Description
A Child’s Book of Stories – Illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith
A Child’s Book of Stories is a compilation of some of the best fairy-tales in the world. They are selected and arranged by Penrhyn W. Coussens, editor of Poems Children Love – who also provides an insightful introduction. The stories include some of Charles Perrault’s finest tales; ‘Bluebeard’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Puss in Boots’; Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Fir Tree’; Mme. D’Aulnoy’s classic ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’; together with the Brothers Grimm’s ‘Hansel and Gretel’, ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’ and ‘Rumplestiltskin.’ Much older stories, such as those from Aesop’s Fables are also encompassed. All of these wonderful tales are accompanied by the colour illustrations of Jessie Willcox Smith.
Jessie Willcox Smith (1863 – 1935) was one of the most prominent female illustrators in the United States during the Golden Age of American Illustration. She was also a prolific contributor to literary novels and magazines during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Most notable was her ongoing relationship with Good Housekeeping, including the long-running ‘Mother Goose’ series. Smith’s style changed drastically through her life. In the beginning of her career she used dark lined borders to delineate brightly coloured objects, and in later works she masterfully softened lines and colours – until they almost disappeared. Presented alongside the text of A Child’s Book of Stories, her illustrations further refine and elucidate Coussens’ thoughtfully edited collection.
