The Songs of Father Goose – L. Frank Baum – 1900 | Illustrated Musical Nursery Verse

The Songs of Father Goose is a musical picture book created for young children by L. Frank Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz books. The pages pair short rhymes with printed sheet music and black and white drawings by W.W. Denslow. Baum and Denslow collaborated before on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and this book follows a similar visual style in keeping with the playful tone of the rhymes. The book was printed in a large format, making it easy to use with groups, and one section includes plans for a homemade performance using props and painted backdrops. This first edition was published in 1900 by The George M. Hill Company, with musical annotation by Alberta N. Hall.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Songs of Father Goose For The Kindergarten, The Nursery And The Home
• Author: L. Frank Baum
• Illustrator: W. W. Denslow
• Contributor: Alberta N. Hall (Composer)
• Publisher: Chicago, New York: The George M. Hill Company
• Edition: First Edition, 1900
• Binding: Hardcover, pictorial boards
• Format: Quarto (4to), single volume
• Size: ~ 11.25in × 9.25in (28.5cm × 23.5cm)
• Collation: 84 pp
• Illustrations: Numerous black and white illustrations throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Did You Ever See a Rabbit?
  • The Ostrich Dance
  • Captain Bing
  • Mister Jinks
  • The Bold Boy
  • The Jack-Lantern
  • Old Mister Micklejohn
  • The Clock-Work Man
  • Dolly’s Run Away
  • Instructions for Giving a Father Goose Entertainment

Condition:

Very Good. Covers show moderate edge wear and some scratches on the boards. Pictorial boards show mild handling, and the color has only slightly faded. The spine is solid, with secure hinges. Pages are clean with some age toning and scattered foxing. No missing leaves.

Why Collect This?

• Early collaboration by Baum and Denslow
• Printed musical notation for classroom and home use
• Useful for collectors of early children’s books with illustrated scores

Item Number: #31088