For readers of any age, a witty and strikingly irreverent collection of moral guidance

 

Most notable among prolific English satirist Hilaire Belloc's writings are the sharp and clever admonishments he composed for children. Collected here and illustrated to wonderful haunting effect by Edward Gorey, these short, funny pieces offer moral instruction for all types of mischief makers—from a certain young Jim, "who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion," to the tale of Matilda, "who told lies and was burned to death”—and add up to a delightful read for any fan of Roald Dahl or Shel Silverstein. 

PRAISE FOR EDWARD GOREY

"Invaluable to Gorey-ites."--The New York Review of Books

"A marvelously entertaining volume . . . I came down on these pages like a wolf on the flock, and devoured them in an afternoon."--The Washington Post Book World

"A master of a genre of graphic storytelling and a brilliant draftsman."--The New York Times Book Review

"A man of enormous erudition . . . An artist and writer of genius."--The New Yorker

"An American original . . . One of this century's foremost eccentric geniuses."--Print Magazine