National Review Children's Books

The National Review Treasury of Classic Children’s Literature
Compiled by William F. Buckley Jr.


Original Volume (2002): 528 pages / hardcover / 7” by 10” / lavishly illustrated / 37 stories


This critically acclaimed collection features delightful and wholesome children’s stories – personally selected by William F. Buckley Jr. – from some of America’s best writers from the late-19th/early-20th centuries. The volume contains dozens of stories from literary giants, many first published in St. Nicholas Magazine, the famous journal that established a Golden Age of children’s literature over a century ago.

Among the many renowned authors and beautiful tales in our original 2002 volume are:


• Mark Twain – “Tom Sawyer Abroad”
• Lewis Carroll – “Bruno’s Revenge”
• Rudyard Kipling – “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” “Mowgli’s Brothers,” and “Tiger! Tiger!”
• L. Frank Baum – “Juggerjook”
• Jack London – “In Yeddo Bay” and “To Repel Boarders”
• Louisa May Alcott – “Tabby’s Table-Cloth” and “Onawandah”
• Frances Hodgson Burnett – “The Spring Cleaning,” “The Story of Prince Fairyfoot,” and “The Proud Little Grain of Wheat”
• Thornton Burgess – “Tommy and The Meadow Mice”
• Frank Stockton – “Sweet Majoram Day”
• Bret Harte – “Baby Sylvester”
• Allen French – “Sir Marrok”
• Palmer Cox – “The Brownies”

The National Review Treasury of Classic Children's Literature, Volume Two

Like the first volume, “Treasury 2” contains dozens of stories from literary giants, many first published in St. Nicholas Magazine, the famous journal that established a Golden Age of children's literature over a century ago. Here are some of the many authors and stories you will find:




* MARK TWAIN, the famed author of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, wrote the equally entertaining (but too-forgotten) sequel Tom Sawyer, Detective. This classic mini-novel — featuring Tom, Huck, and Jim up to their old, beloved antics — was first published in 1896 in Harper's, and is republished here (along with all the original artwork!). You'll find it to be rollicking fun (and far superior to anything published today).



* JACK LONDON, the revered author of The Call of the Wild and so many more, appeared in our first collection. He returns in the sequel with the exciting sea tale, “The Cruise of the Dazzler.” It's classic London, and one of five mini-novels — the others are Julia Truitt Bishop's delightful Another Chance, Marion Ames Taggart's The Wyndham Girls, and Adeline Knapp's action-packed The Boy and the Baron — that will thoroughly entertain and enthrall boys and girls of all ages (while promoting those values and lessons that we share, and that are increasingly at a premium!).



* LOUISA MAY ALCOTT, of Little Women and Little Men renown, is another repeat contributor to our series. The National Review Treasury of Classic Children's Literature, Volume Two, includes her heart-tugging “The Blind Lark,” and the delightful “Daisy's Jewel-Box and How She Filled It.” They'll fill the special someone who reads them with that rare feeling that wonderful tales finely told impart.



* FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT is unrivaled as a writer of exquisite children's stories, such as Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden. Readers of this wonderful book will delight in her forgotten classics — “The Troubles of Queen Silver-Bell” and “The Cozy Lion” — and they'll also cherish the stunning accompanying artwork from the incomparable Harrison Cady.



* FRANK BAUM entertained millions of children with his “Oz” books. He appeared in our first book, and has an encore here: His story, “Aunt 'Phroney's Boy,” is typical of the tales in The National Review Treasury of Classic Children's Literature, Volume Two. It's an engaging story marked by unsurpassed prose and offering a clear lesson — precisely the kind of literature children deserve (need!) to be exposed to!



* RUDYARD KIPLING is one of the greatest writers in Western literature. Two of his famous Jungle Book stories (they were were first published as a series in St. Nicholas) are in our new collection: “The King's Ankus” (one of the original "Mowgli" stories) and “Toomai of the Elephants.” Children's literature just doesn't come any better!


The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories

Ten wholesome tales by the great Thorton Burgess, lavishly illustrated by Harrison Cady



Hardcover, 360 pages




Thornton Burgess thrilled two generations of children with his delightful nature tales, publishing over 150 books, most of them illustrated by the great Harrison Cady, featuring an array of woodland creatures — some saintly, some personable, others cranky and haughty, some even naughty, but all fun (and not a single one dull) — in simple, well-written tales that always entertained but that also had a moral and taught a lesson about human nature.



