1930's books

The Twilight of Magic (Stokes & Cape 1930) illustrated by Lois Lenski is set in Medieval history, the story chronicles the childhood search of brother and sister, Giles and Anne for proof of magic. It is a time in history when the boundaries between infant science and the supernatural are blurred and it is here that Giles and Anne meet Agnes the Applewoman and her Whispering Shell.

We are left with more questions than answers and it is this very approach which sets The Twilight of Magic apart from many other children's books of its day. The message that Hugh Lofting imparts with this unique story however is that magic is to be found all around us.

Gub-Gub's Book, An Encyclopaedia of Food (Stokes & Cape 1932). The frontispiece of the book introduces "An Encyclopaedia of Food in Twenty volumes", going on to explain that "Prof. Gub- Gub Announces that owing to the high cost of living the other 19 volumes of this GREAT WORK have been Temporarily postponed".

The book takes the form of a Scheherazade story, with chapters unfolding evening by evening. As Gub-Gub deals patiently with his raucous animal friends, they are drawn into his world and find out such vital information on the food map as where Alfred burnt the cakes. A book readable by adults as well as children.

Doctor Dolittle's Birthday Book (F. A. Stokes Co. New York, 1935) each day of the year specified with two to a page, pink end papers with white stars. The book shown is the US edition there does not appear to have been a British edition.

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Tommy, Tilly and Mrs Tubbs (Stokes 1936 & Cape 1937) illustrated by Lofting in colour and black & white, full page illustrations as well as some in the text.

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