New Zealands Rich Store of Childrens Books

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 77, Issue 6, 15 December 1948, Page 629

New Zealands Rich Store of Childrens Books

By

ENID B. V. PHILLIPS

PARENTS can do much to offset the present craze for “comics” and other rubbishy reading matter by seeing that their children are kept plentifully supplied with good books. This should not be difficult, for the education authorities are keen to do their part and assist the pupils’ natural desire for knowledge both by means of school libraries and a system of projects whereby the looking up of facts in encyclopaedias and other reference books becomes a distinctly pleasurable pastime. Every public library, too, has its junior section, where boys and girls may borrow the books of their choice, and every bookshop worthy of the name (and New Zealand bookshops compare very favourably with those overseas) caters in some measure for children’s tastes. In most bookstores not only the established classics of childhood are available, but sandwiched in between the books of Maud and Miska Petersham, Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire, Eleanor Far jeon, Lucy Fitch Perkins, L. A. G. Strong, and numerous other modern authors are. a surprising number of New Zealand names. THE action of the New Zealand Library Association in awarding annually a medal for the best children’s book by a New Zealand author should prove a decided stimulus to the creators of children’s literature in this country. In naming the medal after the late Esther Glen to commemorate her work the association has followed the precedent set by the Newbery and Caldecott Awards in America, which bear the names of pioneers in children’s literature. Miss Glen inherited in rich measure the literary bent of her parents. Her sister, Mrs. Helen G. Turner, was also a writer. Like many another aspiring author, in her earlier

years she had to earn her livelihood at some less congenial occupation (in this case office work); nevertheless she managed to fit in a good deal of free lance journalism and write books which have endeared her to successive generations of children. “Six Little New Zealanders,” probably the best loved of them all, originally had a Maori title, but because New Zealand was so . much in the news at that time owing to the . Gallipoli campaign, the English publishers altered the title accordingly. Other books by Miss Glen are “Uncles Three at Kamahi” and “Robin of Maoriland,” a smaller volume, though nonetheless charming, being “Twinkles on the Mountain.” This was illustrated by a local artist’, Daisy Osborne. Sensitive Delineation To read again in later years a book that one has enjoyed in childhood is too often a disillusioning experience rather like visiting the scenes of one’s youth only to find that -everything has shrunk to unbelievably-small proportions and the old. remembered magic has gone. Esther Glen’s work is more than equal to such a severe test, however. Her descriptions of the Canterbury countryside with its placid fields and tussock-covered plains, its snow-fed rivers, and magnificent backdrop of mountain grandeur, her delightful sense of adventure, her spontaneous humour and dramatic skill, and, above all, her sensitive delineation of the joys and sorrows, the struggles and achievements that aro so typical of family life (she herself was one of 12 children) still ; have - the same power to enthrall the adult reader, as well as the youngster perusing the pages for the first time. ■, The resignation of Miss M. Brown, who edited the children’s page of “The Sun,” Christchurch, gave Miss Glen a unique opportunity for exercising her remarkable gifts not only as- a writer, but as the founder of a scheme to interest children in social’ welfare. Under her guidance her youthful correspondents collected all manner of goods for distribution among the. poor and needy, many of them thus ■qualifying as assistants to Santa Claus, and also entertained orphanage children at a big party each Christmas. “Lady Gay,” the name Miss Glen was known by, encouraged her “Sunbeams” to write plays and stories, and in the children’s radio session which she conducted with the help of “Mr. Wiseman”, a well-known member of the “Sun’s” staff, she featured many of these original contributions, a decided innovation in those days. In collaboration with Miss G. Mackay, sister of the poet Jessie Mackay. Miss Glen wrote

