Buckle My Shoe Picture Book: Containing One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, a Gaping-wide-mouth-waddling Frog, My Mother

by Walter Crane (Illustrator)

Walter Crane (1845-1915) was one of the earliest contributors to children's literature and one of the most influential illustrators in the development of children's colour picture books. Crane began working for Edmund Evans in 1864 producing bright, colourful children's books which revolutionised the type of children's books available. He created a series of 'Toy Books' between 1865-1875 which contained fairy stories, nursery rhymes and other tales of adventures. His wonderful Japanese influenced illustrations with their bright, bold, flat colour and black outline never failed to entertain both children and adults. This book 'The Buckle My Shoe Picture Book' is one of many 'Toy Books', it contains the stories, Buckle My Shoe, The Gaping-Wide-Mouth-Waddling Frog and My Mother. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children.

52 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1869

About the author

Walter Crane was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered, along with Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, one of the strongest contributors to the child's nursery motif that the genre of English children's illustrated literature would exhibit in its developmental stages in the latter 19th century.

His work featured some of the more colorful and detailed beginnings of the child-in-the-garden motifs that would characterize many nursery rhymes and children's stories for decades to come. He was part of the Arts and Crafts movement and produced an array of paintings, illustrations, children's books, ceramic tiles and other decorative arts. Crane is also remembered for his creation of a number of iconic images associated with the international Socialist movement.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle my Shoe is illustrated for each page. Not every page is illustrated in the section for An Alphabet of Old Friends, there are six illustrations with crisp detail. Old Mother Hubbard's dog is really talented the pictures depict the dog smoking a pipe, feeding the cat, playing the flute, and reading the news among others feats.

The edition that I read actually cost 95 cents in 1967. The Mulberry Press in NY was the publisher. This wasn't listed as an edition optionat goodreads.