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Old, overlooked, and outstanding children's books

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Shelfworn

Category: Shelfworn

Life, slightly worn around the edges.

Long Abscences and Long Lists

Shelfworn March 23, 2025 0 Comments

So, funny thing. It’s been a year since I posted anything on here. A. Whole. Year. And honestly, I’m scratching my head about a) quite how that happened and b) what the hell I have been doing in all that time. In case you’re actually interested, I think the short answers are that a) I’m hopeless at actually sticking to…

Welcome!

This face belongs to me, Ceri. The one on the left. When I am not drinking tea and eating biscuits in a semi-vegetative state, I read books. And buy books. And sell books. And read lots of other stuff about books. And take photos of books.

And sometimes I write about them too. Which is what you’ll find here.

The one on the right is Arlo. He does not read books, and refuses to discuss them with me. So I’m hoping you’ll stick around and chat with me about them instead.

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Meanwhile, on Instagram…

Cosy reads for autumn 🍁🍂

If you're a fan of crisp autumn days, watching the birds and reading under a blanket with a brew, you are clearly a person after my own heart and will enjoy any of these. They're all wonderfully comforting without being twee, and as good as a large cinnamon and oatmeal cookie and a pair of slippers (almost).

If you prefer to spend your autumns doing bracing open water swims or preparing for next year's marathon, you are clearly crazy and I can't help you 🤣🙃

Have you read these ones?

#vintagebooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepuffin #cosyreads #autumnreads #bookstagram #bookishrestorative #vintagepaperbacks

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Cosy reads for autumn 🍁🍂 If you're a fan of crisp autumn days, watching the birds and reading under a blanket with a brew, you are clearly a person after my own heart and will enjoy any of these. They're all wonderfully comforting without being twee, and as good as a large cinnamon and oatmeal cookie and a pair of slippers (almost). If you prefer to spend your autumns doing bracing open water swims or preparing for next year's marathon, you are clearly crazy and I can't help you 🤣🙃 Have you read these ones? #vintagebooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepuffin #cosyreads #autumnreads #bookstagram #bookishrestorative #vintagepaperbacks

19 hours ago

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1/9

How'd you like them apples?

This is a TINY portion of the apples picked from my two little trees this year. I have already gorged myself on apple crumble but it barely made a dent (in the apples, not my appetite). I think it may be time to dust off the jam pan.

Apple pie is another option of course. I may need to make one the size of the one in Kate Greenaway's 1886 book. If you haven't seen it, the book is a 'traditional' children's rhyme, with each letter of the alphabet representing something you can do with apple pie (some of them making more sense than others). It's actually not that appetising, as most of the time the pie is on the ground, being pawed at by loads of kids or eyed by rats. The pictures are nice enough, but it's exactly the kind of book I would have hidden under the bed to avoid reading to my boys.

Any ideas what I can do with the rest of my apples?

#apples #kategreenaway #applepie #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #childrensbookillustrators

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How'd you like them apples? This is a TINY portion of the apples picked from my two little trees this year. I have already gorged myself on apple crumble but it barely made a dent (in the apples, not my appetite). I think it may be time to dust off the jam pan. Apple pie is another option of course. I may need to make one the size of the one in Kate Greenaway's 1886 book. If you haven't seen it, the book is a 'traditional' children's rhyme, with each letter of the alphabet representing something you can do with apple pie (some of them making more sense than others). It's actually not that appetising, as most of the time the pie is on the ground, being pawed at by loads of kids or eyed by rats. The pictures are nice enough, but it's exactly the kind of book I would have hidden under the bed to avoid reading to my boys. Any ideas what I can do with the rest of my apples? #apples #kategreenaway #applepie #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #childrensbookillustrators

4 days ago

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2/9

10 days into #blackhistorymonth and I found this beauty. It's from the gorgeous 1960 picture book This Is New York by Miroslav Sasek.

The sign in the bottom left (annoyingly just out of shot) says "Play Street Closed". Originally I thought this was just artistic license, to emphasis to the image of children playing. But no. Playstreets is an actual scheme in New York which closes defined streets at set times so that children can safely play out. The scheme was set up in 1914 by Police Commissioner Arthur Woods, who wanted to provide open spaces for under priviledged children living in congested tenements and at the same time ease the tensions between the police and the youth of the city. In just 10 years, the Playstreets scheme was expanded from Manhattan to the outer suburbs with over 50 streets regularly closing to traffic.