Commencing in 1913, over the course of several years Burgess published 20 books — the famous Bedtime Story Books series — that introduced his charming woodland characters to young readers. With an eye toward bringing wonderful stories to children in the earlier grades (who may find London, Twain, and others easier to handle in another year or two), we've collected the first ten Bedtime books and faithfully reproduced them in The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories.



You will love it. And so (more so!) will those youngsters whom you give it to, whether for a birthday or Christmas gift (or as a reward for that very good report card!). Inside this large, handsome hardcover's 360 pages — brightened by some 60 of Cady's truly special drawings (reproduced just as they appeared in the original old books!) — are ten terrific “adventure” tales of Reddy Fox, Johnny Chuck, Peter Cottontail, Unc' Billy Possum, Mistah Mocker, Jerry Muskrat, Danny Meadow Mouse, Grandfather Frog, Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Sammy Jay, and the other colorful and loveable denizens of the “Green Meadows” and the “Briar Patch.”

These are exactly the kind of little dramas you can read to your wee ones or your grandchildren at night as a prelude to sweet dreams: Each of the “adventure” stories unfold and progress over some 24 chapters (because they are designed to be real “bedtime” reading!). And new and developing readers will take to the book on their own like, well ... like Chatterer takes to acorns!

Graced by the author's very unique literary talents — his witty poems are as wonderful as his stories are captivating — The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories is refreshingly old-fashioned: Its tales are clean, wholesome, fun, innocent, and instructive. These are the type of horizon-opening stories that one would look back upon, as an adult, with fond and cherished memories. This is doubtless one book that you will really want to share with a deserving child.


The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories, Volume Two (2006): 348 pages / hardcover / lavishly illustrated / 10 tales


Thornton Burgess thrilled two generations of children with his delightful nature tales, publishing over 150 books, most of them illustrated by the great Harrison Cady, featuring an array of woodland creatures — some saintly, some personable, others cranky and haughty, some even naughty, but all fun (and not a single one dull) — in simple, well-written tales that always entertained but that also had a moral and taught a lesson about human nature.

Commencing in 1913, over the course of several years Burgess published 20 books — the famous Bedtime Story Books series — that introduced his charming woodland characters to young readers. With an eye toward bringing wonderful stories to children in the earlier grades (who may find London, Twain, and others easier to handle in another year or two), we collected the first ten Bedtime books and faithfully reproduced them in 2003 in The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories. We are now happy to announce the publication of “Volume Two,” which includes the remaining ten Bedtime tales.

You will love both of these books. And so (more so!) will those youngsters whom you give them to, whether for a birthday or Christmas gift (or as a reward for that very good report card!). Inside each of these large, handsome hardcovers’ pages — brightened by some 60 of Cady’s truly special drawings (reproduced just as they appeared in the original old books!) — are ten terrific “adventure” tales.

Our new edition features these wonderful Burgess tales:


* The Adventures of Buster Bear
* The Adventures of Old Mr. Toad
* The Adventures of Prickly Porky
* The Adventures of Old Man Coyote
* The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver
* The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack
* The Adventures of Bobby Coon
* The Adventures of Jimmy Skunk
* The Adventures of Bob White
* The Adventures of Ol’ Mistah Buzzard

If you are a parent or grandparent concerned about the quality of today’s children’s books, you will find National Review’s “Bedtime Classics” a reassuring safe haven. Graced by the Burgess’s very unique literary talents — his witty poems are as wonderful as his stories are captivating — both volumes of The National Review Treasury of Classic Bedtime Stories are refreshingly old-fashioned: the tales are clean, wholesome, fun, innocent, and instructive. These are the type of horizon-opening stories that one would look back upon, as an adult, with fond and cherished memories. This is doubtless one book that you will really want to share with a deserving child.

And for good reason. These are exactly the kind of little dramas you can read to your wee ones or your grandchildren at night as a prelude to sweet dreams. Each of the “adventure” stories unfold and progress over some 24 chapters (because they are designed to be real “bedtime” reading!). And new and developing readers (first and second graders) will take to the book on their own like, well ... like Chatterer takes to acorns!

