March you old blusterer, what will you bring?

 Today I'll be talking about one of my favorite children's authors, Eleanor Farjeon.  Born in 1881 in England, Farjeon was raised in an accomplished family of novelists, musicians and composers.  She began writing at a young age and published in almost every genre, from ariticles in Punch, to a libretto for her brother's opera, to poetry, plays, and dozens of children's books.  Many are familiar with her Advent hymn, "People Look East".  She was received into the Catholic church in 1951, and died in 1965.

The New Book of Days, written by Farjeon in 1941, perfectly encapsulates her many talents.  For those who don't know, a book of days is a sort of literary almanac, with an entry for each day of the year.  Sometimes it's a poem (always by Farjeon herself), sometimes a brief biography of a famous figure who was born or died on the date in question, other times an entry on the liturgical year or an informative essay, fable, or anecdote.

Thus, on March 1st, we get a poem about the new month:

            March, you old blusterer
            What will you bring?
            Sunny days, stormy days,
            Under your wing?

On March 2nd, we hear about the first hot air balloon ride on that date in 1784, and on March 3rd we get a reminder to get our seeds in the ground (add a month for North American gardens).   And on March 4th, we hear a fascinating etymological discussion of the word "garden."  From this I learned that "garden", "girth", "garth", and "yard" all come from the same root, meaning an enclosed or encircled space.

Though it is not profusely illustrated, it does have a smattering of charming line drawings, in primarily 18th century settings:

Our first year homeschooling I read each entry of the day to my children, and there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Rating: A