Monday 6 March 2017

New Bodleian Children’s books for spring 2017

Today I’m pleased to tell you about two new nostalgic books coming soon from Bodleian Children’s Books. The March Wind illustrated by Vladimir Bobri is a personal long time favourite of mine while The Rain Puddle with illustrations by the wonderful Roger Duvoisin can’t fail to win a place in all our hearts.

Bodleian Children’s Books

Do you remember those wonderful childhood days when everything was magical?  Those days when an ordinary household rug became a flying carpet, and an old coat found at the bottom of a dressing up box had the power to transform you into a completely different person. That’s what happens to the little boy in The March Wind.

INEZ RICE  The March Wind

Coming across a large black hat lying in the street he tries it on and becomes a whole host of different characters: a cowboy galloping on a magnificent steed, a circus ringleader thrilling the crowd, a soldier marching through puddles. But then the owner of the hat returns and the boy finds himself face to face with the March Wind. Is it part of his imagination, or is something bigger happening?

INEZ RICE  The March Wind



INEZ RICE  The March Wind

INEZ RICE was an American children’s author who also wrote A Tree This Tall.

VLADIMIR BOBRI was an author, illustrator and artist, celebrated for his design work. From the 1940s he began to illustrate children’s books, a number of which have now become classics.

The March Wind
Fully Illustrated Hardback
Available March 2017
Bodleian Children’s Books
9781851244614
Originally published in 1957





The Rain Puddle:   This wonderfully funny book first published in 1965 is perfect for reading aloud. A quiet day on the farm becomes anything but quiet when a plump hen happens upon a rain puddle. Seeing her own reflection in the puddle she becomes convinced another hen has fallen in.

ROGER DUVOISIN the rain puddle


 One by one all the farm animals come to peer into the puddle but just who has fallen in?  Is it a plump hen, a turkey, a sheep, a cow or a beautiful pig?  When all the animals peer into the puddle at the same time, they discover an entire farmyard underwater.  And what does wise old owl do during all this excitement? He sits in his tree and chuckles!

ROGER DUVOISIN the rain puddle


The Rain Puddle Fully Illustrated Hardback Available March 2017 Bodleian Children’s Books
ADELAIDE HOLL is a well-known writer and illustrator of over forty children’s books. 

ROGER DUVOISIN was a renowned Swiss-born American author-illustrator who created the Happy Lion and Petunia series of picture books, along with more than forty other titles for children. He was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1947.

The Rain Puddle
Fully Illustrated Hardback
Available March 2017
Bodleian Children’s Books
9781851244690


The Bodleian Library 

Founded in 1602, the Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Britain and the largest university library in Europe. With over 12 million items and outstanding collections, the Bodleian draws readers from every continent and continues to inspire generations of researchers who flock to its reading rooms as well as the wider public who enjoy its exhibitions, displays, public lectures and other events.

Bodleian Library Publishing produces beautiful and authoritative books, which help to bring the riches of Oxford’s libraries to readers around the world. All profits are returned to the Bodleian to help support the Library’s work in curating, conserving and collecting its rich archives and helping to maintain the Bodleian’s position as one of the pre-eminent libraries in the world.

Visit this previous post to view other Bodleian Children’s Books and to see the photographs I took on a visit to Oxford in 2015.

Disclaimer: I received no financial compensation for writing this post and have no material connection to the brand or products mentioned. 

43 comments:

  1. What do you mean...Remember my childhood days..!
    The dressing up box...Yes! AND! I'm still sitting
    on the carpet, waiting for it to take off...!!! :).
    As my Dad used to say to me..."Trouble with you boy,
    you've never grown up". HeHe! So what..!
    And, l've always loved dressing up...they can't touch
    you for it...! "Every street is a catwalk".

    I must say..The March Wind..sounds like a younger
    version of Mr Benn...! It's surprising just by
    wearing a hat, how it changes a person, as they
    say.."You can certainly go off on one". Great fun!

    And..The Rain Puddle..sounds a real 'hoot'..No pun
    intended..and if you believe that..!!! :).
    You can keep ALL yer novels etc...give me a children's
    book anytime, with lots of pictures..l'm happy!
    'Time upon a once'....! :0).

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    1. Don’t ever grow up Willie, the world would be a much sadder place if you did. As for that magic carpet, you just have to believe!

      It’s funny you should mention Mr. Benn because I thought exactly the same thing. I always watched that with my son and have very fond memories of it.

      Never mind The Rain Puddle it’s you who is a real ‘hoot’ and you always make me ‘hoot’ with laughter...

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  2. Good morning dearest Barbara!

    A great way to start a new week, to come here and see the colors of childhood and innocence start my Monday morning. Have a great day!

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    1. Thank you so much Anita, I hope you have a wonderful week. Hugs Barbara

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  3. I love children's books. When I pick a book for my grandchildren I always look for ones that I would have loved to have read when I was a child.

