The Pied Piper of Hamelin - Illustrated by Kate Greenaway
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin – with Kate Greenaway illustrations’ is a tale concerning the mysterious disappearance of a great number of children from a town in Lower Saxony, Germany – originating in the Middle Ages. This particular version (in the form of a children’s poem) is penned by Robert Browning (1812 – 1889), an English playwright and lyricist whose mastery of dramatic verse made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. As a testament to both Browning’s skill and the stunning illustrations of Kate Greenaway, this book has remained in print since its original publication.
Kate Greenaway (1846 – 1901), was a children’s book illustrator and writer, and remains one of the most popular illustrators of all time. Edmund Evans produced her first book (‘Under the Window’) in 1879, which was an instant best-seller and cemented her pre-eminent position. Kate Greenaway illustrations typically depict charming children in quaint costumes and idyllic scenes captured the imagination of the contemporary public – and continue to delight over a century after their initial publication. Presented alongside the text, her illustrations (first published in 1888) further refine and elucidate Browning’s masterful storytelling.
Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature. We publish rare and vintage classic illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Browning's poem, a classic, is based on a legend from medieval times. It tells of a brightly-clad stranger who offers to rid the town of Hamelin of rats, for an agreed-upon sum of money. When he plays a haunting tune on his pipe, the rats follow him to their deaths in the river, but the mayor won't pay the piper. In revenge, the piper lures the children out of town into a cave, forever separated from their parents, though in a Utopian land of beauty. The poem's language is rich and lyrical, although spots are difficult for children to grasp, which is why many of the versions for children are adaptations. Here is a new, unabridged edition, dramatically illustrated in glowing colors (sometimes verging on gaudy). It's full of motion and expression, capturing the spirit of the poem and the details of the medieval town, as well as the Eden-like land where the children are taken. (59)