the script of three pantomimes which were produced by “Mr. Wiseman” at the Civic Theatre in Christchurch and so augmented the funds for her Christmas mission. When “The Sun” ceased publication she became children’s editor of “The Press,” Christchurch, and forming her proteges into the crew of the “Press Ship,” she continued her good work to such effect that it culminated in the endowment of a cot ,at the Cholmondely Home. Another novel idea in connection with her extensive newspaper activities was the introduction of the penfriend scheme. “Treasure of the Stars” was the serial which she wrote for the children’s page of “The Press”. Up to the time of her death, February 9, 1940, she was the only woman to have gained the award of the New Zealand Journalists’ Association for an open comnetition. Her last book was called “Betty of Blue Bay.” She had intended reconstructing the first few chapters, and the manuscript is being held pending the proposed alterations which may be undertaken by her nephew, so there is still a possibility of its being published. Story of a Lovable Little Maori Boy The first person to be awarded the Esther Glen Memorial Medal was Stella Morice, of Wellington, for her “Book of Wiremu,” the story of a lovable little Maori boy who lived with his uncle in a sun-bleached whare by the Waitukituki River. The author’s regard for the Maori people and her understanding of their way of life are apparent from the very first page. Her style is as smooth flowing as the river of which she writes so poetically and she has the art of investing even the most commonplace incidents with interest. Seldom are there characters so completely contented with their lot as Wiri and his uncle Hori and “wise, kind, comfortable Tinopai,” his grandmother whose beauty as a young girl caused a contest to be held among the chiefs, the one brave enough to shoot the mighty Kata Kehua falls in a canoe to the. rapids below wining her as his wife. The illustrations by Nancy Bolton are fully in harmony with the ancient proverb which prefaces the story: Whaia- ko tetahi take pai ' - Me whai ko te rangimarie Pursue something good; Let it be peace. ‘ ,

Miss Bolton was also responsible for the drawings in Alexandra Mason’s tale anent a local window-cleaner, “Baggie and His Famous Cat, Tam,” published the same year. A Versatile Writer The next recipient of the coveted medal was also a Wellingtonian, A. W. Reed, a versatile writer who, with nearly 50 books to his credit, invariably handles his subject with ease, whether it be map reading, making model toys from matchboxes, Maori myths, or Biblical parables in modern form. His “Myths and Legends of Maoriland,” which gained him this well-merited award, is the most ambitious collection of New Zealand folklore yet■ assembled specially for young people. The legends are recounted, with considerable charm and are further enhanced by the magnificent black and white illustrations by the German artist W. Dittmer (these originally appeared in Dittmer’s “Te . Tohunga,” published in the early part of this century by Messrs. George Routledge and Sons, London, and today alas! a rarity) and the striking colour plates and line drawings in the modern manner by a local illustrator, George Woods. Mr. Reed has supplemented this book with another volume suitable for younger children, “Wonder Tales of Maoriland,” now in the course of publication, the illustrations both in line and colour being the work of that inimitable cartoonist A. S. Paterson. Doyens among the Dominion’s authors of books for children are without doubt Edith Howes, of Dunedin, and Isabel Maud Peacock (Mrs. Cluett), of Auckland. Each had her first book published the same year, 1910, Mrs. Cluett’s venture comprising a miscellany of verse and Miss Howes’s book short stories. Since “My Friend Phil” made his happy debut in 1915, and the appearance at 12-monthly intervals of the redoubtable Dicky, knight errant, Patricia Pat, Robin of Round House, Micky and Mac, Ginger, and a host of other appealing characters, Mrs. Cluett has written a book for children annually up to 6 years ago, when she decided to concentrate wholly on novel writing; she has just completed her eleventh novel, entitled “The Bird Shop.” (Her first novel was written at the age of 10 and covered 6 or 8 pages of an exercise book. It was stiff with titles and illustrated by the proud author herself with fearful and wonderful effects!) Before leaving on a trip to Great Britain and the Continent she wrote two volumes of humorous verse and a number of little booklets about the quaint wee creatures inhabiting bush and bog, these being illustrated by Gwyneth Richardson and the late Trevor Lloyd and published by Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs. The Wonder and Beauty of Nature Miss Howes has written numerous small books which Whitcombe’s have featured in their Story Book series; “Drums of the Sea,” the life of Captain Cook, is to be added to them this year. It was a nocturnal, insect-collec-ting expedition in the bush with her naturalist brother which decided the course of Miss Howes’s literary career. As the lamp’s rays revealed the multitudinous life under the trees she saw a new world opening before her and at once determined to try to show to others, children particularly, by her writing the wonder and beauty of nature. This resulted in “The Sun’s Babies,” that distinctive first collection of short stories, which was acclaimed both by the London critics and those in New Zealand. The New Zealand Institute (now the Royal Society) was so impressed that it promptly made her a life member, and A. H. Grinling, the noted literary critic of “The Otago Daily Times,” suggested that she write a children’s book explaining the facts of nature, the outcome being “The Cradle Ship” (now in its eighteenth edition), which is dedicated to him. . Miss Howes firmly believes children should have fantasy and poetry as well as facts if their minds are to grow to true roundness, hence the perennial appeal of “‘The Cradle Ship.” A New Zealand woman doctor spoke about it at a medical conference in Paris and a French doctor asked permission to translate it for French children. A Danish engineer also translated it into his language, and further offers of ’ translation were received from Germany and Italy. ’ There is an enormous amount of effort entailed in the writing of such a book, for every detail must be verified first, necessitating sundry excursions in search of material, long hours of peering through a microscope, and poring over zoologies before even commencing to write. The same

