Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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An illustrated collection of more than thirty nonsense verses with brief afterwords about the author and the artist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No Nonsense
Though Wines is renowned for architecture, his illustrations for Lear are emphatic of his talents as an artist; these are a combination of the beautiful line and sensuous watercolor qualities of Arthur Rackham crossedwith the avant-garde and perverse sensibilities of Edward Gorey.Anintriguing perspective on the poems of Edward Lear.Lear himself must haveapplauded if he'd had the chance.Provocative for adults, yet childrenwill be tickled by it.Nice gift book.The title makes it suitable forall sorts of occasions. ... Read more

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This classic large print title is printed in 16 point Tiresias font as recommended by the Royal National Institute for the Blind ... Read more

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Literature/Biography ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very informative and fairly entertaining.
As a self-proclaimed James Barrie freak, I've read numerous books and newspaper-magazine articles about him. The Barrie chapter in Inventing Wonderland is definetly one of the most informative, but it loses a few points in the entertainment department. I read the Carroll, Barrie, and Milne chapters and thought that Jackie Wullschlager tends to examine her subjects a little too closely. At times, her meaning becomes lost in a pile of pop psychobabble, but the overall impressions were very clear (especially Carroll's disturbing fixation with little girls). Especially touching were A.A. Milne's bittersweet descriptions of pride in his adult son Christopher Robin, but at the same time longing to play with his little boy just once more. Such nostalgic, personal pieces make the book is beautiful, but it would be about a hundred times more beautiful if the author had kept the stories a little simpler.

Those Strange Victorians
Victorians are experiencing something of a comeback after decades of censure as the strange, repressed, half-crazy relatives we don't want to tell anyone about. We are discovering that the Victorians were not so different from us.

The Victorians did, however, produce their own brand of eccentricity and none are as delightfully eccentric as the Victorian/Edwardian writers for children discussed in Inventing Wonderland. Jackie Wullschlager starts with that greatest of all Wonderland writers, the master himself Lewis Carroll and ends with Jazz Age Pooh creator A.A. Milne.

The eccentricity of these Victorian writers is their confident, and sometimes troubling, obsession with childhood itself. Wullschlager assures us, correctly, that these writers' obsessions did not cross the line into pedophilic behavior. To 21st century sensibilities this seems scarcely creditable, especially after reading letters by Lewis Carroll to various girl children. Carroll, Lear, Barrie and Grahame's effusions about childhood can only be understood within the context of the Victorian age, the age that produced and adored Wordsworth's overly quoted (then and now) "But trailing clouds of glory do we come/From God, who is our home" (Ode: Intimations of Immortality From Recollections of Early Childhood).

Wullschlager is, I think, a bit too dismissive of Milne, who is regarded in the text as a has-been, clinging to the last remnants of the Victorian celebration of childhood. Wullschlager's overall point in this regard, however, is well made. The Victorians invented and took seriously the concept of childhood as a wonderland. Consequently, they produced children's writers of a truly magnificent stature. When the concept of childhood=innocence & pleasure was abandoned, in the early 20th century (thank you, Freud!), the result was an almost tongue-in-cheek parody of the earlier writers. It just wasn't possible to take childhood that seriously anymore.

Writers for children have of course continued to producemasterpieces, largely in the fantasy area, but that particular brand of unself-conscious Victorian nonsense and idyllicism may be lost forever. The Victorians are not as strange to us as we may like to believe, but they are certainly unreproducable.

Recommendation: Interesting, well-written, well-paced. Not the most complete biographical sketches but a complete analysis of biography and art. Give it a try. ... Read more

Product Description
Letters of Edward Lear CHAPTER I 1847, to August, 1853 ROME, GREECE, AND ENGLAND HE earliest letter in this collection which I have found is dated October 16, 1847, written to my uncle, Chichester Fortescue, by Edward Lear immediately on his return to Rome (his headquarters at that time) from his tour in Calabria. The diary he kept on that journey was published in 1852, illustrated by many striking lithographs made from sketches taken during the tour, two of which are here reproduced. The whole of Italy at this time was in a state of political upheaval and unrest; the people felt that the time for more liberal forms of government had come. Chichester Fortescue, then in his twenty- 1 B

