#childrens classics

[theselkiesea]

Swiss Family Robinson, Illustrated

By Johann David Wyss

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Dedication from 1892

[ijustkindalikebooks]

I love this cover.

[beautifulbookishdisaster]

"I am only conscious of one hope, citoyen." "And that is?" "That Satan, your master, will have need of you elsewhere before the sun rises today." "You flatter me, citoyenne."

Emmuska Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel

[bertie987]

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden," Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Available as a sticker, t-shirt, poster, notebook and more!

Shop here!

[cynicalclassicist]

God, the character of Lowly Worm really takes me back.

[giftideasfromaycaramba]

Beautiful Hardcover Edition in Excellent condition

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Child's Sock from Egypt, c.250-350 CE: this colorful sock is nearly 1,700 years old

This sock was discovered during excavations in the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus. It was likely created for a child during the late Roman period, c.250-350 CE.

Similar-looking socks from late antiquity and the early Byzantine period have also been found at several other sites throughout Egypt; these socks often have colorful, striped patterns with divided toes, and they were crafted out of wool using a technique known as nålbinding.

Above: a similar child's sock from Antinoöpolis, c.250-350 CE

The sock depicted above was created during the same period, and it was found in a midden heap (an ancient rubbish pit) in the city of Antinoöpolis. A multispectral imaging analysis of this sock yielded some interesting results back in 2018, as this article explains:

... analysis revealed that the sock contained seven hues of wool yarn woven together in a meticulous, stripy pattern. Just three natural, plant-based dyes—madder roots for red, woad leaves for blue and weld flowers for yellow—were used to create the different color combinations featured on the sock, according to Joanne Dyer, lead author of the study.

In the paper, she and her co-authors explain that the imaging technique also revealed how the colors were mixed to create hues of green, purple and orange: In some cases, fibers of different colors were spun together; in others, individual yarns went through multiple dye baths.

Such intricacy is pretty impressive, considering that the ancient sock is both “tiny” and “fragile."

Given its size and orientation, the researchers believe it may have been worn on a child’s left foot.

Above: another child's sock from Al Fayyum, c.300-500 CE

The ancient Egyptians employed a single-needle looping technique, often referred to as nålbindning, to create their socks. Notably, the approach could be used to separate the big toe and four other toes in the sock—which just may have given life to the ever-controversial socks-and-sandals trend.

Sources & More Info:

Manchester Museum: Child's Sock from Oxyrhynchus

British Museum: Sock from Antinoupolis

Royal Ontario Museum: Sock from Al Fayyum

Smithsonian Magazine: 1,700-Year-Old Sock Spins Yarn About Ancient Egyptian Fashion

The Guardian: Imaging Tool Unravels Secrets of Child's Sock from Ancient Egypt

PLOS ONE Journal: A Multispectral Imaging Approach Integrated into the Study of Late Antique Textiles from Egypt

National Museums Scotland: The Lost Sock

[laurenillustrated]

The Secret Garden 🌹

Mary finds the door to the secret garden with the help of the little robin!

Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett

[ohyoubuggin]

[inthedarktrees]

Patty McCormack & Nancy Kelly in The Bad Seed (1956)

[the-gom-jabbar]

[the-forest-library]

[themastergifs]

THREE YEARS OF THEMASTERGIFS (November 5, 2020)

Dearest, I've been thinking. We need your TARDIS. We can't go up, but we can go down.

[beautifulbookishdisaster]

"It does seem simple, doesn't it?" she said, with a final bitter attempt at flippancy. "When you want to kill a chicken... you take hold of it... then you wring its neck. ... It's only the chicken who does not find it quite so simple. Now you hold a knife at my throat, and a hostage for my obedience. ... You find it simple. ... I don't."

Emmuska Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel

[the-evil-clergyman]

The Battle of the Frogs and Mice, from Up One Pair of Stairs of My Bookhouse by Willy Pogany (1920)

[uwmspeccoll]

Greek Child's Play

Published in 1945 by Little Brown & Company, Adventures with the Gods by Catharine Sellew and illustrated by George and Doris Hauman is a charming primer created for young children. It contains sixteen stories featuring the heroes of Greek mythology as well as the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. The book even includes a handy index of all the characters' names and how to pronounce them. This delightful collection of stories provides an accessible introduction to the fascinating world of Greek mythology, making it an enchanting read for both children and adults.

Catharine Sellew, an American author, has a talent for turning ancient myths and legends into children's stories. Written using simple language and ideas, her stories create an almost fairytale-like experience for readers. It's no surprise that her works are captivating and beloved by many.

George and Doris Hauman were a married couple and American children’s book illustrators. They are perhaps most well-known for illustrating the popular 1954 edition of The Little Engine That Could. The couple decided to collaborate on projects because they had so many customers in common. They also used a joint signature for all of their illustrations.

View other Classics posts.

View our other posts on children's books.

-Melissa, Special Collections Classics Intern