The first section of this series (parts 1 - 11 was posted in July 2018) and featured books from between the 1850s to 1881.
These posts (parts 12 - 23) features books published between 1881 and 1904.
Until the mid-18th century, children's books mainly consisted of moralistic or enlightening stories propagating the religious and ethical view that hard work and diligence determines a person's life. Little consideration was given to children's reading pleasure.
These posts (parts 12 - 23) features books published between 1881 and 1904.
Until the mid-18th century, children's books mainly consisted of moralistic or enlightening stories propagating the religious and ethical view that hard work and diligence determines a person's life. Little consideration was given to children's reading pleasure.
Amid this trend, John Newbery (1713-1767), a London-based bookseller, took up full-fledged publication of books that were both "entertaining and useful" for children. A Little Pretty Pocket-book, published by Newbery in 1744, is said to be the first book that provided children with not only moral lessons but also entertainment. Newbery went on to publish numerous books for middle-class children in urban areas, whose number continued to increase. Newbery became well known in the United States as well; the most prestigious American award for children's literature is named after him - the John Newbery Medal, inaugurated in 1922.
This is part 14 of an 23 - part series on children's books 1850s - 1881:
c1881 Told in the Twilights
illustrated by Mary Ellen Edwards and John Charles Staples:
c1881 Told in the Twilights
illustrated by Mary Ellen Edwards and John Charles Staples:
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| Mary Ellen Edwards c1863 albumen print and paint |
Mary Ellen Edwards ( 9 November 1838 – 22 December 1934 ) was born the daughter of Mary Johnson and Downes Edwards, a farmer and engineer who had a number of successful inventions. She was born on her father’s farm in Surbiton, London. She came from an artistic family. Her uncle was E. Killingworth Johnson and her mother's uncle was James Wright, both Members of the Society of Painters in Water Colours.
She spent her early years with her family in Surbiton, the Isle of Man, South Kensington, and Chelsea, London.
On 13 June 1866, Edwards married John Freer. Freer worked for the Peninsular and Oriental Company, a steam navigation service. Edwards and Freer had one son, John E. L. Freer, born in 1867. Edward's first husband ( Freer ) died in 1869. At this time and over the following decade Mary Ellen was submitting her work to the annual Royal Academy exhibitions.
In 1872 she married the artist John Charles Staples, with whom she worked on many projects until his death at the end of the century.
1884 Make-Believe & Reality
illustrated by Richard Andre (pseudonym of William Roger Snow):
1884 Museum of Wonders
illustrated by Frederick Burr Opper:
Frederick Burr Opper ( 2 January 1857 – 28 August 1937) is regarded as one of the pioneers of American newspaper comic strips, best known for his comic strip “Happy Hooligan.” His comic characters were featured in magazines, political cartoons, and comic strips for six decades.
Born to Austrian-American immigrants Lewis and Aurelia Burr Oppers in Madison, Ohio, Frederick was the eldest of three children. At the age of 14, he dropped out of public school to work as a printer's apprentice at the local “Madison Gazette,” and at 16, he moved to New York City where he worked in a store and continued to draw. He studied briefly at Cooper Union, followed by a short stint as pupil and assistant to illustrator Frank Beard.
Opper's first cartoon was published in “Wild Oats” in 1876, followed by cartoons and illustrations in “Scribner’s Monthly” and “St. Nicholas Magazine.” He worked as illustrator at “Frank Leslie's Weekly” from 1877 to 1880. Opper was then hired to draw for “Puck” by publishers Joseph Keppler and Adolph Schwarzmann. He stayed with Puck for 18 years, drawing everything from spot illustrations to chromolithograph covers.
