Description

Children’s Classics

10 Matching Volumes

Published in 1961, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Made Especially for J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company

 

Published in 1961, these ten matching volumes are from the Children’s Classics series produced by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., made especially for J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, publishers created beautifully coordinated home library sets like this one to make many of the world’s literary classics accessible to families. Designed as matching editions, they were intended not only to be read but also to become a colorful and inviting part of the family bookshelf.

One of the first things that drew me to this collection is its wonderfully bright, colorful bindings. Together they create a cheerful display while housing stories that have inspired readers for generations. The collection spans hundreds of years of literary history—from the medieval legends of Robin Hood and King Arthur, to Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (1719), Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales of the 1830s and 1840s, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, first published in 1865.

One of my favorite aspects of this series is its appreciation for the artwork that helped define these stories. Rather than replacing the classic illustrations entirely, several volumes preserve artwork from the original editions. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, for example, includes the celebrated illustrations by John Tenniel, whose imagery has become inseparable from Lewis Carroll’s classic tale. Throughout the set, readers will also find beautiful full-color illustrations created specifically for these editions by Edward F. Cortese, Donald E. Cooke, Gilbert Stykes Blakely, while Andersen’s Fairy Tales features illustrations by William T. Atwood and Frederick Richardson.

Included in this collection

Black Beauty — Anna Sewell

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Edward F. Cortese

Robin Hood

• Introduction by George Cockburn Harvey

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Donald E. Cooke

Treasure Island — Robert Louis Stevenson

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Gilbert Stykes Blakely

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland — Lewis Carroll

• Original illustrations by John Tenniel

• Additional color illustrations by Donald E. Cooke

  

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer — Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens)

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Edward F. Cortese

Andersen’s Fairy Tales — Hans Christian Andersen

• Illustrations by William T. Atwood

• Illustrations by Frederick Richardson

  

King Arthur and His Knights

• Based on Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Edward F. Cortese

Arabian Nights

• Introduction by Orton Lowe

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Donald E. Cooke

Robinson Crusoe — Daniel Defoe

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Edward F. Cortese

Heidi — Johanna Spyri

• Black & white illustrations

• Color illustrations by Edward F. Cortese

There’s something special about seeing these stories gathered together in one matching collection. They offer a glimpse into both literary history and the publishing style of the early 1960s.

I always enjoy finding these Children’s Classics sets. They’re bright, nostalgic, and bring together many of the stories that generations of readers grew up with. Between the colorful bindings, classic illustrations, and timeless titles, they’re a wonderful addition to any vintage or collectible library.

~See all of the pictures posted in the Gallery Area of this posting!~

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