painstaking procedure is characteristic of all Miss Howes’s work. As a preliminary preparation for “The Singing Fish,” a story of the seashore, for instance, she spent 6 months on Stewart Island wading in gumboots most of the time to collect the strange and beautiful denizens of the rocks and pools. These she “bottled” to observe and describe them better. Afterwards they were restored to the sea. Many more nature books followed, also a three-act play, “In Search of Fairies” and some shorter plays for use in schools; once she even tried her hand at a comic opera! The Maori fairy tales of an earlier book were later retold and published in America under the title of “The Long Bright Land,” being illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop, who perhaps because of her long acquaintance with Japanese and Persian prints gave her Polynesians a rather oriental cast of countenance. The stories Miss Howes is working on at present are destined for America. Rare Paragon Probably the most prolific children’s writer at present and one whose popularity is increasing with the passing years is the Aucklander Alice Kenny. She is that rare paragon publishers dream of but so seldom encounter, the author they can rely upon to produce a manuscript to order on a specific date, whether it be a full-length fairy tale such as “The Magic Rings” (this has illustrations by Mervyn Taylor, whose wood engravings are a well-known feature of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts exhibitions in Wellington) or an adventure story for girls like “Forest Refuge” or “The Sea Cave” with its Highland setting. Moreover, Miss Kenny possesses an amazing knowledge of automatic firearms, which accounts for the accuracy of such details in the exciting war stories for boys which she writes under the name of Alan Armitage. “The Good Goblin,” her sole venture in the realm of children’s verse, has long since vanished from the booksellers’ shelves. A like fate has befallen other contributors in this sphere. Actually, a considerable quantity of worthwhile poetry for children has been written in this country, but comparatively little has been published in book form. Readers search in vain for reprints of Eileen Duggan’s “New Zealand Bird Songs.” Though Miss Duggan modestly refers to them as “simply rhymes,” no other poet has written more beautifully of New Zealand native birds than this shy, frail, sweet-voiced woman in whom Divine fire burns so strongly.

