Mother Hubbard Her Picture Book - Containing Mother Hubbard, the Three Bears & the Absurd ABC - Illustrated by Walter Crane

Her neck did she Crane,
As she looked up the Lane,
To see the Three Bears pass by.

They all went in, oddly,
At the head of the Bodley,
An A.B.C. for to buy!

‘Mother Hubbard – Her Picture Book’ is a fantastic collection of classic children’s stories, stunningly illustrated throughout by Walter Crane. It is one of Crane’s many celebrated ‘Toy Books’, and contains the tales of ‘Mother Hubbard’, ‘The Three Bears’ and ‘The Absurd ABC’. Decorated throughout, in full-colour, it is a volume that both young and old will delight in.

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 beautifully 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. His illustrated books are incredibly sought after today, as some of the finest examples of Golden Age art.

Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration from the 1880s to the 1930s. Our collection showcases classic fairy tales, children’s stories, and the work of some of the most celebrated artists, illustrators and authors.