Tale of Benjamin Bunny

Beatrix Potter. Frederick Warne 1932, Hardcover, $1.75

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is probably the second best-known of Beatrix Potter’s wonderful rabbit stories.  In this one, naughty Peter Rabbit and his cousin Benjamin again sneak into Mr. MacGregor’s garden and get themselves into dangerous trouble with the cat.  They are rescued by Benjamin’s father.  Beautifully illustrated, this classic story has been loved for good reason.  The cat is dangerous, the bunnies foolish and lovable, the father heroic and brave, and the warm home scene allows the reader a sigh of relief at the end.

An audio recording of this story is available for free download at librivox.org.

James Herriot’s Treasury for Children

James Herriot. St. Martin’s Press 1992, Hardcover, 260 pages, $8.95

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is an outstanding collection of eight of James Herriot’s true stories about his life as a veterinarian in 1940’s Yorkshire, adapted for children and beautifully illustrated.  Adults who enjoy Herriot’s memoirs (begun in All Creatures Great and Small) will love introducing their children to his life through this wonderful collection.  The book stands well on its own, however, with a slightly higher reading level than most books of this genre.  The stories really capture country life during this time period; they are often funny, and always interesting.  When so many great stories about animals include the talking kind, this is a unique and important addition to a child’s library.

The House That Jack Built (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press)

Randolph (Illustrator) Caldecott. Dodo Press 2006, Paperback, 48 pages, $7.20

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is a very nice rendition of the classic nursery rhyme, illustrated by the nineteenth-century children’s book illustrator Randolph Caldecott (the 19th-century children’s illustrator for whom the Caldecott award was named).  There are more modern versions of the nursery rhyme, but this one captures visually the flavor and mood by portraying the words and characters in a cultural context that made sense when the rhyme originated.  Modern children may not know much about the use of barley malt and the ways of cats stalking rats, but they can see these things portrayed as they really were in this beautiful book.  A very nice addition to your nursery-rhyme collection, and the best version I have seen so far, although harder to find than those produced in recent years.