Flower Fables

Title: Flower Fables
Genre: Children's
Author: Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)
Illustrators: Various; florals by Harry Davey, fairy tale scenes by C. Barnes.
Publisher: Henry Altemus, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Series: Altemus' Young People's Library
Year: 1898 (originally published 1854)
Pages: 116
Format: Hardcover
Provenance: "Helen Guenier" [sp?] written in ink on first page.
Opening Sentence: "The summer moon shone brightly down upon the sleeping earth, while far away from mortal eyes danced the Fairy folk."
Random Passage: "Eglantine laid the urn before the Queen, and placed the fragrant rose on the dewy moss beside the throne, while the murmur of approval went through the hall, as each elfin wand waved to the little Fairy who had toiled so well and so faithfully, and could bring so fair a gift to their good Queen."
Goodreads Review: "While I'm sure this is a delight for children, especially the religious children of civil-war era America, I found this children's book saccharine and strangely uninspiring. Even the darker moments (if you can really call them that) of these fables come off as anti-climactic and shallow, and I feel that the moral lessons of each tale have had their impact lessened because of a sort of forced censorship." — Phoenix, February 26, 2014
Notes: Flower Fables was Louisa May Alcott's first book, published shortly after the author's 22nd birthday. The Altemus edition boasts many intriguing illustrations and a pleasing Art Nouveau cover design.