BOOKS FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 54

BOOKS FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

80-Pocp. a Picture Book Annual for Little Folks, with over 30 coloured pictures and many black and white illustrations, is a delightful volume for presentation to boys and girls for the Christmas and New Year holidays, published by Messrs Cassell and Co., London, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne, a copy of which has been sent to us by Messrs Whitcombc and Tombs. The pictures alone, especially the coloured plates, will be a perpetual source of enjoyment for the young, being modern and up-to-date. There are in addition numberless rhymes, nursery and otherwise, and: stories and sketches, all orignal, or, if an old theme, told in quite a new way. The tales are not of the kind where the moral is more obvious than the story, and though they indirectly point a moral, some ingenuity is required in many instances to find it. Space does not permit of our quoting to any extent from the book to indicate the nature of its contents, but stories such as "Having Mumps at Christmas," "Improving the Wall-paper," "A Brownie Shower Bath," "How Jack Surprised tho Family," and others are quite human from the standpoint of the little boys and girls, who are sure to get into mischief, now and again. The book is strongly bound with an illustrated cover, and it is safe to say that it will more than delight the average boyor jrirl. The Australasian Girls' Annual is a hand-somelv-got-up volume issued by Messrs Cassell and Co., London, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne, and obtained locally from Messrs Whitcombc and Tombs. Ifc is intended —and nothing could be more suitable—for a school prize or a Christmas present for girls. There are some eight coloured full-page plates by well-known artists and about 30 black and white illustrations. The' stories and articles are contributed by, among others, such popular writers as Mrs Baillic Reynolds, Marjorie Bowen, Mrs George do Home Vaizey, Dorothea Moore, Olaf Baker, Helen Wallace, Bessie Marchant, E. E. Coper, Ethel Talbot, and others. The long complete story by Violet M. Methley. entitled "The Countess of the Revolution," describes tho adventures of a young pirl caught in the whirlwind of the French Revolution. Messrs Cassell and Co. have made a special effort this year to issue the premier annual for girls, and anyone who looks over the volume will admit they have succeeded. The price in cloth is 6s. From the house of Cassell v/e have received the new volume' of Chums. It is full of good reading- bv tho best writers for young people, and is varied in theme and style, and nil tho stories are alike in being thrilling and well written without beinaf sensational. Captain Shaw, S. Walkey, D. TT. Parry, Maxwell Scott, and others are anion',' the contributors to the volume, and these writers are always favourites with the young folk. Useful and informative articles arc scattered thvourrh the volume, and there are many coloured illustrations and half-tone drawings. No book will please a boy better than this n.nnual. It mav be obtained from Messrs Whitcombn and Tombs, Ltd., Duncdin. Price, 9s 6d.