Entertaining anthology of weird and wonderful scenes from old children’s books.

This volume has seen many years in the making.  The author has kept track, as he collected and cataloged the huge Blue Lantern library old children’s picture books, of particularly unusual images and situations.  Here are some of the best, and rarest of these discoveries.  The world of children’s books is one where imagination is given free rein, and the results are both stimulating and delightful.  Artists and authors include Frank Baum, Edward Lear, Gelett Burgess, Peter Newell, John R. Neill and Charles Doyle.

Welleran Poltarnees, who together with his wife Alexandra Day founded the legendary Green Tiger Press, authored the popular series of Good Dog Carl children’s books, and head the various publishing enterprises of The Laughing Elephant, has been collecting weird and wonderful moments from children’s literature for over three decades.  It is his collection of over 15000 children’s books that fuels the Laughing Elephant’s creative spirit, and it is from this world class collection that he has drawn the selections that appear in Weird and Wonderful. 

30 oversized postcards featuring vintage images of frogs from the Laughing Elephant picture book collection.

From the Laughing Elephant’s collection of antique children’s books, vintage postcards, advertising art and other of our vast and wonderful collection of desideratum we have created a postcard book devoted to and celebrating frogs and their ineffable frogginess.

Frogs!, is the 14th title in the Laughing Elephant’s popular line of postcard books. It contains 30 oversized postcards, all featuring frogs; fairytale frogs (prior to their being kissed and turned into princes,) walking frogs, talking frogs, dressed frogs, natural frogs, pretty frogs and warty frogs, toady frogs and froggy frogs, in short frogs of all sorts.

Why frogs, you may ask? It is a good question, yet one that is not easy to answer. Like many of our most enduring passions its origins are so deep any adequate explanation would be too lengthy for our present form. Put simply, mankind has always been drawn to frogs; from the ancient Egyptian frog goddess to the Roman frog kings, and in every culture all the way through history to Kermit the Frog, we have involved frogs in our mythology and entertainments. We appreciate the frog’s place in the evolutionary continuum, standing athwart the distinction between the primordial slime and dry land as they do. We also take note of their buggy eyes and super greenness, their remarkable jumping ability, and their long tongues and deep ribbits; frogs are very unique and so attract attention.

The editors of this volume, after looking at thousands of frog pictures, believe the answer its quite simple; frogs are funny looking, they make us laugh. Frogs are characters, somehow serious and comical at the same time (Mr. Toad comes to mind) they have personality. Finally, it is nearly impossible to draw a picture of a frog that is not funny to look at, we suggest you try.
As to our assertions about the value of frog appreciation we feel certain that the organizers of The Rayne Louisiana Frog Festival agree with us, as do the sponsors of the Toad Suck Daze in Conway Arkansas and the Frogfest in Cedarville Michigan. Any doubts you may have about the veracity of our statements can probably be alleviated by the venerable Calaveras County Fair and Frog Jumping Jubilee or the august Frog Museum in Berne Switzerland.

No frogs legs were eaten in the production of this book.

A gathering of colorful costumes from old pattern books, to inspire those looking for ideas for Halloween, New Years or any other occasion for a costume party

The custom of dressing-up in a disguise of one kind or another for balls, parties, or other celebrations is not only an ancient custom, but one that has deep roots in our minds. It provides an opportunity to live our dreams, to realize our wilder aspirations. One is, when costumed, a different being.

We have drawn from our large fashion collection some especially attractive costume plates. They are from classic French and continental fashion magazines of the 1920s to 1950s. This volume is inspirational, not instructional, though most of the costumes are readily imitated.

My Resolutions is a reprint of a 1908 title by comic pioneer R.F. Outcault.  The comic strip featuring Buster Brown ran from 1902 until 1921 and inspired books and other products, including of course Buster Brown shoes.  Buster Brown is preternaturally modern in his style and outlook.  A beautifully dressed child of angelic mien he sailed through the first two decades of the twentieth century with his faithful dog Tige (the first talking pet in American comics).  Buster misbehaved constantly and was generally caught and punished, but like a modern sitcom child responds not with tears or remorse but a snappy comeback.  In Buster’s case this took the form of the resolutions that ended every Buster Brown strip.  The resolutions are little gems of comic writing, skewering parental piety at every opportunity. 
 
“RESOLVED: That if you are going to insist on being truthful, learn to hold your tongue.  The truth is a dangerous thing and must be handled by a master.  ‘Truth is mighty and will prevail’ it doesn’t need your assistance.  Just let it alone.  Tact will help you a great deal & extreme kindness will help you to keep unwelcome truths to yourself.  Don’t let anyone know you are honest.  They will think you are a ‘come on’ and will take advantage of you.”

