A reminder and a recommendation

Don't forget to enter our giveaway for The girl's own book published in 1850 ending on the 11th December - Enter Here

If you have a little time to spare I recommend a visit to the very pretty  Be a child again run by Bob Brooks. Bob has included an area that feels rather like visiting a family home with several ‘rooms’ such as the library and the parlour. There are also links to other interesting blogs, book reviews, best family books and a link to Bob's forthcoming book Tales From the Glades of Ballymore.

Things found in books; No work today!

Handwritten note found in Tarka the Otter c1932;

Dear Madam,

I am sorry I cannot come for you today my Father is ill and I cannot leave him alone, but if I can help you I could do your laundry each week as I used to do for Captain Patchett.

Hoping I haven’t put you out.

I am yours truly,

Dorothy Denyer

I can imagine someone cycling to madam's house to deliver the letter, or one of Dorothy’s children (assuming she had children) running to put it through the door.

Now fast forward 80 years and imagine someone sending a similar message...

Today’s message would probably be sent by telephone, text or email. I wonder if it would be quite so polite or well written - what do you think? 

Tarka the otter is now sold, thank you for your interest.

Thanks for calling in!

Alice in Wonderland revisited

Back in May I featured Marjorie Torrey’s illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The post received lots of interest and the book sold very quickly. Another copy came into stock (hence this update) but has now sold. I will keep looking for other copies and post about any I find. Thank you for your interest.

UPDATE March 2013 I've just discovered the Alice in Wonderland story illustrated by Marjorie Torrey is included in The Winner Treasury published by Adprint in 1955. If you can't find the original edition this one would be a very good compromise.

UPDATE September 2013 The Winner Treasury is now sold, thank you for your interest.

I think these are some of the nicest Alice illustrations I’ve seen - what do you think?

A dozen delightful dust jackets

I've always loved the Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton and the artwork by Dorothy Wheeler perfectly complements the stories. Six in a castle illustrated by Isabel Veevers appeals to me because the little dog on the jacket reminds me of ‘Peggy’ a childhood pet. The Bobbsey Twins at London tower  is another favourite mostly because of the bright scarlet tunic of the beefeater and the children’s eager faces. The above books are now sold, thank you for your interest.
I haven’t read the hiding place by Winifred Mantle and have no idea what the four children are looking at – but I keep promising myself I will read it and find out. The artwork is by Rosemary Hird.  The starlight barking is the follow up to the 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith with artwork by the wonderful Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone. Edward Ardizzone’s dust jacket for the James Reeves story book makes me want to open the pages and start reading. Alice Bush provided the dust jacket artwork for the Master of Maryknoll.
The starlight barking and the James Reeves story book are now sold, thank you for your interest.
Masquerade at the Wells is one of my childhood favourites and the Eva Guthrie artwork is just beautiful. Seven white gates is another book by Malcolm Saville but this time the artwork is by Bertram Prance. Enid Blyton’s Rubbalong tales is illustrated by Norman Meredith. The golden staircase is a collection of poems for children chosen by Louey Chisholm and illustrated by C. E. & H. M. Brock. Seven white gates, Rubbalong Tales and the golden staircase are now sold, thank you for your interest.

These are just a few of my favourite dust jackets - do you have a favourite?

Update July 2016: March House books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I do still blog here at March of Time Books and always appreciate your visit. 

Things found in books and a lovely new picture book

Christmas card
Verse reads;
This cat is as lucky as he is black, good luck should follow upon his track.
Sent to Auntie, Uncle and Babs - wishing you all a happy Xmas from Kath.

Found in Chums of St. Olaf's and other stories of school life and adventure; published in 1935.

If you enjoy finding things in books a visit to Forgotten Bookmarks is a must.

Another blog well worth visiting is Carry Us Off Books where Claudine shares some lovely news: CarryUsOff's first picture book has just been released. MY CLEAREST ME is about a shy & quiet boy searching for his clearest voice in this seemingly loud world.

J. R. R. Tolkien; Smith of Wootton Major

The Feast had been in mid-winter, but it was now June, and the night was hardly dark at all. The boy got up before dawn, for he did not wish to sleep: it was his tenth birthday. He looked out of the window, and the world seemed quiet and expectant. A little breeze, cool and fragrant, stirred the waking trees. Then the dawn came, and far away he heard the dawn-song of the birds beginning, growing as it came towards him, until it rushed over him, filling all the land round the house, and passed on like a wave of music into the West, as the sun rose above the rim of the world.

Smith of Wootton Major Pg. 19
By J. R. R. Tolkien
Smith Of Wootton Major is now sold thank you for your interest