The Children's Book Section

GREAT writers only too often go unrewarded in their life‐time and, while no one could say this of Walter de la Mare, winner of the Library Association Carnegie medal for an outstanding children's book published in 1947, it is pleasing that his writing for children should be thus rewarded. The book selected (Collected Stories for Children, Faber 10/6), contains old favourites like “The Scarecrow,” and “The Dutch Cheese.” Mr. de la Mare is especially fortunate in having found, in Irene Hawkins, an illustrator who can interpret his work so perfectly, and this volume is enhanced by her charming illustrations. One of the best anthologies for children is Mr. de la Mare's Come Hither and it is one that badly needs to be reprinted. Copies in public libraries are too well thumbed—a sure sign of popularity—but librarians hesitate to discard irreplaceable volumes of this kind.