Baby's Own Aesop - Being the Fables Condensed in Rhyme with Portable Morals - Illustrated by Walter Crane

‘Baby’s Own Aesop – Being the Fables Condensed in Rhyme with Portable Morals’ is a collection of Aesop’s fables, beautifully illustrated by Walter Crane, and originally engraved and printed by Edmund Evans, in 1887. Aesop was a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with Aesop’s name have descended to modern times through a number of sources – and continue to be reinterpreted in both literary and artistic mediums. This particular collection, presents the stories in poetic form, for a younger audience to delight and revel in.

Walter Crane (1845 – 1915), was an English artist and book illustrator. He is considered to be the most influential, and among the most prolific, children’s book creator of his generation. Alongside such names as Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway, he was also one of the strongest contributors to the child’s nursery theme. Crane’s work is characteristically colourful and delightfully detailed, taking its inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement (of which he was a member), as well as the iconic child-in-the-garden motif. The artwork and the text of ‘Baby’s Own Aesop’ are presented side-by-side, so that the two may be better appreciated.

Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of llustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.