The baby's first book will naturally be a picture-book, for pictures appeal to him early, and with great force.... If we understood children better, we should realize this vitality which pictures have for them, and should be more careful to give them the best. W.T. FIELD. THE CHILDREN'S FARM. Dutton. 1.25 These colored pictures of the different farm animals, mounted on boards, will please the littlest ones. CRANE, WALTER (Illustrator). Mother Hubbard. Lane. .25 As children are favorably influenced by good pictures, it is a pity to give them any but the best, among which Walter Crane's certainly stand. Attention is drawn to the designs of the cover-pages of the (p. 22) books of this series, which are quite as attractive as the text illustrations. The drawings for Mother Hubbard are among Mr. Crane's most successful efforts. Tiny folk will be entranced with the pictures of this marvellous white doggie. "This wonderful Dog Was Dame Hubbard's delight, He could sing, he could dance, He could read, he could write." CRANE, WALTER (Illustrator). This Little Pig. Lane. .25 Let us travel to Piggy-land for a few moments, with the baby, and it will probably be the first of many trips, with these gay pictures to guide us. _THREE YEARS OF AGE_ (p. 23) _A dreary place would be this earth, Were there no little people in it; . . . . . . . . . . Life's song, indeed, would lose its charm, Were there no babies to begin it._ WHITTIER. PICTURE-BOOKS What an unprejudiced and wholly spontaneous acclaim awaits the artist who gives his best to the little ones! They do not place his work in portfolios or locked glass cases; they thumb it to death, surely the happiest of all fates for any printed book. GLEESON WHITE. BANNERMAN, HELEN. *The Story of Little Black Sambo. Stokes. .50 Written and illustrated by an Englishwoman in India for her two small daughters, Little Black Sambo, with its absurd story, and funny crude pictures in color, will delight young children of all lands. CALDECOTT, RANDOLPH (Illustrator). The Farmer's Boy. Warne. .25 These delicately colored prints, with their atmosphere of English country life, well accord with the old cumulative verses which they accompany. Mr. Caldecott has charmingly illustrated this and the (p. 24) following picture-books. Some of the illustrations in each book are in color and some in black and white. The Caldecott toy-books, They fix for all time The favorite heroes Of nursery rhyme. The Caldecott toy-books-- We never shall find A gracefuller pencil, A merrier mind! L.