Nor are copies available of “As the Story Goes,” by Betty Knell (Mrs. Maitland), for many years “Fairiel” of “The Evening Post,” Wellington. Her work has a freshness and spontaneity and she is capable of depth of feeling, as evidenced in that poignant Easter poem, “The Night Christ Died.” Her predecessor, Alison Grant (Mrs. Robinson), who originated “The Post’s” children’s page, is also a competent poet. Those who are not fortunate enough to possess “Gloria’s Book” and “The Perfume Vendor” must perforce borrow from the library if they wish to peruse the poems of Gloria Rawlinson, who, though confined to a wheel-chair since she was 7 years old, at the age of 15 had “a public, a list of Press notices, and a daily correspondence that many a veteran in the world of letters might envy.” Her friendship with the late Robin Hyde (Iris Wilkinson) played an integral part in developing her exceptional gifts, and in the lines inscribed “To Robin Hyde” she pays tribute to the writer who, walking often with pain, did so much to help and inspire her. Unusual Experiment In 1943 Feilding journalist Tom L. Mills edited a collection of child verse written by young New Zealanders from 7 to 17 years of age. Much of this had appeared in the Saturday supplements of the New Zealand Press in prewar days, when newsprint was plentiful, and Mr. Mills’s unusual experiment met with much success. Other books which have burgeoned and had their brief day include Margaret Wells’s “Ten Little Maori Moths” (after the style of the nigger. boys of nursery rhyme fame), the Harvey sisters’ “Flower Fairies” and “Over the Hills” (one sister contributes the text and the other the pictures), and “Just Us,” by John Brent > (Stop Wrathall’s colour plates are attractive,. but the verse .is somewhat stilted). Joye Taylor’s “Verses for Children” is now in its second edition and her new volume is entitled “Little Bells and Other Verses.” It is not generally known that Ruth Gilbert (Mrs. Mackay), whose trilogy “Lazarus” won the Jessie Mackay Memorial Award for poetry this year, has written the story of Hansel and Gretel in rhyme. Those who have been privileged to hear some of the delightful stanzas describing the adventures of the whimsical pair with the golden bird look forward to their appearance in print.

Handsomely-illustrated Publication A. H. Reed’s “A Song of Praise for Maoriland” is easily the most handsomely illustrated publication of its kind produced in New Zealand. Every couplet has its accompanying full-page illustration by George Woods,, the pictures alone making the book worth much more than its mere purchase price. This noted author, who. at the age of 70 undertook a walking tour of the East Cape of the. North Island, recording his experiences en route most entertainingly, edited and also wrote the greater part of “The Isabel Reed Bible Story Book,” which contains not only a comprehensive selection of Bible stories, but a brief history of favourite hymns, some beautiful prayers for , boys and girls, and a number of Biblical games and puzzles. Contributing New Zealand artists are Gwyneth Richardson, Molly Macalister, and Conrad Frieboe. Mr. Reed’s magnum opus, however, is his “Story of New Zealand.” (This, too, is dedicated to his wife, Isabel.). . .. It is indeed a formidable task to present dull facts in such a manner as to render them as fascinating as anyfiction, but Mr. Reed has acquitted himself well. He has the faculty of incorporating in his narrative those small but essential details which give vividness to each episode and a satisfying sense of completeness, yet still preserving its connection with the main series of events. The historical maps inside both front and back covers are a praiseworthy feature, likewise the appropriately-illuminated capital letter at the commencement of each chapter. Many of the illustrations are from old and rare books, the work of a former generation of artists. Crossword exercises designed to test the student’s ability to remember what he has read offer an ingenious aid to learning and there is a .supplementary book list for those wishing to pursue a wider course of reading. “The Story of New Zealand” has already run into two editions, and a special edition for use in schools is to be issued shortly. A Treasure House of Information Strangely enough, “The Story of Australia” has been written by a youthful New Zealand journalist who settled for a time in Sydney, Margaret Pearson, of “Poppet and