Alphabet books are much loved by children, and so there have
been many of them published over the years. Happily they pro-
vide a stimulating challenge to artists and authors. This reprint,
from 1908, features dog breeds. The poodle, greyhound and
collie are familiar friends, but a few breeds, such as the harrier
and the lurcher, show that even dogs change with time’s pas-
sage. the rhymes that accompany each letter are delightful and
informative, for example:

N is for the Newfoundland
Who springs in the wave
And strives to his utmost
The drowning to save..

Other passages are more moralistic, as was common in chil-
dren’s books of this era:

Q stands for the Quarrel,
It’s most sad to see
Both Puppies and Children
Who cannot agree.

Some of the dogs herein are less pampered than their more
modern counterparts:

E stands for the dogs of the Eskimo
Who draws laden sleds for miles over snow.

Charming pictures of dogs leaping, swim-
ming, playing and doing all manner of ca-
nine things take us from a to Z in this delight-
ful alphabet book.

I Love You: an Illustrated Anthology of Some of the Most Romantic Love Poems Ever Written features some of the most beautiful love poems. This sumptuous gift volume comes in its own box and includes poems by Shakespeare, Byron, Donne and many other of our most revered authors and poets.

All of the poems selected feature accompanying illustrations by some of the finest illustrators and painters of their era, including the work of the Pre-Raphaelite Rossetti and that of his contemporary, the book illustrator Eleanot Fortescue Brickdale.. The editors, drawing upon years of collecting in the field of illustrated poetry have created an integrated work in which the reader can enjoy the muse of art and poetry in equal measure.
I Love You is intended as a gift between lovers, both old and new, to be given as a testament of love and to be read aloud to the beloved. As such it contains an elaborately decorated page containing a place intended solely for the imposition of a romantic inscription from giver to receiver; those seeking inspiration for an inscription of sufficient ardor need only look on for a few pages for to find a suitable message.

The beauty, quality and care that have gone into the creation of I Love You make it an appropriate token of one’s love for another; a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day, an Anniversary, Birthday, Wedding or any day that one wishes to say ‘I Love You.’

This compendium contains the complete contents of six Carl books, plus an essay about Alexandra Day, the real Carl and a little about how the books are made. Included are Carl Goes Shopping, Carl’s Afternoon in the Park, Carl’s Masquerade, Carl Goes to Daycare, Carl’s Birthday and Follow Carl.

“Move over, Mary Poppins, and make room for Carl.” – Publishers Weekly

“Each of Day’s colorful illustrations projects a lively activity, and each is filled with delightful humor. The detailed and realistic illustrations can be looked at again and again, and something new is seen each time . . . This deluxe edition would be a wonderful holiday gift for any child or dog-lover, especially one who is partial to Rottweilers. You might want to get two—keep one for yourself.” – Armchair Interviews

THIS BOOK IS SIGNED BY ALEXANDRA DAY & WITH A STAMP-PRINT OF THE REAL CARL’S PAW.

Children barking at a squirrel in a tree? Carrying sticks in their mouths? Begging for food? Who could be responsible for such silly shenanigans except everybody’s favorite baby-sitter, Carl, who takes a group of neighborhood children on a lively game of follow the Leader. Readers will want to follow Carl’s exploits through town and country again and again, and Alexandra Day’s lush autumnal landscapes are the perfect setting for the funny goings-on in the game.

“A game of follow-the-leader doesn’t need words when Carl the dog is at the head of the pack. Day uses her familiar, expressive watercolors to tell this tale, wordless except for an energetic group of children’s opening invitation (in dialogue) to Carl to come be their leader. Of course, that means that some of the actions the children have to follow will be more canine than others.” – (Advance Reviews)

THIS BOOK IS SIGNED BY ALEXANDRA DAY & WITH A STAMP-PRINT OF THE REAL CARL’S PAW.

Carl is every child’s favorite Rottweiler, the dog with the dexterity and responsibility of an adult. Carl takes care of the baby Madeline when her mother is away. Lunch is bread and butter on the floor, followed by a quick hop in the tub, a speedy blow dry and back into the crib – just in time for Mom’s reappearance.

“Success of this book is dependent on reproduction of the drawings, which is exquisite” – (Union-Tribune)

THIS BOOK IS SIGNED BY ALEXANDRA DAY & WITH A STAMP-PRINT OF THE REAL CARL’S PAW.