Book of the Week - Ann Jupp and the paper house; Marion St. John Webb

Ann Jupp's a little girl I know, she isn't very nice, 'cos everything I say I've done - she's always done it twice.
An' everything I say I've got, she's got - an' more, you see. I've seven uncles - she's got twelve, an' three more aunts than me.
We both c'llect tickets from the trams, an' her lot's more than mine. She's got more steps to her front door - I've eight, an' she's got nine.
We scrambled through a holly-bush, an' Ann got scratched to-day, an' I got scratched. "I'm scratched the most!" Of course I heard her say.
An' scratches hurt...but I don't care, 'cos now we've counted up, an' she's got six, an' I've got ten...I've four more than Ann Jupp!

I've drawed a little paper house, an' Mother's cut it out. I've drawed it with a chimley-pot, an' windows all about. I've drawed the paper people that will live inside, you see, an' little paper cups an' plates for them to have their tea.

But I have drawed the paper man too big - he's drefful tall - an' now that Mother's cut him out he won't fit in at all. His legs are in the parlour, but his face comes up so high his chin is on the chimley-pot - he's lookin' at the sky.

I wish that Aunt Priscilla could have growed as tall as that. Then when she comes to tea, an' stands upon the parlour mat, her head would be out on the roof, an' so she couldn't see an' frown when I am droppin' crumbs, an' shake her head at me.


Ann Jupp and the paper house are just two of the poems in The Littlest one's third book by Marion St. John Webb. There are several other poems including Jane and Emily Jane, fairy things, the little path I found and the London policeman. The illustrations are by Margaret W Tarrant and the book was published by George Harrap in 1928. The books in this series are getting harder to find and as this one came into stock recently I thought I would share it with you.

Marion St. John Adcock (Wood) was the elder daughter of Arthur St. John Adcock the distinguished poet and bookman. Her first book, The Littlest One, published in 1914, was enormously successful, as were her 'Mr Papingay' books. When Marion and her younger sister Almey were young they had lots of  imaginary friends - there was Minnie and Teddi Hope, Tarramina - who always wore white gloves,  Mr. Ponkin and his wife and children,  the mysterious Lady in Green who left a green finger-mark on everyone she touched, stupid Mr. Bell, and arrogant Lady Frampton who made a hobby of cutting bits off other ladies dresses! 

This book is now sold, thank you for your interest.

To read more about Marion St. John Webb please visit this link