Pete” fame. This Australian history book, which is particularly suitable for very young readers, is a treasure house of information concerning the founders of the colony and is printed in Miss Pearson’s distinctive script and is gay with her deliciouslycolourful drawings. Last year she spent a holiday in New Zealand to glean material for a ■ similar history of her- homeland. Her “Tales of Rowe Street” appeared in Sydney bookshops just before she left for London, where she is

now writing for “The Sunday Dispatch” and “The Daily Mirror.” Other books for younger readers include Aileen Findlay’s read-it-yourself books, “The Three Painters” and “The Little White Gate”, published during the war, and “Tales for Pippa,” wherein Dorothy Black, of Taupiri, chronicled the doings of her little auburn-haired daughter, Phillippa. > Talented Teller of Animal Tales The members of the animal kingdom Bryan O’Brien specialises in portraying are at the very opposite end of the scale, ranging from a majestically-proportioned elephant down to a diminutive pet kitten. This talented teller of animal tales, whose turn of phrase is as musical as his pleasingly-modulated voice, called his first collection of stories after his Sundav night radio session, “Storytime with Bryan O’Brien.” This was followed by “Stories of Birds and Beasts,” and now in response to the Oliver Twist propensity of his public, adult as well as juvenile, he has lately published “More Stories,” including “The Valley of the Birds,” “Stripes and the Mouse Deer” (set in Malaya), and “The Blind Snow Goose.” Joan Smith’s sketches, reproduced in the form of photo offsets, have caught the spirit of the stories admirably.

A fellow New Zealander who has only recently returned from a long sojourn in Australia is D. H. Gilmore. He, too, combines the, dual talents of • writing and illustrating, ana his books have brought him renown on both , sides of the Tasman. He has . taken the tiny garden creatures for his characters and has created a miniature world where “fantasy and reality go hand in hand.” One volume is devoted to the .adventures of two little silkworms, Catkin and Codlin. Another concerns Cuthbert Caterpillar and Wilfred Wasp; the portly Cuthbert, looking the picture of prosperity, in. a 'bowler hat, sets out to see the world in company with Wilfred, who carries all his possessions wrapped ,in a . bundle in the true Dick Whittington tradition..... Christopher .. Cricket, musician, appears in a third book, and a fourth is about Anthony Ant and his encounters with the _'. ■ _ —7 .- ■.

Earwig • ; . Pirates. Eventually he seeks the assistance of Admiral Butterfly and his gallant crew of Water Beetles, and though the Admiral’s attire is a trifle threadbare and his ship not of the speediest, his naval strategy is superb and he soon captures the. • swaggering pirate chief, so long the terror of the seas. D. H. Gilmore’s newest publication is “The Tale of Ben-

jamin Bumble,” a cheerful and hard-working bee who lives with his brothers Bizz and Buzz beneath a sunny bank. Apparently the only anthology of children’s stories by New Zealand authors is “Yours and Mine”, compiled by Warwick Lawrence and published in 1936. This unique collection is interesting not only because of the variety and excellence of its contents, but because many of the contributors have made a name for themselves in other fields of literature: for instance, Eve Langley, Ena Eden, Eric Ramsden, Robin Hyde, and Ngaio Marsh. In the unmasking of Father Christmas in her touching little tale “Moonshine” Ngaio Marsh shows that sense of dramatic climax concerning the solving of mysteries which has made her one of the most brilliant writers of detective fiction today. There is a noticeable paucity of children’s plays published in the Dominion. The Wellington composer Joye Taylor has collaborated with her architect daugther Elizabeth and the artist Elizabeth Paterson in “Twelve Graded Plays for Children” (two series), complete with choruses and songs. “Plays Maori and Pakeha,” also in two series, the first suitable for pupils of Standards 1 to 4, the second for those of Standard 4 and Forms 1 and 2, by Janet McLeod, formerly lecturer in English at the Christchurch Training College, have notes, appendix, and illustrations by Leslie J. Lockerbie. Both volumes have been printed by Caxton .• Press. Copies are no longer obtainable, however, of “The Golden Bird,” one .of several plays written by Dorothy Tanner before she left Wellington for a 7-year stay in India, where her. activities included teaching in ‘ St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling, trekking twice into Tibet, and instructing in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps, attached to the British units of the Indian Army during the war. Extensive Knowledge of School Life Another member of the teaching profession to turn author is Winifred McQuilkan; who has relinquished her position as principal of Columba College, Dunedin, to devote mo 1 ”? time to writing. With such extensive knowledge of .chool life to draw upon, it is not surprising that Miss M .Quilkan’s schoolgirl heroine of “Merry Begins” and the coxnpanion volume, “Merry Again,” should prove so popular. Miss . McQuilkan writes under the pseudonym. of Clare Mallory. School stories are also the specialty of Alison George, and 'Mervyn Elias’s sole contribution to juvenile literature sets forth the experiences of a New Zealand boy at an English public school.' The titles “Piriki’s Princess,” “Rifle and Tomahawk: a Tale of the Te Kooti Rebellion,”. “Martin Thorn, Adventurer,” and “Lawless Davs” are eloquent of Mona Tracy’s stirring adventure tales with a Maori setting. Unfortunately, like many other prewar publications, they are now but of print. (Edith Howes dedicated her book for boys “The Golden Forest” to Mrs.

