Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates, a Story of Life in Holland
- New York: James O'Kane, 1866
New York: James O'Kane, 1866. First edition. Near Fine. Publisher's brown cloth titled in gilt. Twelvemo. 346, [2, ads] pp. Complete with four plates (including frontispiece). A bright copy with a small smudge to lower board and just a bit of foxing to endpapers and preliminary blanks. Otherwise clean and fresh throughout. Small contemporary ink gift inscription to preliminary blank. A Near Fine copy.
Hans Brinker, the story of a Dutch boy who hopes to win a pair of silver skates in an ice skating race, is one of the most successful books in the history of children's literature (ANB). The novel introduced American children to a charming Dutch backdrop inspired by Dodge's readings on the history of the Netherlands and the firsthand accounts of her Dutch immigrant neighbors. Notably, the novel also popularized the legend of a Dutch boy who saves his city by plugging a hole in a leaky dike with his finger (in Hans Brinker, the story is recounted in a classroom scene); the legend has inspired many American retellings, including a poem by Dodge's family friend Phoebe Cary, since the novel's publication.
Along with writing many books for children, Mary Mapes Dodge (1831 - 1905) also edited the periodical St. Nicholas Magazine, a companion to Scribner's Monthly intended for a juvenile audience, for over thirty years. Dodge was skilled at soliciting contributions from both popular, sought-after writers and new talent: the works of Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Louisa May Alcott, and Rudyard Kipling appeared alongside that of emerging writers like Frances Hodgson Burnett, who serialized her first major success, Little Lord Fauntleroy, in the magazine. Dodge's work on St. Nicholas Magazine set the standard for other juvenile magazines and helped launch the careers of influential writers who would shape the genre of children's literature; in other words, the magazine left "an indelible imprint on American juvenile publishing" (ANB). Near Fine.
Hans Brinker, the story of a Dutch boy who hopes to win a pair of silver skates in an ice skating race, is one of the most successful books in the history of children's literature (ANB). The novel introduced American children to a charming Dutch backdrop inspired by Dodge's readings on the history of the Netherlands and the firsthand accounts of her Dutch immigrant neighbors. Notably, the novel also popularized the legend of a Dutch boy who saves his city by plugging a hole in a leaky dike with his finger (in Hans Brinker, the story is recounted in a classroom scene); the legend has inspired many American retellings, including a poem by Dodge's family friend Phoebe Cary, since the novel's publication.
Along with writing many books for children, Mary Mapes Dodge (1831 - 1905) also edited the periodical St. Nicholas Magazine, a companion to Scribner's Monthly intended for a juvenile audience, for over thirty years. Dodge was skilled at soliciting contributions from both popular, sought-after writers and new talent: the works of Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, Louisa May Alcott, and Rudyard Kipling appeared alongside that of emerging writers like Frances Hodgson Burnett, who serialized her first major success, Little Lord Fauntleroy, in the magazine. Dodge's work on St. Nicholas Magazine set the standard for other juvenile magazines and helped launch the careers of influential writers who would shape the genre of children's literature; in other words, the magazine left "an indelible imprint on American juvenile publishing" (ANB). Near Fine.
Details
Title
Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates, a Story of Life in Holland
Author
Dodge, M.E. [Mary Mapes]
Condition
Near Fine
Publisher
James O'Kane: New York
Date
1866
Edition
First edition