Oh, what a treat this book is! Bravo to Living Book Press for not only reprinting the “Eyes and No Eyes” series by Arabella Buckley, but also for updating it with gorgeous full-color photos that cannot fail to aid the reader in nature study, and invite us into the magical natural world around us.
I know that many of us old book lovers are purists and fret when a book is changed. I respect that, I really and truly do. In a science series like this, however, I think Buckley would have been delighted to be able to offer children gorgeous photos like those that Living Book Press chose to include. Where possible, Living Book Press preserved the original sketches. But, where the opportunity to generously enrich the book was present, beautiful and scientific photos are also included. I consider this upgrade to be similar to that of what Jill Morgan at Purple House Press did with the Elizabeth Ripley artist biographies. This is an example of excellent publishers loving their customers enough to give them the best of the old with the advantages of the new. If you are curious about the process Anthony used, take a look at this note:
In 2024 I have been cultivating the habit of reading books from small publishers we love while I eat my lunch. Instead of rushing through lunch to get to the next thing, I have willfully slowed down and been taking the time to breathe. I love this ritual! I am particularly delighted that included in the purchase of these print books from Living Book Press, is a free PDF. So while the book is being printed and shipped, I can be reading the PDF on my kindle. Reading on my kindle makes it so much easier for me to read while I eat.
This book was such a joy to read! In the preface, Arabella Buckley (Mrs. Fisher) explains that she has written these chapters in simple (yet very living) language designed for even the youngest children to understand and be enchanted by. This book is designed to encourage nature study out of doors, so the lessons are written to give children enough information to make them curious. But included in that are also practical instructions on how to interact with the natural world while they are out there.
“Every country boy or girl, who wants to learn about water animals, should make a pond net. You have only to get a willow twig, and bind it into a hoop with string. Then make a muslin bag and sew a small stone in the bottom of it, and sew the mouth of the bag on to the hoop. Get a stick out of the hedge and fasten to it a long piece of string. Split the string near the end, and tie it to the two sides of the hoop. Then you have a net which you can let down and fish up animals from the bottom of the pond. You had better have a wide-mouthed bottle as well in which you can put what you catch. I know a shady pond just outside a farmyard at the turn of a lane. There on a bright sunny day the insects are often very busy.” – Lesson II: The Dragon-Fly And His Companions
What fun can be had in following her instructions! Once the child has made the net, he can then take off and explore God’s creative beauty. And, once he finds something of interest, he can come back and consult this text to learn more about it. Or, the mother or teacher can direct the child’s focus onto the specific animal of that lesson.
Look at this page and note the scientific but accessible language accompanied by a useful image of the life cycle of the frog.
Or, look at this incredible photo and explanation of a dragon-fly emerging:
And, this is my favorite lesson in the book – the Kingfisher. Look at him diving for minnows. What a fantastic photo of something that would be very hard to observe from the shore.
My only regret is that I was never exposed to these books as a child myself and that I didn’t know of them while my children were small. But, all of us are enjoying them now, and I imagine they will always be checked out of my library.
