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.

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.

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 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.

 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!

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.