond the title. The
maker Of 1t has gone TO great trouble
and pains to gather interesting
things about. the animals that Shil.
Is information here. also. for older
folks about certain animals. Again.
one meets 'Rab" and ''Grayfriars'
Bobby" and "Owd Bob as a Puppy"
Beyond this. the book gathers up
and goats and chickens. And ali
along the way there are charming
pictures of many Of these friends of
tho children. The quality of friendli-
ness lies in the book-the friendliness
that exists. in fact. between children
THE CIIILDREN's BOOK OF
CHRISTMAS. Compiled by J: c.
Dier. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
A Christmas book with q special
character and distinction Of its own.
Many sources of time and place and
authorship come together here for
the sake Of helping the children to a
wider outlook upon this annual festi-
val to deeper sense Of Its meaning
and therefore to a keener personal
joy in their own share of it. Here
are stories from China and Japan and
stories from the places where Jesus
dwelt: Spain and England. Holland
and France and Mexico contribute to
and custom from the writings of
many we'll known authors. Scott and
Irving and Dickens are among the
most familiar Of those who have
helped to make this book. In SO far
as this was possible the authors own
ntvnt NJ
usefulness. The pictures are from
the work Of such artists as Titan.
Corre1io, Neronese. Bernardino. CHR
landa5o. From every point Of view an
admirable book for Christmas and for
all the other days of the year as well.
CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Selected and
edited by L: Edna Walter. Har-
monized by Lucy e. BroadWood. IL
lustrated by ]. II. Hartley. New
York: The Macmillan Company.
Special times or events have been
celebrated from time immemorial by
feasting. dancing and singing. Often
the dancers formed a ring and sang
as they danced, first the dance and
later the song being called a carol.
ligious although in the old times
both the singing and dancing often
took place in cathedrals and churches.
Some Of the carols that we still know
are connected with times before the
Christian era. They have now lost
changed. but the ideas are very an
cient. The holly and the ivy suggest
the old nruids. and we still put up
holly and ivy in our houses just as
people did before the time OF Christ.
We put them up. at Christmas. and
we sing the carol at Christmas. but
the idea at the back of 1t Is older
than Christmas" The book-most
beautifully illustrated-contaIn old
English carols for Christmas and
been sung through many: many years
at times of festival and mirth." A
carefully produced book of special in
terest and value.
HALF-PAST SEVEN STORIES. By
Robert Gordon Anderson, author
Of Seven O'Clock Stories" etc. IL
lustrations by Dorothy Hope Smith
New York: q. P. Putnam's Sons.
You already know those Green chill
dren = Jehosophat. Marmaduke and
Hepzebish They were the three
derson's books. Seven O'Clock s;o-
ries." Here they are again. stdll
three and still happy" and still
| running their corner Of the world in
of other children happy. too. Our
favorite story bere-maybe it will not
be yours-is "The Little Red Fox"
Marmaduke was sitting on the fence
one morning trying to get look at
the hunters away over across the
red. furry streak Of pure terror COM
ing across the lot right his way.
You finish the story when you get the
book. so that you will have a chance
to like Marmaduke and to be proud
Of him. too. What you feel about q
onto horses and call their dogs and
then 20 out to hunt a little animal
no. we are not going to tell. but we
know exactly what you think and
how you feel because we do, too. All
Of these stories are good, but we
have picked this particular one.
TALES TOLD BY THE GANDER. BY
Maud msnanne,s nndford Warren ,rs,,a and Eye
Charles A. Federer. New York:
George H. Doran Company.
Mother Goose could think up no more
new stories or she had worn herself
completely out telling the old ones
over and over. A dark moment for
children this promised to be. But.
just then. along came the gander.
male and declaring that he had pro-
vided for the story market. There
was to be no Christmas shortage
whatever. Then. taking up matters
just about where Mother Goose had
left them. he certainly did account for
self had left quite up in the air. For
instance. he gave one quite new line
on the man in the moon. One hears
here a lot more about the old woman
who sweeps cobweos out Of the sky.
He knew Taffy we'll and Little Miss