I always did wonder how all those kids on Sesame Street never had to worry about cars. Now I know.

#miroslavesasek #thisisnewyork #blackhistory #blackhistorymonth2025 #newyorkhistory #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks

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10 days into #blackhistorymonth and I found this beauty. It's from the gorgeous 1960 picture book This Is New York by Miroslav Sasek. The sign in the bottom left (annoyingly just out of shot) says "Play Street Closed". Originally I thought this was just artistic license, to emphasis to the image of children playing. But no. Playstreets is an actual scheme in New York which closes defined streets at set times so that children can safely play out. The scheme was set up in 1914 by Police Commissioner Arthur Woods, who wanted to provide open spaces for under priviledged children living in congested tenements and at the same time ease the tensions between the police and the youth of the city. In just 10 years, the Playstreets scheme was expanded from Manhattan to the outer suburbs with over 50 streets regularly closing to traffic. I always did wonder how all those kids on Sesame Street never had to worry about cars. Now I know. #miroslavesasek #thisisnewyork #blackhistory #blackhistorymonth2025 #newyorkhistory #childrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks

7 days ago

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3/9

#throwbackthursday 😁 Full marks if you can name this very friendly lion...

Yes, it's Parsley the Lion and Dill the Dog, from the late 1970s show The Herbs. I don't really remember it, though I'm assured by my Mum that it was once a firm favourite. Apparently it had a bit of a Magic Roundabout feel to it, with a mixture of human and animal characters and a wry sense of humour that made it appeal to adults as well as children.

If (after a quick binge on YouTube) Parsley's subtle sense of humour reminds you of something, it's probably Paddington. Both The Herbs and its spin off show The Adventures of Parsley were written by Michael Bond 🙃

Do you remember The Herbs?

#childrenstv #childrenstelevision #70tv #70skid #theherbs #michaelbond #parsleythelion #dillthedog #childrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks # vintagekidsbooks #oldkidsbooks

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#throwbackthursday 😁 Full marks if you can name this very friendly lion... Yes, it's Parsley the Lion and Dill the Dog, from the late 1970s show The Herbs. I don't really remember it, though I'm assured by my Mum that it was once a firm favourite. Apparently it had a bit of a Magic Roundabout feel to it, with a mixture of human and animal characters and a wry sense of humour that made it appeal to adults as well as children. If (after a quick binge on YouTube) Parsley's subtle sense of humour reminds you of something, it's probably Paddington. Both The Herbs and its spin off show The Adventures of Parsley were written by Michael Bond 🙃 Do you remember The Herbs? #childrenstv #childrenstelevision #70tv #70skid #theherbs #michaelbond #parsleythelion #dillthedog #childrensbooks #vintagechildrensbooks # vintagekidsbooks #oldkidsbooks

4 weeks ago

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4/9

The kids are finally back to school and I won't lie, I'm breathing a small sigh of relief 🤣

They're not too happy about it, but I always rather enjoyed the return to school after the summer. I was the one organising my stationery supplies a week in advance and sharpening my pencil crayons ready for colour coding my new timetable.

I would have fit right in at Malory Towers.

#malorytowers #enidblyton #backtoschool #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagebooks #oldbooks #oldkidsbooks #booksfromyourchildhood #oldchildrensbooks

•

The kids are finally back to school and I won't lie, I'm breathing a small sigh of relief 🤣 They're not too happy about it, but I always rather enjoyed the return to school after the summer. I was the one organising my stationery supplies a week in advance and sharpening my pencil crayons ready for colour coding my new timetable. I would have fit right in at Malory Towers. #malorytowers #enidblyton #backtoschool #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagebooks #oldbooks #oldkidsbooks #booksfromyourchildhood #oldchildrensbooks

1 month ago

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5/9

Last few weeks of being able to sit under trees with your shoes off. Sigh.

This illustration is taken from The Wind and the Sun by Tome De Paola - a retelling of an old fable where the wind and the sun compete to see who is the strongest. Seems entirely appropriate for September, with it's last few hazy days of summer and the slide towards autumn.

It's a bittersweet month really - I generally feel sad that the summer's over and a slight dread that winter's on the way. But also a little excited because, let's face it, the new year starts in September, not January.

#vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #fairytalesandfables #oldbooks #september #september2025 #vintagebooks #tomiedepaola

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Last few weeks of being able to sit under trees with your shoes off. Sigh. This illustration is taken from The Wind and the Sun by Tome De Paola - a retelling of an old fable where the wind and the sun compete to see who is the strongest. Seems entirely appropriate for September, with it's last few hazy days of summer and the slide towards autumn. It's a bittersweet month really - I generally feel sad that the summer's over and a slight dread that winter's on the way. But also a little excited because, let's face it, the new year starts in September, not January. #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #fairytalesandfables #oldbooks #september #september2025 #vintagebooks #tomiedepaola

2 months ago

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6/9

Peaceful walking in the country lane behind my house a few weeks ago resulted in these beauties. Sometimes it is convenient to always be loaded up with poo bags 🐕

Country hedgerows never fail to make me think of Brambly Hedge, and the Summer Story is so cute 😊 I always loved all the intricate little drawings and would pore over them for ages as a child. I think it would definitely be in my top 10 fictional places to live. How about you?

#bramblyhedge #jillbarklem #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #vintagepicturebooks #hedgerowposy #oldbooks #childrensillustration

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Peaceful walking in the country lane behind my house a few weeks ago resulted in these beauties. Sometimes it is convenient to always be loaded up with poo bags 🐕 Country hedgerows never fail to make me think of Brambly Hedge, and the Summer Story is so cute 😊 I always loved all the intricate little drawings and would pore over them for ages as a child. I think it would definitely be in my top 10 fictional places to live. How about you? #bramblyhedge #jillbarklem #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #vintagepicturebooks #hedgerowposy #oldbooks #childrensillustration

2 months ago

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7/9

Me on my holidays* 🍹☀️ Sorry about the grainy photo 📷🍹

*Actually an illustration from Dear Dragon by Sesyle Joslin, illustrations by Irene Haas.

#vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #sesylejoslin #irenehaas #oldbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks

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Me on my holidays* 🍹☀️ Sorry about the grainy photo 📷🍹 *Actually an illustration from Dear Dragon by Sesyle Joslin, illustrations by Irene Haas. #vintagebooks #vintagechildrensbooks #vintagepicturebooks #childrensillustrators #sesylejoslin #irenehaas #oldbooks #oldchildrensbooks #vintagekidsbooks

2 months ago

View on Instagram |

8/9

So somehow I've been away for 2 years.

I didn't mean to. I was only going to have a short break because IG was sort of doing my head in. But that was 20 August 2023, and now here we are, exactly 2 years later.

Tbh I thought long and hard about coming back at all. Over the years, the bookshop (still going) and blog (hanging in there) has been a bit like having children. Hard work, long days, lots of lugging things around and taking endless, endless pictures. And not always getting that much back 😬. On more than one occasion I have been somewhat exasperated with the whole thing and have questioned the moment of madness that got me into it in the first place 🙃

And yet. I have loved it. I'm quite proud of it. And I've missed it. So maybe not quite ready to let go just yet. So I'm still going.

And maybe one day it will mature and start paying its own way, you never know.

Thanks for sticking around x

#vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #oldbooks #vintagebooks #vintagebook #vintagepuffin #backinthegame #vintagebooks #retrobooks

•

So somehow I've been away for 2 years. I didn't mean to. I was only going to have a short break because IG was sort of doing my head in. But that was 20 August 2023, and now here we are, exactly 2 years later. Tbh I thought long and hard about coming back at all. Over the years, the bookshop (still going) and blog (hanging in there) has been a bit like having children. Hard work, long days, lots of lugging things around and taking endless, endless pictures. And not always getting that much back 😬. On more than one occasion I have been somewhat exasperated with the whole thing and have questioned the moment of madness that got me into it in the first place 🙃 And yet. I have loved it. I'm quite proud of it. And I've missed it. So maybe not quite ready to let go just yet. So I'm still going. And maybe one day it will mature and start paying its own way, you never know. Thanks for sticking around x #vintagechildrensbooks #oldchildrensbooks #oldkidsbooks #vintagekidlit #oldbooks #vintagebooks #vintagebook #vintagepuffin #backinthegame #vintagebooks #retrobooks

2 months ago

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9/9

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