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A hardcover release of a darkly comic, cautionary 1907 classic adds whimsical illustrations, interactive lift-flaps and a roaring lion pop-up to the story of a youngster whose forays from home culminate in a "miserable end."

Adored by readers of all ages, these classics feature witty stories, rhymes, and hilarious drawings of the fates that befall naughty children, plus an A-to-Z bestiary with droll observations on wildlife.

One of Hilaire Belloc's most famous works, "Cautionary Tales for Children" satirizes a genre of admonitory children's literature popular in England in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The seven stories contained in this work are macabre parodies of childhood lessons, and will entertain more sophisticated readers who can appreciate these tales of disproportionate punishment. Presented in a classic picture book style, illustrators have captured the foibles of children like Jim, who let go of his nurse's hand and was eaten by a lion; Matilda, who told lies, and was burned to death; and Henry King who swallowed string. The consequences range from naughty children being whimsically eaten by lions, to stern reprimands for a boy who fires a loaded gun at his sister. Originally written nearly a century ago, Belloc's sprightly verses are a quick and cathartic read for teenagers, and reflect a trend of literature that is still popular today.

The Bad Child's Book of Beasts is an amusing and obedience-minded novel for children who just cannot seem to behave. Hilaire Belloc writes in support of tired parents everywhere. Excerpt: "Child! do not throw this book about; Refrain from the unholy pleasure Of cutting all the pictures out! Preserve it as your chiefest treasure. Child, have you never heard it said That you are heir to all the ages? Why, then, your hands were never made To tear these beautiful thick pages!"

A collection of six of Hilaire Belloc's humorous cautionary tales.