Under the Window: Pictures & Rhymes for Children

by Kate Greenaway

Under the Window: Pictures & Rhymes for Children was Kate Greenaway's first children's picture book, composed of her own verses and illustrations. The toy book, helped launch Greenaway's career as a children's book illustrator and author in the late 19th century as well as starting what became known as the "Greenaway vogue." Although Greenaway illustrated over 150 books, Under the Window is one of only two books that she wrote and illustrated. The book is considered to be one of the first earliest examples of a designer picture book, and its popularity caused it to be imitated.

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, 19th Century, Childrens

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1901

About the author

Kate Greenaway (Catherine Greenaway) (1846-1901) was a children's book illustrator and writer. Her first book, Under the Window (1879), a collection of simple, perfectly idyllic verses concerning children who endlessly gathered posies, untouched by the Industrial Revolution, was a best-seller. The Kate Greenaway Medal, established in her honour in 1955, is awarded annually by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in the UK to an illustrator of children's books. New techniques of photolithography enabled her delicate watercolors to be reproduced. Through the 1880s and 90s, in popularity her only rivals in the field of children's book illustration were Walter Crane and Randolph Caldecott, himself also the eponym of a highly-regarded prize medal. Amongst her other works are: A Day in a Child's Life (1881), Mother Goose; or, The Old Nursery Rhymes (1881), Little Ann (with Ann Taylor & Jane Taylor) (1883), Marigold Garden (1885), A Apple Pie (1886), Pied Piper of Hamelin (1888) and Kate Greenaway's Book of Games (1889).

Reviews

[giso0 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some 146-year-old rhymes, paired with illustrations of kids dressed like the characters of a Jane Austen movie.

[Serena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read for University.

Very traditional and old school. Young girls wore colourful dresses and have pink plump checks. They are good, obedient, selfless and kind.

Boys are adventurous, strong and sometimes naughty.

This picture story book promotes all children to strive towards the perceived perfect well behaved child.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely pictures, pleasant verse - I just wish the type were larger.

[Ericka · Rating 4 out of 5]

An odd collection of poetry with many of the same illustrations as her Mother Goose book. Reading the other reviews the modern reader definitely doesn't understand the rhymes. I actually found some quite horrifying. Definitely not for modern children.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wanted to care. Didn't care. Not at all in any way.

[GothicFairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite childhood books.

[Riccardo Mainetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro favoloso di filastrocche per passare qualche ora di serenità e allegria.

[Ana Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has multiple poems which can help my students compare poems when creating their own poems. As a class we can read multiple poems together in order for them to get ideas about what the theme of their poem can be. The book can help as a guidance or reference for students and teachers to create their own poems.

[Wetdryvac · Rating 4 out of 5]

An odd book in many ways, but still fun.