Originally published in 1885, A Child’s Garden of Verses has served as a wonderful introduction to poetry for each new generation. Stevenson’s beloved poems celebrate childhood in all its complexity and joy, from the sunny pleasures of “At the Seaside,” to the imaginative musings of “Foreign Lands” to the playful, ever-popular “My Shadow.” Of the many available editions, Gyo Fujikawa’s is one of the sweetest and most personal. Illustrated in 1957, it was her very first book—and she evokes a simpler, more innocent time that should profoundly appeal to today’s audiences. It is a gift that every child will treasure.
