Christmas Tales And Christmas Verse

Book excerpt: This is a book of tales and verse for children, of that sort which holds older readers with an equal fascination. Mr. Field is a master of this delicate sort of art, and the book abounds in a great variety of themes and moods, from the mediaeval romance to the symbolic prose-poem, or the modern child-story. A common spirit of tenderness and of a sort of elfish humor, if we may be allowed the expression, binds the various tales and verses together as on one string, and gives a very distinct and unified impression to the whole volume. "The Mouse and the Moonbeam" is as exquisite a bit of folly and wistful pathos as one could wish for, and so simple in style and word! The book is profusely illustrated by Florence Storer.