Tracy (formerly Mona Mackay)' and her husband, W. F. Tracy, of Canterbury.) V. May Cottrell has similarly made use of a background of Maori lore and legend in “The Lost Cave of Puterangi.” Though.it was not written primarily for children, adventure-loving boys and girls find William Satchell’s “The Greenstone Door” of absorbing interest, and the same applies to Frank O. V. Acheson’s “Plume of the Arawas,” in which the scene is laid in the picturesque Taupo-Tongariro region (“sacred Tongariro, towering to the sky”) still owned and inhabited by the Ngati-Tuwharetoa tribe, after whose ancestor the novel is named. Santa Claus in Summer Wear “A Southern Cross Fairy Tale,” written by Kate McCosh Clark, of Auckland, in 1889, “for generations of children growing up under the Southern Cross to whom the yule log at Christmas is unmeaning and the snow unknown” seems to have been the forerunner of New Zealand nature stories for children. The plot centres round a brother and sister who are conducted on a tour of Fairyland (located in the heart of the North Island bush country) by no less a personage than Santa, Claus himself. He has forsaken his furtrimmed robes for attire more suited to summer wear in a sunny clime and he has shaved off his beard, too, revealing a remarkably-youthful countenance for one so venerable. The artist, R. Atkinson, with commendable imagination has depicted his holding court under a huge tree fern, his head crowned with the stars of a southern constellation and in his hand a star-tipped magic wand. The famous pink and white terraces were also included in his itinerary, along with a mysterious geyser which hurled goblins as well as great plumes of steam and scalding water skyward in grotesque succession. ■ The author, who acted as co-artist, says of her work that while seeking to amuse, it is intended to convey pleasant information, the habits of plants and animals being in sober reality just what they are made to-appear in Fairyland. Furthermore, she mentions receiving assistance from such authoritative sources as F. Reischek, F.L.S., and Professor Thomas, F.L.S., F.G.S., and the loan of their valuable notes, etc., “lay me under much obligation” as she quaintly phrases it, Several years later she wrote “Persephone and Other Poems.” and her “Maori Tales and Legends” were published in 1896. A similar accuracy with regard to descriptive details in text and drawings distinguishes the modern nature books of Mollie Miller Atkinson— Bird in the Bush,” rhymed, hand-lettered, and decorated for a small boy who came from England at the age of 4; the sequel “Richard Bird at Sea”, with its frieze of shells and sea creatures adorning the bottom of each page; and “Bird Watching,” based on the, author’s observations in her own garden and the bush. The exquisite colour plates in Olga P. Burton’s “Storiesof Bird and Bush” were painted by Lily Daff, of the Otago University Museum, under the direction of ornithologists appointed by the Forest and. Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. Miss Daff was also responsible for the illustrations in Mona Gordon’s “The Children of Tane,” which deals with New Zealand bird life, her latest volume, “The Garden of Tane,’’ recording not only the lovely legends relating to New Zealand native trees, but the biographies of the Dominion’s celebrated botanists, the chapter concerning the/late Thomas Cheeseman being an especially-fine commentary on the man who compiled that “perfect Bible of a book.” the 1163-page “Manual of the New Zealand Flora.” : ; A Positive Best Seller ' What was really intended as a zoology handbook for the Auckland Museum, in particular, and a popular treatise on New Zealand’s native fauna in general, has to date-proved a positive best seller. Every one of the 411 creatures listed in “Native Animals of New '■ Zealand,” varying from sea elephants to spiders, bellbirds to beetles, has its individual quota of pithy , description, and in addition, has been illustrated by the author, A. JW. B. Powell, whose scientific papers on New Zealand shellfish and fossils earned him the Hector Medal last : year from the Royal Society. This capable artist, now assistant director of the Auckland Museum, has with but a few exceptions drawn all the figures from actual specimens, these representations being recognised .much more easily by the average reader than the usual text book diagrams.

