Winnetka Local History Digital Collections

Winnetka Weekly Talk, 24 Nov 1928, p. 52

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November 24, 1928 WINNETKA TALK 51 Book Review BOOK TRAILS (in 8 volumes)--Shepard and Lawrence, Inc., publishers. By Critic There is something new under the sun and that something is a new set of children's books. Both the text and illustrations in these delightful volumes are selected with thought of what the child likes, rather than only what grown people think he ought to like. The tiniest toddler is provided for, the first book, "Book Trails for Baby Feet," being especially for the child who is read to by mother and nurse. Older authors and many of the modern ones are equally represented, among the former being Eugene Field, Mary Mapes Dodge, Emilie Poulsson, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Some of the latter are Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Hilaire Belloc, Galett Burgess, Oliver Herford, Christopher Morley, Walter de la Mare, Rose Fyleman, and Vachel Lindsay--all of them known in the world of adult fiction. The old favorites, like the Mother Goose rhymes, "Little Black Sambo," and "Peter Rabbit," are made new and fresh by unusual illustrations that out- rival the pictures of our childhood edi- tions. Many stories are in all of these books that are not found in similar collections. The cream of children's literature, not only of years past but of the last decade, has been included in these books. Bird calls printed be- neath bird pictures or poems, pages of music, and a poem from the Chinese version of Mother Goose, are among the unusual features of the first book. Miss Rose Waldo, editor of Child Life magazine, advised on the pre-school material. Volume II, "Book Trails Through the Wildwood," gives the child a world of animals--the familiar, deer pets of the nursery, and other crea- tures just as dear, who roam field and woodland. Animals from East Africa vie with those nearer home, and such humble atoms of the animal kingdom as the ant, grasshopper, caterpillar, and sea horse are represented. The third and fourth books, "Book Trails to Enchanted Lands," and "Book Trails on the Highroad to Ad- venture," offer many fairy and folk tales, culled from practically every na- tion and race on the globe. The third book includes the simpler, more fa- miliar stories, not forgetting old fa- vorites like "Rumpelstilzchen," "Han- zel and Gretel," and Dick Whitting- ton. Nor are realistic stories omitted, with stories of far-away Japan by Dr. Frederick Starr, and a glimpse of how a big locomotive is run, by George Hoskin. The great epics of the world are in- cluded in Volume V, "Book Trails to Turret Tops." Here far-off races and strange peoples meet on common ground, each telling the story of its hero and singing of vailant deeds. The glamor of great deeds link the age of chivalry with our own land, and epic heroism is not as remote as we may have imagined for the tale of Sam Houston, savior of Texas, reads like an ancient saga, and Paul Bunyan, that mythical hero of our Northwest- ern lumber camps, comes to delight us with his tale-of the winter of the "blue snow." Philip Schuyler Allen, Professor of German Literature at the University of Chicago, supervised this volume and has written three of the epics. "Book- Trails at the Crossroads," the sixth book in the set, deals with a difficult age in a most capable man- ner. How better to help boys and girls in their everyday problems of work and play, than by giving them stories to read about other boys and girls at school, partaking of sports, or earning money in their spare time? All the splendid qualities which one likes to think are found in the American boy and girl are brought out in these ex- cellent stories. The adviser on this volume was Mr. Franklin K. Mathiews, Librarian of the Boy Scouts of Amer- ica, and editor of their yearbook. Something unique has been done in "Book Trails Winding Wesward," the seventh book. The volume is American in spirit and content. Not only the United States, but the North American continent is fully represented. From the days of Leif the Lucky and Colum- bus, down to "The Man Who Dug the Ditch" (Goethals), no phase of America's history has been forgotten. The Northwest is represented in Mar- cus Whitman, "The Preacher Who Rode for an Empire"; Betty Zane and her famous race for life, as told by her great-great-nephew, Zane Grey, shows West Virginia at the time when it was part of the frontier; Buffalo Bill is pictured on his Western prairies, earning his name as he killed twelve buffalos a day for the Union Pacific railroad; Ralph Connor has a story of Canada, while Morris Long- streth tells about "The Making of a Mounty"; Dr. Grenfell spins a yarn of the hardy men of the Labrador, and Garland takes the boy and girl with him into the gold fields of the Yukon. Mr. Garland advised on the content of this book, and it is a noteworthy achievement in American literature. Something decidedly different is found in "Book Trails of Trail Blazers," the last volume in the set. The amazing variety of occupations into which men and women have gone, many of them indeed blazing trails for those who must follow, is revealed by stories of these people. The pursuits range from archeology to agriculture, and from law and the arts to geology, science, and shipbuilding, forming an excellent aid in vocational guidance. Mrs. A. J. Nystrom of 714 Central avenue entertained her Tuesday club this week at her home. BR] G2 It's Toyland Opening! Yes, Kiddies, it's time for Toyland! More thrilling than ever. Trucks, trains, sleds, dolls, books, games--just heaps of the jolliest toys ever. Hustle in to Toy- land on Third Floor Chandler's 630 Davis St., Evanston University 123 Wilmette 724 &. TERR RR RE RS RAE A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Easy to Regulate Another Advantage of Genuine Quick response to draft control--whether the day be mild or extremely cold you are assured an even temperature. Smoke- less--Sootless--Few Ashes--Economical. University of Illinois tests show the actual heating value of by-product coke to be 11%% greater than hard coal and furthermore it costs much less. Phone your dealer today GUARANTEED N We demonstrate to your satisfaction that it is to ysur advantage to heat your home with this fuel, or it is removed at our expense and your money refunded. FREE SERVICE Our Service Man is in your neighborhood every day; phone us and he will call and inspect your heating plant, advise the cor rect size coke to use and the best method 4 for operating your heating plant. Edinger & Son, Wilmette, Ill.--Phone Wilmette 642 Kutten Brothers, 711 Main St., Wilmette, Ill.--Phone Wilmette 1 Wilmette Coal & Building Material Yard, 1301 Lake Ave. Wilmette, Ill. Phone Wilmette 4200

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