WATER BABIES

Charles Kingsley's story of the boy chimneysweep is a children's classic, sympathetically retold by Jane Carruth in an abridged text with absolutely enchanting colour illustrations. Illustrated by Anne Grahame Johnstone, with the most enchanting illustrations of the naked boys swimming, a Victorian cook, servants, gardener, gamekeeper, dairymaid and groom all shouting and yelling as Tom ducked and dodged. As he ran across the rough bracken and heather which tore at his bare feet, the illustrations sweep us along. Tom was very sorry for what he had done, and when on Sunday a pretty lady called Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby came, he danced round with her and with the other water babies. Then she took him in her arms and cuddled him, and Tom told her that he had never been cuddled before. Colour, 32 pages, 17.15 x 22.9cm. Ages 7 and up.