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Customer Reviews (2)

Who? is a great question in this book.
I used to think that I knew the words of the Scroobius Pip in this poem, more or less, since each word could have been the same as in the verse before it, simply repeating a line at the end of each verse, as the words of the chorus of a song have a tendency to show up, one at a time, each in their proper places; but when the Scroobious Pip has something to say, like "Chippetty flip!Flippetty chip!My only name is the Scroobious Pip!" it might come out, "Flippetty chip!Chippetty flip!" or "with a liquid sound, Pliffity flip!Pliffity flip!" or "with a whistly sound, Wizzeby wip!Wizzeby wip!" or "Chippetty tip!Chippetty tip!"My dictionary had a lot of definitions for pip which weren't much help in understanding what this poem is all about.I thought a pip would be something small, but the dictionary thought it might even be British slang for a "metal insigne of rank on the shoulders of commissioned officers."There is an interpretation of the word, pip, as a verb, applying to a young bird chipping a hole in the shell of its egg.The pictures of the Scroobious Pip in this book don't look like it just crawled out of a shell, but the curiousity which is expressed might apply to something which has just been born as well as to something which is unusual because it defies classification.If wearing glasses and having a feathery beard, horns like a goat and a beak like a parrot or owl might be considered signs of wisdom, the hero of this book is being shown as a wise whatever it is, as well as being impeccably dressed in a coat and vest.The illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert in the edition that I have (Harper & Row, 1968) are excellent, and she also did the Foreword, which says, "It is this ideal of harmony between ourselves and nature which I feel is present in the rhythmic verses of The Scroobious Pip and which made me so want to illustrate them."

The Scroobious Pip
This is one of the most memorable books from my childhood. The illustrations are wonderful,and I spent many hours trying to find all the different animals, birds, fish and insects mentioned in the poem.It is a neat poem, too.I would recommend this book for second or third gradechildren or older.A young child might find the picture of the ScroobiousPip just a little bit scary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

laugh out loud
I found this book at a local book sale and gave it to a neighbor who had just been to Great Britain and was enjoying their limericks.I loved it so much, I had to find one for myself.It's a great book to put in the bathroom if you're not worried about someone hearing you laugh. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of Lear's nonsense songs, stories, rhymes, alphabets, and pictures taken from "Nonsense Songs and Stories," "Nonsense Botany," and "Nonsense Alphabets." ... Read more

Product Description
The Quangle Wangle shares his enormous hat with a multiplying cast of peculiar creatures in this silly, singsong tale from the celebrated author of THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT.

On the top of the Crumpetty TreeThe Quangle Wangle sat,But his face you could not see,On account of his Beaver Hat.Poor Quangle Wangle. Life can get pretty lonely beneath a hat that's a hundred and two feet wide. But then along come Mr. and Mrs. Canary, who ask, "May we build a nest on your lovely Hat?" Following close behind are the Stork, the Duck, and the Owl, the Frog and the Fimble Fowl, the Pobble who has no toes, the Dong with a luminous nose. . . . Only classic nonsense poet Edward Lear could create such an odd and amiable crew -- enticingly rendered by Louise Voce in the most vivid of hues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

PLEASING STORY AND PLEASING ILLUSTRATIONS.KIDS LOVE IT.
A strange critter, the Quangle Wangle.Lives is a tree and is almost completely covered by a very strange hat.The Quangle Wangle is lonely but this is soon taken care of by a group of other strange critters who decide the hat is the ideal place to take up residents.There are several versons of this particular book out there using at least three different illustrators or artists. All are quite good, all contain the wonderful nonsense rhymes of th author, and I suppose it all boils down as to which version you were raised with as to which is your favorite.All are excellent reading, all have excellent illustrations.Just a warning though, if you purchase this book, be sure you purchase the one that you have in mind...it can be a bit confusing. Recommend this one highly. ... Read more

Product Description

The Owl and the Pussycat of Lear's ballad are truly made for each other, as depicted by James Marshall in these poignant, slaphappy illustrations. Only Marshall could have shown us the Owl serenading the pampered Pussycat on the deck of the S.S. Dorabella, or the Pussycat posing for travel photographs, or the happy couple's goofy wedding dance "by the light of the moon."

