'More English Fairy Tales' is a collection of stories written by Joseph Jacobs, accompanied by the masterful black-and-white illustrations of John D. Batten. It includes such tales as 'The Pied Piper', 'Tattercoats', 'The Golden Ball', 'Coat O'Clay', 'The Children in the Wood', 'The King of England and his Three Sons', and 'The King of Cats.'
Joseph Jacobs (1854 - 1916), was an Australian folklorist, literary critic, historian and writer of English literature, who became a notable collector and publisher of English folklore. Heavily influenced by the Brothers Grimm and the romantic nationalism ubiquitous in his contemporary folklorists, Jacobs was responsible for introducing English fairy tales to English children, who had previously chiefly enjoyed those derived from French and German folklore.
John Dickson Batten (1860 - 1932), was a British figure painter, as well as a book illustrator and printmaker. He illustrated almost all of Jacob's works, including, English Fairy Tales (1890), Celtic Fairy Tales (1892), Indian Fairy Tales (1912), and European Folk and Fairy Tales (1916). In addition, Batten is also celebrated for his delicately rendered imaginings of Arabian Nights and Dante's Inferno. Presented alongside the text of 'More English Fairy Tales', his illustrations further refine and elucidate Joseph Jacob's enchanting narratives.
Pook Press celebrates the great 'Golden Age of Illustration' in children's classics and fairy tales - 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.
'Joseph Jacobs' was an Australian folklorist, translator, historian and writer. He collected many traditional folk and fairy tales and made them popular with his retellings. His work popularised some of the world's best-known versions of English fairy tales including 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears', 'The Three Little Pigs', and 'The History of Tom Thumb'. He also collected fairy tales from continental Europe, as well as Jewish, Celtic and Indian fairy tales.