Charles Kingsley’s classic, The Water Babies, was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades. It tells the story of a young chimney sweep, Tom, who drowns in a river and is turned into a ‘water-baby’. Tom then embarks on a series of adventures and lessons underwater, and meets characters such as the major spiritual leaders of the water world, Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, and Mother Carey. This classic fairy tale, originally published in 1915, contains eight incredible colour illustrations and many beautiful and intricate black and white drawings by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Pook Press publishes rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

The adventures of Tom, a sooty little chimney sweep with a great longing to be clean, who is stolen by fairies and turned into a water baby.

A Victorian tale in which Tom, a sooty little chimney sweep with a great longing to be clean, is stolen by fairies and turned into a water-baby.

This edition of Charles Kingsley's 'The Water-Babies', illustrated by A. E. Jackson was originally published in 1920. The story was extremely popular in England and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades.

The adventures of Tom, a sooty little chimney sweep with a great longing to be clean, who is stolen by fairies and turned into a water baby.

How is academia portrayed in children's literature? This Element ambitiously surveys fictional professors in texts marketed towards children, who are overwhelmingly white and male, tending to be elderly scientists. Professors fall into three stereotypes: the vehicle to explain scientific facts, the baffled genius, and the evil madman. By the late twentieth century, the stereotype of the male, mad, muddlehead, called Professor SomethingDumb, is formed in humorous yet pejorative fashion. This Element provides a publishing history of the role of academics in children's literature, questioning the book culture which promotes the enforcement of stereotypes regarding intellectual expertise in children's media. This title is also available, with additional material, as Open Access.

Story of a young boy who discovers, at the age of eight, that he was a foundling. When his foster father sends him away he must find a way to survive and also discover his true identity.