Here is a final gift from this greatly beloved creator of children's books.

Customer Reviews (4)

James Marshall's pics, not Jan Brett's!
First of all, Amazon.com seems to have screwed up somehow and most of the reviews here are for "The Owl and the Pussycat" illustrated by Jan Brett which transfers this classic tale into a Caribbean setting bursting with colors. I collect versions of this poem so I have that book too and it is truly beautiful. But the one on this page was illustrated by James Marshall and according to the afterword by Maurice Sendak, this was some of his last work before his death. So please don't buy this one based on the reviews, this is not the Jan Brett book.

The pictures of this book are faithful enough to the story and whimsical, done in a little more cartoonish style than Jan Brett's realistic ones. They are full of subtle deadpan humor, especially if you look close enough and read between the lines. For example, what disturbs me greatly, the Pussycat changes colors in this book!!! First she is gray with stripes, then orange with stripes, then grey again, and once the Owl sings to a small guitar she turns white and remains white throughout the rest of the book. What is this??? Is this supposed to imply that the Owl ditched the original Cat for some other kitty while on board the beautiful pea green boat (which is a ship reminiscent of the Titanic, by the way)? Also, the Pussycat looks like a Tomcat in drag. Is this a deliberate allusion to Some Like It Hot? No wonder the Owl looks a little apprehensive in most pictures, rolling his eyes and probably thinking of ways to get out of this stew.

The poem, of course, is a classic... and the reason why I collect these books.

The best illustrations James Marshall ever did
What a beautiful version of Edward Lear's poem. I've always been a James Marshall fan, but this book is absolute tops for his illustrations. The colors are glorious, the characters, as his always are, deftly and lovingly handled. I understand that it was his last work, and it's a shame that it is out of print. Buy it, save it, and pass it around.

Buy the Edition illustrated by James Marshall
I love Edward Lear's story and James Marshall's illustrations are magical.I don't like the version with Jan Brett's illustrations.I've never liked Jan Brett's illustrations.I've spent hundreds of hours looking at children's books and I always pass over Jan Brett's books.Her illustrations just don't appeal to me.Her illustrations are distinctive and I can always recognize her work but I don't like them. There is just something missing--they don't have any life to them or something.I can't explain it.I have always loved James Marshall.His genius transcends understanding.His illustrations complement Ed Lear's beautiful tale perfectly.

Wonderful!
I memorized this book in the first grade with the rest of the class and I thought it was great then, and now, 12 years later, I still think that it is wonderful!It's a must for young children.:-) ... Read more

Product Description
This enchanting alphabet is illustrated with a variety of objects to amuse both young and old. ... Read more

Product Description
A picture book designed to encourage reading in three-year-olds and upwards, this is available as part of Picture Book set B (0-7500-1219-6), or individually subject to a minimum order value. There are five sets of these picture books, graded according to reading ability and interest range. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The tropics are as romantic as anything, so why not?
Edward Lear's classic poem gets Brettisized as Jan Brett puts the owl and his feline sweetheart in a Carribean sort of mood with detailed artwork that still fits the mood--just with a tropical twist. This is a bright way to introduce this classic poem with the romantic art for which Jan Brett is known.It is enough to make anyone sign up for a tropical cruise of their own!Brett knows her animals very well and her particular characters fit very well in the poem's structure.

Beautifully illustrated
Our 2 yr. old daughter loves this book. I love to sing it to her. The drawings are unusually good, and have lots and lots of great detail. Our daughter loves to notice how, say, the fish from one panel makes it into the following panels.

Beautiful, Brilliant, Detailed
I love the poem "The Owl and the Pussycat" - so much in fact that my husband is thoroughly sick of it. This book is a fabulous rendition of that poem. The illustrations of Jan Brett are lush, brilliantly colorful and have enough details in them to make this slim book worth reading many times. The Caribbean theme used throughout is a nice, novel idea. It makes me want to visit the land where the bong-tree grows. Recommended, and I don't even have any children! ... Read more

Product Description
Presents the life of a beloved children's writer and illustrator, describing his life as one of twenty-one children, his secret and violent struggle with epilepsy, his struggles with depression, and the inspiration for his works. ... Read more