Physical description

An olive green hardcover children's fiction book, The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley with Art Nouveau decorated covers, and the title and publisher printed on the decorative spine. It has Pp. 264 plus 32 S.W. Partridge and Co.'s Catalogue Pages of Popular Illustrated Books classified according to price. There are six black and white illustrations by HLB. It has brown discoloration with age throughout. A Bookplate is glued onto the front right hand endpaper.

Publication type

fiction

Inscriptions & markings

The Bookplate says: 'Presented to Netta Sebire for reciting at Band of Hope 1915'

Summary

The story deals with the moral education and Christian redemption of a young chimney sweep called Tom, who after drowning is transformed into a clean 'water baby' or sprite. This second chance allows him to evolve into a strong and worthy man, capable of engaging with the modern world. It is considered a moral fable and a satire on Victorian attitudes to child labour and religion.