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My Book House (1920-28)

1920/25 In the Nursery of My Book House. Olive Beaupré Miller. Fable illustrations by Bert R. Elliott and Donn P. Crane. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House: The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There are fifteen fables listed in this first of six volumes in the 1920 series of "The Book House." This copy was printed in 1925. This 448-page volume is generous and well used. An AI at the beginning works with titles of the stories and poems contained in this volume. Among the fables here are BC (100); FS (120); "The Donkey and the Lap-Dog" (126); "The Two Crabs" (129); SW (135); CP (146); MM (162); LM (164); DM (173); BF (176); OF (194); TT (238); DLS (261); TH (315); and BW (388). For favorite illustrations, I would pick the smiling donkey on his master's lap (127), OF (194), and DLS (262). The illustration style is charming and probably nostalgic for many of us. A number of the fable illustrations are signed "Bert R. Elliott" or "Bertram Elliott." OF's illustration is signed "Donn P. Crane '84" (194). SW (135) is told in the poorer version. I wish I had a dollar for every person who has emailed me asking where to obtain a particular cherished volume from this series!

1920/25/28 Up One Pair of Stairs of My Book House. Olive Beaupré Miller. Fable illustrations by Donn P. Crane and Bert Elliott. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House (1920-28): The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There are three fables listed in this second of six volumes in the 1920 series of "The Book House." This copy was printed in 1928, with earlier copyrights in 1920 and 1925. The first of the fables here is "The Foolish, Timid, Little Hare," labelled as an East Indian fable (69-73). This is the story of the false report of an earthquake. It is illustrated here with several multi-colored illustrations by Bert Elliott. "The Honest Woodman" is adapted from La Fontaine (78-81). The story is particularly well told here -- How does that axe land in the middle of the lake, anyway? -- and includes the song that the woodman sings while he works. There is a lively version of Chanticleer, complete with two illustrations by Donn P. Crane (82-86). "The Battle of the Firefly and the Apes," a Filipino tale (87-89), is not the Panchatantra story about a busybody. Here it is rather a story of a bully and the clever underdog's way of handling him. Facing ten apes, the firefly lands on the nose of the first, so that the second swings at him and, missing the firefly, hits his fellow ape. So it goes. The story says that all ten are fallen, but I think that can only be nine. The volume also contains "The Battle of the Frogs and Mice" (152) with Willy Pogany illustrations. There is besides a Jataka tale, "The Sandy Road," told by Ellen Babbitt (200). This volume is exactly as large as the first, 448 pages.

1920/28 Through Fairy Halls of My Book House. Olive Beaupré Miller. Various artists. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House (1920-28): The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There is one fable listed in this third of six volumes in the 1920 series of "The Book House." This copy was printed in 1928, with an earlier copyright in 1920. The fable in this volume is "The Acorn and the Pumpkin" by La Fontaine on 290, with illustrations by Milo Winter. To judge from the first lines, the translation is more or less stolen from Elizur Wright's 1841edition, without some sort of acknowledgement. Times change! Winter's illustrations are always fun! In this volume one also encounters "How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar-Baby" (237). As we move into more advanced volumes, the stories get longer and the T of C gets shorter. It is curious that this set of books is inscribed by Joan Helene Aleck of Omaha, NE, in 1936. Somehow they ended up in the possession of Clare Leeper in Baton Rouge, and then came back to Omaha. The first three volumes in the series all have exactly 448 pages.

1920/28 The Treasure Chest of My Book House. Olive Beaupré Miller. Various. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House (1920-28): The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There are no fables in this fourth of six volumes in the 1920 series of "The Book House." This copy was printed in 1928. In lieu of a comment on fables, I repeat three observations from earlier volumes in the set. First, it is curious that this set of books is inscribed by Joan Helene Aleck of Omaha, NE, in 1936. Somehow they ended up in the possession of Clare Leeper in Baton Rouge, and then came back to Omaha. Secondly, it seems that all the volumes in the series have exactly 448 pages. Thirdly, I wish I had a dollar for every person who has emailed me asking where to obtain a particular cherished volume from this series!

1921 From the Tower Window of My Book House. Olive Beaupré Miller. Various artists. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House (1920-28): The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There are no fables in this fifth of six volumes of "The Book House." This copy differs from others in the series in that it does not have a copyright of 1920. Its only copyright is 1921. This volume does contain Anderson's "The Emperor's New Clothes" (75). The illustration on 79 shows the emperor prancing in procession in public with underwear on; should not the story be taken to be more radical than that? In lieu of a comment on fables, I repeat three observations from earlier volumes in the set. First, it is curious that this set of books is inscribed by Joan Helene Aleck of Omaha, NE, in 1936. Somehow they ended up in the possession of Clare Leeper in Baton Rouge, and then came back to Omaha. Secondly, it seems that all the volumes in the series have exactly 448 pages. Thirdly, I wish I had a dollar for every person who has emailed me asking where to obtain a particular cherished volume from this series!

1921/25 The Latch Key of My Bookhouse. Olive Beaupré Miller. Various artists. Hardbound. Chicago: My Book House (1920-28): The Book House for Children. $10 from Clare Leeper, July, '96.

There are no fables in this sixth of six volumes of "The Book House." Like the fifth volume, it has a copyright of 1921. This sixth volume has an additional copyright in 1925. In a series of biographical comments, there is a two-page presentation on Aesop, "The Slave Boy" (316-17). La Fontaine gets two lines and two versions of his fables recommended on 362. This final volume in the series has some unusual elements at its end. Note in particular the "Ethical Theme Index" that runs for twenty-six pages! On one page, there are references to industry, ingratitude, inquisitiveness, international feeling, inventiveness, investigativeness, irresponsibility, jealousy, joking that is unkind, joy, judging, and justice. Whew! The last element of all is a guide to the pronunciation of proper names in all six volumes. Of special help to me has been the "Special Subjects Index," including items like "fables" and "humorous stories and poems." Before that, there is a "General Index of Authors, Titles and Leading Characters." In lieu of a comment on fables, I repeat three observations from earlier volumes in the set. First, it is curious that this set of books is inscribed by Joan Helene Aleck of Omaha, NE, in 1936. Somehow they ended up in the possession of Clare Leeper in Baton Rouge, and then came back to Omaha. Secondly, it seems that all the volumes in the series have exactly 448 pages. Thirdly, I wish I had a dollar for every person who has emailed me asking where to obtain a particular cherished volume from this series!

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