Children are harsh critics, not only of pictures but of literature
itself, and the critical spirit is a good one to cultivate, if it is not
allowed to fall into captious fault-finding. On the whole, however, it
is far better to point out the good things in a picture than to call
attention to poor execution or poor conception. Leave criticism
generally to those infrequent cases in which the artist has actually
blundered because he has not read the selection closely or accurately,
or has been careless in the things he ought to know. For instance, it
would be absurd to show King Arthur in a modern dress suit, or to put
fire-arms in the hands of the Indians who met Columbus for the first
time. But such faults occur infrequently. Usually the pictures are
careful studies, and give many a hint on costuming, manners and customs,
as well as on the proper surroundings of the characters.

Some selections are so universal in their nature, so freely applicable
to all times and places, that the artist may be allowed to delineate any
people, anywhere, at any time. Nursery rhymes, so often alluded to, lend
themselves to an endless variety of imaginary people and places. The old
woman might be living still in her shoe and whipping her children
soundly, in a twentieth-century wrapper, or clothed in skins she might
send them supperless to bed in pre-historic ages. Whether Jack and Jill
wore wooden shoes or patent-leather pumps we shall never really know;
perhaps their little feet were encased in moccasins, or they may have
been bare and ornamented with rings: what we do know is that Jack broke
his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

So we will give the artists all the latitude they wish, as long as they
keep the facts straight, and we will try to help the children to see
what the artist saw, and so get clearer visions for themselves.

The pictures in these books are from many artists, all of whom have
given an interpretation of the selection they were working upon, and
have given it in such a way as to be helpful and inspiring to their
youthful readers. Every time the artists have tried to get a child's
view of things and to draw so that a child will like their work. Their
enthusiasm has been boundless, and their execution remarkably good. Some
of their pictures are gay, some are grave, a few sad; some are highly
imaginative and others very realistic. Not a few are wonderfully
beautiful. Among so many designs, so many kinds, everyone