The Brownies: Their Book

by Palmer Cox

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Childrens, Literature, Picture Books, Fantasy

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1881

About the author

Palmer Cox was a Canadian illustrator and author, best known for The Brownies, his series of humorous verse books and comic strips about the mischievous but kindhearted fairy-like sprites.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmer_Cox

Reviews

[Dominick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is slight but fun. Cox provides a series of verse stories about the eponymous characters, accompanied by whimsical black and white line drawings. There's not much in the way of drama or tension--the Brownies visit a toy store, or explore skating, or build a balloon to travel in (that one has a bit more drama), or gather wood for a parson, or bring in an ailing farmer's crops. They are represented as very slightly mischievous but generally helpful to humans, as well as whimsical and naive. The illustrations are really the selling feature here, with their complex and detailed, humorous depictions of the Brownies' (mis)adventures. The verse form is a smooth and inoffensive iambic tetrameter rhyming couplet; it is serviceable but does not rise to the level of genuine poetry. A fun, light read.

[Denise Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brownies! Love their fat tummies and skinny legs.

[Ceejay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid's book from the late 1800's is an absolute delight! It's all in verse, and the pen and ink drawings are worth checking it out, even if you don't read it. Will children of today appreciate this book? I think that if it's read to them they will. There are no cars or planes or phones or anything modern mentioned. Because it all rhymes,I found myself reading it out loud. Step back in time, and let the band of little brownies bring joy to your life.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check this fine blog entry, Palmer Cox fans...
http://john-adcock.blogspot.com/2013/...

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a time when kids are inundated with popular culture dating from the 1970s until today that features whimsical ideas such as trolls, gremlins, fairies, and even the commercial elements such as Smurfs, one could do far worse than to introduce them to Palmer Cox’s Brownies. The edition I picked up, a 1967 Grolier Society printing, has only a brief introduction prior to the poems, stating “BROWNIES, like fairies and goblins, are imaginary little sprites, who are supposed to delight in harmless pranks and helpful deeds. They work and sport while weary households sleep, and never allow themselves to be seen by mortal eyes.”

The poems are fun, light hearted, and positive little adventures. The Brownies ride a whale, go to an Academy, and do things at night while the world slumbers. Nothing too extreme, but those interested in light hearted fun with mystical beings might like this one. It is the type of thing my children enjoy at bedtime.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird, it's set in America? The verse is mainly competent, but the stories get a little repetitive after a while. It's more of a collection of stories than something that delves deeply into culture or identity, and there's not much that suggests mischief or pranks than mild inconvenience to humans at the brownie's borrowing their things to play, which happens once or twice. Good deeds are performed for their own sake rather than for payment, and there's no revenge for petty slights or anything like that. They're not very familiar to me, these brownies.

[Jessica Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please note:

There are no pictures that come with the book. The verse is pleasant, but it's the pictures that lift this book above the others. Get a different edition on Kindle (run a sample first) with the pictures and you'll see why it is so highly regarded.

[Tina]

The pictures are priceless. Charming stories told in verse. The Brownies get up to all sorts of adventures at night when people are asleep.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childhood books, from when I could not get my hands on fairy stories fast enough. My copy was an older copy given to me at age 6, by my best friend's mother. I loved the illustrations and the silliness, and would gaze at the pictures to absorb every detail. Many years later, in my thirties, there was a small exhibition of this author's work, at Winterthur Mansion museum, in Delaware. I just happened to be there for the day, enjoying the gardens with a friend, when we decided to tour the mansion. I was delighted to come upon the Brownies exhibit in the children's section of the museum, with many detailed works of illustration, and all of the books by Mr. Cox that I had never read as a child.

Incidentally, for anyone living in the Delaware vicinity (or Maryland, like me), Winterthur has an annual Fairy Festival in its Children's Garden, each June. The entire gardens and grounds are beautiful, but the children's garden is especially whimsical: the fairy house with throne, and the giant birds' nest; the wishing well and other water features; and my favorite, the magical, misty, fairy mushroom ring. Parents and grandparents of younger children are enthusiastically advised to visit!

* edited for typos

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

my parents bought us this for us in the 60s LOVE THE BROWNIES

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not the topic I thought it would be.