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A Child's Geography of the World. V.M. Hillyer. 1929/1951. 472 pages.
First sentence: When I was a boy, my nurse used to take me to the railroad station to see the trains.
Premise/plot: A Child's Geography of the World was first published in 1929. The edition I found was revised and published in 1951. The tone is casual conversation. There are a few black and white illustrations throughout the book. The book is full of information, but what kind?
The truth is some information stays the same no matter the decade. (For example the location of the The Great Lakes, the Empire State Building, the Leaning Tower of Pisa). But plenty of things have changed and changed dramatically! Nations have passed away, governments have been toppled, revolutions have taken place. Also the United States has more than 48 states! Mount Everest has been climbed. Man has gone to the moon and back.
The last war mentioned is World War 2. Communists are mentioned, or perhaps I should say warned against!
Race is definitely an issue if you're reading this with children. (God created black men at night and many black people in Africa eat each other. The narrator makes an offhandedly comment that you will likely never see a real live Indian because there are few left. The narrator later makes an aside that the U.S. does it's best to keep out the Chinese.) I would say adults can throw away the bad and keep the good and have the discernment needed to tell the difference between the two. I would not recommend young children read this on their own for several reasons. One being that unless this text has been updated and revised recently, you'd have more misinformation than correct information.
My thoughts: I find vintage books entertaining. I do. Rare, long out-of-print books call to me. It's a way to capture a glimpse of the past, for better or worse. Not a historical writer's idea of the past. Good Morning, Miss Dove is one of my favorite, favorite books--and movies. This book would have been published at exactly the right time for Miss Dove to use!
The information is dated, true, I won't lie, but it is also a strong narrative. If there weren't problematic sections, I could easily call it charming.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Purple Pussycat. Margaret Hillert. 1950. 31 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: We can not play now. We have work to do. Can you help me? Now we can go. Come with me. I want you to come.
Premise/plot: A boy's toy--a purple pussycat--has adventures on his own once the boy falls asleep.
The copyright of my copy of the book says 1981. The book was a part of Follett's Just Beginning To Read series. The whole book has just a fifty-eight word vocabulary. And perhaps that simplicity keeps it from being a wow of a plot.
My thoughts: Was it worth the quarter I paid for it? Probably. The series promises COLORFULLY ILLUSTRATED books, and, I won't deny that these illustrations are colorful. I'm not sure you'd see anything like them published today. (The house the boy lives in desperately needs the Property Brothers, in my opinion.) Once the (toy) cat begins his adventures outside, I think the book becomes more interesting.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Bedtime Book. Mabel Watts. Illustrated by Florence Sarah Winship. 1963. 28 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: At night, when you're sleepy, Mom turns down your bed. But suppose you were some sort of animal instead...
Premise/plot: This bedtime book is animal-focused or animal-themed. We've got an elephant, turtle, mouse, lamb, lion, puppy, kitten, horse, bear cub, fawn, stork, bird, fox, seal, and squirrel. The text is written all in rhyme.
My thoughts: Really loved this one. I think I loved the turtle most of all. If you were a turtle you'd get under your shell. Then you'd huddle and cuddle and sleep very well." Almost better than the text, the illustrations.
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The Very Best of Friends. Steffi Fletcher. 1963. 27 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Once upon a time a cow, a hen, a goat, and a pony lived on a farm. They lived there most happily. But then one day a new owner came to the farm.
Premise/plot: The animals on this farm runaway. Each animal finds a place to stay. They meet together every day. They meet a little boy who happens to be great at taking care of them. They decide the little boy would be a great new owner.
My thoughts: Well, I must admit I was disappointed with this one. I was judging it at first by the illustrations alone. I didn't bother to read the text before I bought it. The text was just silly and super unrealistic. (Was it as unrealistic as Bess not having legs for several pages in Ballerina Bess? I don't know.) For example, the cow milks herself and comes to town trying to sell her milk. The hen carries her own eggs to town to try to sell. And the goat somehow, someway makes cheese from her own milk and ties it on her back to take it to town and sell. Still, it isn't a complete loss for I do like the illustrations.
Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
The House My Grandpa Built. Geraldine Everett Gohn. Illustrated by Bonnie and Bill Rutherford. 1971. Whitman. 30 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: This is the lot my grandparents found, with maple trees and high, dry ground. These are the plans that Grandpa drew, showing the rooms and outside view--a small sort of house, for their children have grown and left the big house for homes of their own.
Premise/plot: Grandpa and Grandma are moving into a house that he is having built. The book follows the construction of the house from beginning to end. And it's all done in rhyme--for better or worse!
My thoughts: I liked this one. I like that we get to see the plans of this house too. I'm an addict for HGTV, I admit. And even before that This Old House was one of my favorite, favorite shows. So this cute little book has a just right feel for me.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Trumpet. Patricia Lynn. Illustrated by Bernice Myers. 1953. Whitman. 30 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: On Farmer Friendly's farm everyone worked. Farmer Friendly plowed and hoed and harvested the fields. Mrs. Friendly cleaned and baked and sewed. Babs and Buzzy sold fruit and vegetables at their roadside stand, while Harry the hired man did a little of everything.
Premise/plot: The friendly family gets a dog; they name him Trumpet. Everyone, but Harry, likes him. Well, that's only partly true. The animals don't like Trumpet's barking, and, the family doesn't like how the animals react when Trumpet is barking. But. When Trumpet learns that there is a right time and a wrong time to bark, all is well on the farm.
My thoughts: I liked this one. It was a cute story. I really enjoyed the illustrations. If you enjoy vintage illustrations, then you should definitely seek this one out.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Jiggers. Joy Muchmore Lacey. Illustrated by Marge Opitz. 1963. 28 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Jiggers was a little black and white dog. He came to live with Judy the day she was six years old.
Premise/plot: Jiggers and Judy are very happy together for the most part. But one day while Jiggers is watching Judy begin her walk to school, he is a bit naughty. He does not go back into the house, or even the yard. When Judy returns home that day, Jiggers is not there and has not been there all day. The search is on. Where did Jiggers go? Can Judy and her family find him again?
My thoughts: I liked this one well enough. It is a lost dog story that is sweetly predictable. (They find him and all is well in the end. Not all lost pet stories have a happy ending in real life.)
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Two Stories About Kate and Kitty. Lee Priestley. Illustrated by Alice Schlesinger. 1968. Whitman. 30 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: Kate was a little girl, flitty and pretty. Kitty was a little cat, pouncy and bouncy. Kate and Kitty belonged to each other.
Premise/plot: Kate and Kitty are best, best friends. In the first story, Kitty keeps finding herself on the wrong side of the door. First, in the fall, then the winter, and at last in the spring. If only there was a way for Kitty to let everyone know she needs back IN. The second story "An Alarm Clock for Kitty." Both Kate and Kitty are sound sleepers. Kate's parents get her an alarm clock to wake up their precious little sleepy head. But what can be an alarm clock for a cat?
My thoughts: I did not have this one growing up. But if I had, I would have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it and read it again and again and again. As an adult, I still really love it. I am so glad I found this one at my local charity shop.
Anyone who loves cats, who loves children's books, who loves vintage books really need to find a copy of this one!
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