Each book costs $29.95. Order both for only $49.90 – you save $10. Shipping (via US “Media Mail”) and handling are free. And if your final order is over $75, we will ship your books free via UPS Ground. If you’re sending the books as gifts, please look at the form below – we will gladly send them along to the lucky recipients, and we will include a gift announcement card (with your personal message, if you’d like that!). This is a complimentary service.

Translation Theory Blog Post

Given that Bible translations are back in the news, I've given some thought to a blog post offering some introductory thoughts on translation differences and their importance.


1. We should give deep thanks to God for the translation of the Bible into English.

We are very blessed to have the Word of God in our language. Other languages do not (yet!) have this gift, and we must not take it for granted. 473 years ago William Tyndale was strangled then burned to death by the authorities for seeking to produce a vernacular Bible. Our disagreements over Bible translations should not obscure our gratitude for the gift of what we have. As John Piper notes:

I would rather have people read any translation of the Bible—no matter how weak—than to read no translation of the Bible. If there could be only one translation in English, I would rather it be my least favorite than that there be none. God uses every version to bless people and save people.

2. We should give deep thanks to God for those who have labored to translate the Bible into English.

We rarely stop to ponder the countless hours that scholars have labored to study the original languages and then worked in committee in order to produce the translations that we have today. We may disagree with their decisions here or there, or disagree across the board with the translation philosophy employed, but we must recognize that these men and women are seeking to glorify God and to serve Bible readers by aiming to reflect the original meaning and to connect with people today.

3. When viewing "translation continuum" charts, it is helpful to be aware of the how the issue is being framed and the philosophies defined.

It is instructive to notice what publishers are doing when they seek to present their understanding of how translations differ. If you're ever looking at a chart, you can discern almost instantly which publisher is behind it: their translation is always right in the middle, occupying the "golden mean," "the balanced, mediating position." This is not a criticism, but an observation that helps us see some of the subtle differences in understanding and presentation.

For example, the following diagram is from Zondervan's website (publisher of the NIV and the TNIV):


On the left-hand side you have "word for word" translations, represented on the extreme side by interlinears. On the right hand side you have "thought for thought" translations, represented by The Message. Right smack in the middle you have the NIV and TNIV, in that order. Note that the NLT is solidly on the "thought for thought" side of the continuum.

But Tyndale, the publisher of the NLT, has a somewhat similar continuum.


The difference is that the "thought for thought" category has moved to the center (golden mean; balanced, mediating position) and the extreme on the right (still The Message) is now labeled "paraphrase."

Another thing to notice is that the labels are apparently being defined differently. For Zondervan, the prototypical "word for word translation" is an interlinear, while for Tyndale it is the NASB. For Zondervan, the archetypal "thought for thought translation" is The Message, whereas Tyndale places the NLT in that category and puts The Message into the "paraphrase" category.

We should be cautious in how we use the word "literal."

I know many will disagree with me on this, but I think we should have a moratorium on the word "literal." It may have its place, but I think the word is fraught with potential misunderstanding. It is extremely commonplace for a preacher to say that term X is "literally" A. What we are seeking in interpretation is an author's communicative intention in using particular words in particular ways in particular contexts. A good lexicon provides readers with a range of words in the receptor language that correspond with, or denote, the term in the source language. But merely looking up term X in the lexicon and seeing the verbal equivalent A does not mean we should say that "X is literally A."

One fruitful way to understand the differences in translation is to identify the degree to which they seek to provide clarification.

Translation from one language to another requires a linguistic change: the grammatical form of the source language must be reworked and decoded into the receptor language.

The difference in translation philosophy and practice comes about, in part, based upon the degree to which the translators seek to go beyond this linguistic requirement in order to provide further clarification.

Remembering that we are speaking in terms of levels, not black-and-white absolutes, translation approaches differ on the following issues (and more):

• the degree to which interpretive decisions are made for the reader, or left for the reader to decide
• the degree to which ambiguities are resolved for the reader, or left for the reader to resolve
• the degree to which implicit information is made explicit for the reader, or left implicit for the reader to discover
• the degree to which images and figures are decoded for the reader, or left for the reader to interpret
• the degree to which important repetitions of words are removed, or retained
• the degree to which form and meaning are separated, or seen as essentially inseparable
• the degree to which immediate intelligibility is seen as a high priority, or seen as less important than other matters

What is an essentially literal, or transparent, translation?

