Synopses & Reviews
The NYRB Children's Collection includes beloved picture books for preschoolers through to favorite chapter books and novels for older children. Praised for their elegant design and sturdy bindings, the books set a new standard for the definition of a "classic."
For the holidays, NYRB has put together a special gift set of 20 books. Included in the set: Jenny and the Cat Club; D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths; James Thurber's The 13 Clocks, with an introduction by Neil Gaiman and illustrations by Marc Simont; Daniel Pinkwater's weird and wacky Lizard Music; and holiday favorites The Box of Delights by John Masefield and Something for Christmas by Palmer Brown.
The New York Review Children's Collection, which started as attempt to reward readers who have long wished for the return of their favorite children's titles, introduces these special books by highly regarded writers and illustrators to a new generation.
The covers feature a unified series design and all interior materials are carefully selected to reflect the period of original publication. These handsome hardcover editions have a cloth spine and many of them include original endpapers, line art, and full-color illustrations.
The New York Review Children's Collection Anniversary Set has one copy of each of these 20 books:
D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire, Preface by Michael Chabon
D’Aulaires’ Book of Trolls by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
D’Aulaires’ Book of Animals by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
The Two Cars by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire
Jenny and the Cat Club: A Collection of Favorite Stories About Jenny Linsky by Esther Averill
Jenny’s Moonlight Adventure by Esther Averill
Jenny’s Birthday Book by Esther Averill
The 13 Clocks by James Thurber, illustrations by Marc Simont, introduction by Neil Gaiman
The Wonderful O by James Thurber, llustrations by Marc Simont
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, illustrations by Fulvio Testa, introduction by Umberto Eco
Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater
Wee Gillis by Munro Leaf, illustrations by Robert Lawson
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay, introduction by Philip Pullman
Ounce Dice Trice by Alastair Reid, illustrations by Ben Shahn
The Bear That Wasn’t by Frank Tashlin
The Man Who Lost His Head by Claire Huchet Bishop, illustrations by Robert McCloskey
Mud Pies and Other Recipes by Marjorie Winslow, illustrations by Erik Blegvad
The Rescuers, text by Margery Sharp, illustrations by Garth Williams
The Box of Delights by John Masefield, illustrations by Judith Masefield
Something for Christmas by Palmer Brown
Review
"Jenny Linsky, the gallant heroine of these perenially endearing tales, pads through life balancing many of the same emotional ups and downs that crowd every schoolchilds day. Being a cat, Jenny does it all with enviable aplomb, and with a keen eye for her surroundings the colorful back alleys and gardens of Greenwich Village. In Jenny readers meet the perfect friend an honest, fun-loving, and loyal playfellow and comrade-in-arms. How good to have Jenny back in print and the august Cat Club back in session again!" Leonard S. Marcus, author of Storied City: A Childrens Book Walking Tour Guide to New York City
Review
"New York Review Books which for the past four years, in one of publishing's happiest recent developments, has been unearthing unjustly forgotten treasures for adults is reissuing these stories, first published in the 1940s and early 1950s, as part of its new series of children's classics....With their remarkable warmth and unstrained whimsy, these stories, together with their simply sketched illustrations, exhibit the most charming qualities of a typical eight-year-old." Christina Schwarz, The Atlantic Monthly (read the entire Atlantic Monthly review)
Synopsis
In Greenwich Village an orphaned black cat lives happily with her master, a sea captain. Still, the gentle Jenny Linsky would like nothing more than to join the local Cat Club, whose members include Madame Butterfly, an elegant Persian, the high-stepping Macaroni, and stately, plump Mr. President. But can she overcome her fears and prove that she, too, has a special gift? Join Jenny and her friends, including fearless Pickles the Fire Cat, on their spirited downtown adventures and discover why The Atlantic Monthly called Jenny " a personality ranking not far below such giants as Peter Rabbit."
About the Author
Esther Averill (1902-1992) began her career as a storyteller drawing cartoons for her local newspaper. After graduating from Vassar College in 1923, she moved first to New York City and then to Paris, where she founded her own publishing company. The Domino Press introduced American readers to artists from all over the world, including Feodor Rojankovsky, who later won a Caldecott Award. In 1941, Esther Averill returned to the United States and found a job in the New York Public Library while continuing her work as a publisher. She wrote her first book about the red-scarfed, mild-mannered cat Jenny Linsky in 1944, modeling its heroine on her own shy cat. Esther Averill would eventually write twelve more tales about Miss Linsky and her friends (including the I Can Read Book, The Fire Cat), each of which was eagerly awaited by children all over the United States (and their parents, too).