This type of field book has long been needed in New Zealand and its appeal is such that quite young children will pore over it for long periods, fascinated by the strange fish and other forms of marine life and perhaps identifying their latest find from the garden or the handful of shells they gathered at the beach. In fact, at a recent children’s party the 8-year-old hostess, evidently feeling the need of a little mental refreshment, selected Mr. Powell’s book from among her pile of birthday presents and settled herself comfortably .on the hearthrug where she proceeded to inspect her new possession. She soon became so absorbed in the study of stick insects that she was completely oblivious of the boisterous game of skittles in progress alongside her. Mr. Powell, who was a keen naturalist himself at an equally-early age, is an active member of the Auckland Society of Arts, and photography is one of his hobbies too. Amid the shells, specimen jars, and other paraphernalia in his spacious, book-lined sanctum at the museum are numerous examples of his skill as a photographer, many of his photographs having appeared in his first book, “Shellfish of New Zealand.” One of his museum colleagues, the .ornithologist E. G. Turbott, has also demonstrated his ability to present scientific facts in a simple and interesting . manner. ‘. The preface to Mr. Turbott’s handsome volume, “New Zealand Bird Life,” was written by Miss Nancy Wilson, who. stresses the importance , the late Chief Scout, Lord. Baden-Powell, placed on the study of /birds by scouts and guides. The photography, which is outstanding, is mainly the work of Major G. A. Buddle.

Study of Penguin Life Another scientific writer who has lately turned his attention to writing for children is L. E. Richdale, honorary lecturer in zoology at Otago University. The penguins on Otago Peninsula have been his particular study for the last 11 years, during which time he has travelled 40,000 miles by car to visit the different colonies, the result being that

“Podgy the Penguin” contains a great deal of new data concerning the habits of penguins which have not been printed hitherto even in ornithological papers. Indeed, to obtain a thoroughly intimate knowledge. of his hero • Mr. Richdale once camped for 8 / weeks < beside Podgy’s . nest, taking many. excellent photographs during that period. It? was no wonder that Dr. Robert C. Murphy, chairman of the De-

partment of Birds in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, who visited New Zealand early this year, was impressed by “Podgy the ' Penguin.” A subsequent story ; ..will in all probability deal with the adventures of Podgy’s progeny, Pat and Skin. It is hoped that this survey will not only give the bookbuying public some indication of the wide range of children’s literature achieved by New Zealand authors and so ensure a practical response, but will also develop a deeper appreciation of the creative talents of all those who . . . make A lovely . book -for childhood’s sake. The printed words in rhyme or prose, The coloured page that lures and glows— A mighty task it is indeed To make the books that children read. Through lilting word, through picture gay, . To foreign lands they’ve sailed away, And on imagination’s wings ■ ’ They find the most exciting things!

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