An “essential literal” or “transparent” translation seeks to minimize such clarifications as much as possible.




In 2001 Raymond Van Leeuwen, Professor of Biblical Studies Eastern College and one of the NLT translators, wrote an essay for Christianity Today arguing that “We Really Do Need Another Translation.” He advocated a "transparent translation":

A transparent translation conveys as much as possible of what was said, and how it was said, in as near word-for-word form as the target audience allows, though inevitably with some difference and imperfectly.

For serious study, readers need a translation that is more transparent to the "otherness" of Scripture. We need a translation that allows the Bible to say what it says, even if that seems strange and odd to readers at first glance.

. . . As a member of Christ's body and a Bible teacher, I am pleading for a type of translation that is more consistently transparent, so that the original shines through it to the extent permitted by the target language.

Metaphors

One example of this approach is seen in the translation of the image in 1 Kings 2:10, where David is said to be sleeping with his fathers (1 Kings 2:10). Alan Jacobs (Professor of English at Wheaton College and a prolific essayist and cultural critic) discussed this in his essay, “A Bible for Everyone” (First Things, December 2003). He explained why it is crucial to know the difference between an idiom and a metaphor.

It is a distinction both simple and vital. It is highly unlikely that a Jew of David’s time, or at any time in Israel’s history, would have found a family member’s dead body and run to tell everyone that grandpa was now sleeping with his fathers. Hebrew has words to express quite directly that someone has died; the chronicler of Kings chooses here to eschew them in favor of a particularly hieratic and formal way of describing the death of David. When (in 2 Samuel 1) a man comes from the camp of Israel’s army to report to David, he says simply that Saul (along with his son Jonathan) has died. The deaths of Saul and Jonathan are given no cultural or political meaning, because by the time this history was written the people of Israel no longer identified Saul as having special importance for their national identity. David, by contrast, is for the Israelites their first true King, the head of a proper dynastic line; therefore he does not merely die, he “sleeps with his fathers” in Jerusalem, the “city of David.” The phrase is not an idiom—a common phrase lacking an evident literal meaning—instead, it is a carefully chosen image of David’s place in the culture of Israel.

By translating it “sleep with his fathers,” an essential literal or transparent translation recognizes that the form of the original is essential to communicate accurate meaning.

Dr. Van Leeuwen explains why it is important to let metaphors remain their “otherness” rather than turning than seeking to clarify the cognitive content in the translation:

Metaphors grab us and work on us and in us. . . . [I]t is the foreignness of metaphors that is their virtue. Metaphors make us stop and think, Now what does that mean? It is not clear to me that replacing metaphors with abstractions makes it easier for readers. . . . Metaphors are multifaceted and function to invoke active thought on the part of the receiver. Receivers must think and feel their way through a metaphor, and it is this very process that gives the metaphor its power to take hold of receivers as they take hold of it.

So Which Translation Approach Is Best?

Jack Collins, Professor of Old Testament and Department Chairman at Covenant Theological Seminary, served as the OT Editor for the ESV Translation. In his essay, “What the Reader Wants and the Translation Can Give: First John as a Test Case,” he writes:

We cannot answer the simple question, which is the best approach to translation? We must instead qualify it: best for what purpose? I have argued that the essentially literal translation, carefully defined, is the kind of translation that best suits the requirements for an ecclesiastical translation, and for family reading and study. This is because it allows the reader to listen in on the original act of communication, but refrains from “clarifying” based on what we think we know of the shared world and the illocutionary force; it also aims to provide a translation that preserves the full exegetical potential of the original, especially as it convey such things as text genre, style, and register, along with figurative language, interpretive ambiguities, and important repetitions. (p. 105)

I believe that Christian brothers and sister—whether professors, pastors, or people in the pew—can have good faith disagreements regarding translation philosophy. My intention here is not to denigrate other translations, but rather to provide further explanation for the translation approach behind the ESV.