Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-19

THE THREE OWLS: Contemporary
Criticism of Chiidren's Books: 1927
1880. Written and edited by Anne
Carroll Moore. New York: Coward
Mccain.
Spread opulently across cover page
and fly leaf of this book is a picture by
Jay Van EVeren of the three owls"
themselves. OF the very essence of
wisdom, these three, perched high in
Hooking elaboration of the sad
case before them. Due to the owls"
entirely that a change has been wrought
in the matter of books for children.
Due to them, without question, that the
mummies OF literature for the young
sters have been hustled away to the
place where dead things belong. Due
to them that live folks-literary, artis-
tic, understanding, Sympathetic-have
been summoned to take a robust hand
in business OF great Importance. And
mere we find them, hearty and joyful
company, reading children'S books and
reviewing them, much as competent crit
les look after current reading intended
for elders. Among those chosen are
Joseph Auslander, Walter de la Mare,
Laura Benet, John Farrar, Lynd Ward,
Will Cuppy and many another. The
contributors range from Washington
Irving, Hawthorne and Poe to Carl
Sand Sandburg and Charles Lindbergh,
with a host of other Worth-WhileS both
before the first of these and following
along with the latest of them. And the
artists A joy, indeed, are the illuStra-
lions of this book Look at these pic
lures. Then turn to page 436, where
Helen Hammett Owen has given a
chapter of notes on the artists who have
contributed in such fine inspiration to
the good intent of the three owls them
selves. Stories, criticism, illustrate
these OF the best in current affairs.
Many of the tales are, naturally, of
older ages If this is not book OF
promise for needy world of young
Sters that have been as greatly mis-
treated as their elders have been mis-
guided in the matter of literature for
children, why, if it is not, then the
owl is, after all, foolish bird. And
I'm another. But we are not foolish.
And some of us have long been looking
for the great day to dawn when chill
dren will be taken for what they are.
The most imaginative, the most open
to adventure, the finest Of all dram
atists, the most sincere of all actors,
honest and outright beyond the con-
ception of us, older, who have partaken
of pretense too long to hope for the
greatness of deep sincerities. Children
are sincere. The elders, frightened at
life-and who wonders!--have reared
the little folks almost wholly upon in
hibitions upon an endless run of
"don'ts" and must nots, until origi-
nality is exercised only in playtime, the
one escape for the world of children.
A big book of fine intent, of admir-
able fulfillment. A book of distinction
in both content and form. A book of
lessons for whole monitory trlbe-par-
ents, teachers, guardians and whatnot
who in most pious intent curb all
those impulses, by them called dan
gerouS, that are but the seed of life and
joy and true invention and priceless
make-belieVe. These but the where
withal of later understandings and
sympathies, of personal growth along
the roads of art and other high en-
deavor along the even more delectable
road, that of happy living day by day.
Work of this sort the work Of THE
Three Owls" is bound to step out
into the widest Of ways for the rescue
of children, each to his own original
birthright facing upon happy and
natural growth that no system OF 'regi-
mentation, no general quenching OF the
spirit by frightened elders can secure.
The best in writings, old and new, the
finest Of sane appraisal Of such litera-
ture. the most inspired in the happy
art of making living figures dance, in
beautiful illumination, across the pages
all this lies u the purpose OF The