    Julie xx

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    1. That is such a good idea Julie because it allows you to think like a child. I’m sure you would like these as they are sweet stories with beautiful illustrations. xx

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    1. I never grew up Sue so it’s easy for me! I’ve just glanced out of the window and noticed it’s raining again – will it ever stop? xx

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  5. I saw the library on a trip to Oxford, but didn't get a chance to spend time there.
    The March Wind ties in well with childhood imagination. (Which despite the years I still remember.)

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    1. What would life be without childhood imagination and books to spark it? Thanks for coming over.

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  6. Oh, I like both those stories! And don't you know I'd love to visit the library!

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    1. I certainly do know that Bish! Nowhere better than a library as far as I’m concerned – well, unless it’s a bookshop of course.

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  7. These look great. I'm especially intrigued by The March Wind, though The Rain Puddle looks good too. I don't think I knew that the Bodleian published children's books.

    I took a year in college at New College, Oxford and loved it and got to use the Bodleian Library. It was so exciting.

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    1. Hello Alex, you have no idea how jealous I am, a whole year to enjoy the Bodleian Library – wow – what I wouldn't give!

      The children’s part of Bodleian publishing launched in 2015 with the first books published in 2016 so it is relatively new.

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  8. I love children's books, especially the vintage ones, and I love the illustrations here. Those books sounds like ones I would definitely enjoy! Thank you so much for sharing.

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    1. As do I Linda. I enjoy all types of books, but my favourites are those written for children.

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  9. Both books sound great, thanks for telling us about them Have a good week, hugs, Valerie

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    1. It was my pleasure Valerie, thanks for calling in. Hugs Barbara

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  10. You've made me want to visit the Bodleian for sure. And as usual the books you've shared are enchanting. What a wonderful world we have in each of them.

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    1. I don’t think you would be disappointed Lee it’s a wonderful place as is Oxford. I’m glad you enjoyed hearing about these books.

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  11. Hi Barbara!
    The Rain Puddle sounds especially fun.
    The Bodleian Library sounds like one of the wonders of the world.

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    1. You are not wrong Sandra, wondrous indeed.

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  12. Hello Barbara !! I am fond of children's books. More particularly vintage ones with remarkable illustrations like these. Lovely post is always a nice way to start the week.

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    1. Thank you for those very kind words. I always think it’s nice to start the week at a gentle pace.

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    2. Thank you, and the same to you.

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  13. Part of me wishes my daughter hadn't grown up so I could read these riches to her.

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    1. I know exactly what you mean Roger, but I get around that by reading them to myself. :)

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  14. Both of these books sound like fun. I don't recall hearing of either of them, but I do think the illustrations are great. I will have to look for both of them.

    As a librarian- I would LOVE to visit the Bodleian. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Glorious illustrations! I love the 1950s/60s style and colours - reminds me of the work of Miroslav Sasek http://www.miroslavsasek.com which has the same feel about it. We're having a wet and windy March day here!

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    1. Thank you so much for the link Sue, I will enjoy a browse. I recently bought a copy of This is the World and back in 2015 I blogged about This is London. I love his work and agree it is very similar to these two books. This is the link to the previous post in case you missed it
      http://marchhousebookscom.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/this-is-london.html

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    2. I expect that I re-discovered Mr Sasek from your blog, as I remember that post!

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  16. Both of these charming stories look wonderful! I love that vintage books are coming back in style. Yay for Bodleian! I saw a tiny bit of that gorgeous library when I visited my son at Oxford. Thanks for posting a link to your older post. I'm off to check it out now as I may not have known you back then! :)

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    1. Hi Marcia, I remember you telling me your son was at Oxford. It must have been amazing to visit him there and to see parts of The Bodleian. Thank you for visiting the older post again, I’ve corrected the date in this post now, thank you for pointing it out. Hope you are having a good week, Barbara

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  17. I really love the look of The March Wind.

    A lovely post Barbara, as always. xx

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    1. Thanks Yvonne, I’m please you liked both the post and the book. xx

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  18. The March Wind looks enchanting! I am so happy there are others who unabashedly enjoy richly illustrated children's books. I buy them for my inner child and we so enjoy having them even when they are just winking from the shelves. I alwys enjoy your posts, Barbara!

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    1. Hello Colleen, I think my inner child is morphing into my outer child as I am beginning to enjoy more and more childlike things. :) Still it doesn’t harm anyone so why not. You and I can be childlike together. Thank you for your kind words, have a lovely weekend.

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  19. Both books sound and look amazing. I would love to visit the Bodleian Library!

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  20. Love the story of the plump chicken. The illustrations are so lovely even though they are drawn so simply.

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    1. I agree Shashi they are lovely, and it always amazes me how a few simple lines turn into a chicken or anything else for that matter. I could apply those same lines to paper, and they wouldn’t end up looking remotely like a chicken. :)

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx