The wonderful “Elsie Piddock slips in her sleep” has been published as a stand-alone picture book and “The Tantony Pig” should be as well. Eleanor Farjeon was a great story teller. But if I ever have to read to a child about poor Wilkin’s sooty handprints, there will be editing on the fly and discussion about why casual racism doesn’t have to be malicious to be hurtful. Brazil nuts are now Brazil nuts, minstrel shows are a thing of the past; times change, and sometimes for the better.

I loved this as a child, read it several times. Upon re-read I'm getting more out of it, as I've learned some of the archaic and British language, and I'm catching on to to more of the word-play. And of course now I'm older than Martin, instead of the age of Sophie, Selina, Sue, Sally, Stella, and Sylvia. I will definitely look harder for [b:Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard|889805|Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard |Eleanor Farjeon|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179205348s/889805.jpg|2885796].

Ok, done. Wow. No surprise it's so re-readable; there's so much in it. Nonsense and poetry, philosophy and stories, fables and riddles and mystery. And magical illustrations. If you've read Elsie Piddock Skips in her Sleep" this is the source. (Sorry, 'add book' feature down right now.)

There is an issue that some would call racism. At the end, discrete and easy to skip or get ready to discuss, there appear some men from non-Sussex cultures, and they are sketched via stereotypes. Not negative stereotypes, but still generalizations that mark them as 'other.' And in the story 'The Long Man of Wilmington' the 'n' word is used - but simply to illustrate just how engrained with soot is the chimney-sweep and not perjorative at all.

I personally believe that there is so much of merit in this book that those unfortunate aspects can be ameliorated with thoughtful discussion, and that the book should definitely stay on shelves.

I was utterly enchanted. I hope you can get a copy, and enjoy falling under its spell, too." ( )