A Child's Garden of Verses

Beautiful reprint of classic children's book of poemsTasha Tudor illustrations are wonderfulEvery page has an illustration. Almost all illustrations are in colorGreat variety of poems, suitable for children or adultsThis is a good size book and not a pocket size book, all the more to savor the details in each illustration

Amazon seems to have grouped the reviews for several editions of A Child's Garden of Verses together, so it's difficult to tell what exactly is being reviewed. I am commenting specifically on Tasha Tudor's lovely illustrations of childhood life, so beautifully paired with Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry of childhood. Together, image and word are a perfect match, and this is a marvelous edition. I highly recommend it as a gift for any new parent, a special child, or for yourself.I live with my grandfather, who was born in 1922 and grew up having these poems read to him and then reading them for himself; when he grew up and had children of his own, he read from this book. They were a little bit "old-fashioned" when my grandfather was a boy in the 1920s, but not at all "dated" in the way some of them have become. I am thinking here of "Foreign Children," with its refrain:Little Indian, Sioux or Crow,Little frosty Eskimo,Little Turk or Japanee,O! don't you wish that you were me?There are others in a similar vein, and while I am sure that some will object, I find all of these poems to be utterly lacking in malice or cruelty. They espouse the ideology of their time, and that was one of Empire. If you don't want to read the few of these poems that mention race/ethnicity in a way that you don't like, then don't -- or better yet, how about using it as a teachable moment to discuss the ways in which views evolve over time?The majority of these poems feel timeless, in that they dwell in the land of childhood imagination. Just reading "The Land of Counterpane" sends me right back to the world of childhood and the hours and hours spent dreaming, creating, imagining. Likewise, "The Land of Nod." I know my grandfather feels just the same way, because sometimes when I tuck him in for bed at night we discuss where we plan to travel in our dreams: the Land of Counterpane or the Land of Nod. Very few things are capable of staying with a person for 80 + years; these poems are some of them.If you have children, or know any children you particularly like, I hope you will purchase a copy of this lovely book for them. It's one of those books that opens a door into another world, and what the child chooses to do once there is up to him or her -- but you can give the key to the door.

This is a beautifully illustrated collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems that are truly a well loved classic. I read these to my three children when they were too young to actually speak. Later, they actually memorized some of them…for instance, “I Have a Little Shadow…"I love giving this book as a gift for very young children.

Daily reading for me.

This is the hardback edition illustrated by Tasha Tudor. I understand Amazon has mashed all the reviews for every edition of this book together, so if the Tasha Tudor edition is the one you want, be careful to order a new copy, or make sure you ask the Marketplace seller (if you are buying used) to guarantee you get this edition.This contains all the poems, the last few of which were dedications to special people in Stevenson's life. (Some other editions only have selected poems.) A small number of the poems have not aged well, but the rest are just as wonderful as they were when I was a kid, like the boy who complains of having to go to bed by day in the summer (I recall those early bedtimes when I was small), the swing poem, and "The Land of Counterpane," which reminds me of sick days out of school. The attraction of this edition is the Tudor illustrations, which are beautifully detailed. I read this volume twice, once for the poetry, and a longer time to enjoy all the details of Tudor's lovely watercolors. It is an outstanding edition!

My son, who is 40 years old, suddenly remembered the poem Land of the counterpane. He had this read to him often as a child, and now with a child of his own, had fond memories. I looked it up and sent for the book which came through Amazon, from the USA. It is just lovely and contains most of RLS poems. It arrived promptly and I can recommend it to be read aloud to sensitive children, who will love the imagery and language, and will learn much about history and changing society too. It is beautifully illustrated in a slightly old fashioned way, which is refreshing (to my mind)

My grandmother gave me an edition of this book in 1960. I loved it for many, many years. I used it often in my forty three years of teaching. I gave it to one of the grandchildren, I think. I bought this copy for my three little granddaughters, encouraging their parents to read the poems to them often, and to help them learn some of them by heart. Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the few children's poets who speaks from the heart of a child, rather than being "cute" to appeal to adults. (Dorothy Aldis is another.) This book is a perfect gift for grandchildren and nephews and nieces. Tasha Tudor's illustrations are beautiful, and if you know them, you know you will love this book.

I had this book as a child. I loved the illustrations. They are by the famous artist Tasha Tudor. Once I could be trusted with nice books I remember looking at them for what seemed like hours. The rhymes are timeless and something a parent should be prepared to read to their child. This isn't a "hand it over to destroy" kind of book. It's one to be kept safe on the shelf and cherished. Some fine books like this one are no longer in print. I was thrilled to find it and gave it to my great niece on her 1st birthday. I let her parents know that this book was for them to share with her. They seemed excited and touched by the thought in the selection. Robert Louis Stevenson's words require a child to be attentive, but the pictures tell the stories too. I believe the combination will enrich any child's vocabulary and strengthen their comprehension.