Originally published in London in the late 1830's and fascinating for its view of children's learning (4 to 5 to 10 or 12). The object was to start from a young child's perception of the whole, to correct gently if at all, and to alternate this copying with drawing from life and from the imagination. " to teach him to think and act for himself, not to teach him to imitate another." The book contains an introduction on the principles of art education, notes to the teacher on the teaching of art, notes on every individual exercise, and 150 woodcuts to copy. Most are of common objects, dogs, and cows. The rather crude drawings were intentional; perspective, foreshortening, and shading were treated only briefly at the very end. (In the 1840s large drawing copies, for use by 40 or 50 children at a time, were also published). Do you know an art teacher sheltering at home? This is the book for them!

On each panel, a merry-go-round animal of character ridden by a happy child; in the background, green fields and blue sky, a few people and circus tents. Each little girl has a unique pretty dress: perhaps Stolberg also designed children's clothes? Little is known about her. Toy production was restricted during World War II to save materials, thus we see many modest paper books intended to be played with.

Very sweet little children, warmly dressed in muffs and scarves and giant hats, take a winter walk with a compliant puppy. Tiny little cards that came to us in a small, darkening Brentano's envelope post 1905 at least. On the envelope, handwritten in ink, "4 honor cards by Kate Greenaway, about 1890, not recorded in Spielmann". (but  they are in Schuster #293, picture pg 200 and Thompson p 296.) The maroon bonnets are identical to those in the Schuster images. The pictures may be familiar because a coloured plate was included in the Kate Greenaway Birthday Book (Routledge 1880).

"My name is Beautiful Joe, and I am a brown dog of medium size. I am called Beautiful Joe, but not because I am a beauty..." One of the great dog stories, a plea for kindness to animals inspired by Black Beauty. An attractive copy of the 1907 revised edition with much perverse cruelty removed. 

This is a school story, and Frisk is a school dog who takes the children's safety and promptness seriously. It describes the daily life of one of those small town 19th c schools run by educated women by subscription, schools which are none the less open to those in need. The teacher guides the children's moral growth tactfully and their recitations are accompanied by thoughtful questioning and extensions, as they learn at their own pace. If they have been diligent, the last hour of the day is reserved for projects and reading aloud. After school, the children can run down to the river, or go on pleasant walks and wagon rides, before returning home for the chores needed to help their families. In short, an idyllic situation, with a gifted and beloved teacher.

Miss Agatha guides the children toward helping the white poor of the village in a dignified way, so it is a shock to see the unspoken racial prejudices and the gently patronizing customs toward people of colour held by liberal New England society intrude on this scene. Mrs. Sanford was the eldest of 10 children in an Episcopalian minister's family, and the wife of a minister, with 6 children herself, so she knows children's inner feelings well. A good writer, very popular in her day, whose books were often beautifully produced, like this one.