Classic Rereads: The Brambly Hedge complete collection by Jill Barklem

As a child, I deeply loved all things miniature and British - so when I discovered Jill Barklem's exquisite little books about the mice of Brambly Hedge I was smitten. Fast forward lo these many years (we won't say how many) and I still have my miniature set-ups, my collections of tiny books including Jill Barklem, and my utter delight that HarperCollins is republishing these classic stories.

Now, just so you are aware, they are also republishing the original books (they're about the size of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit books for a size comparison) but if you're looking for a great holiday gift for a miniature and/or book lover, why not get this gorgeous collection? It comes in a nice, sturdy slipcase and includes the eight classic stories in a single volume.

The first set of four are seasonal - Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story, and Winter Story. They show the mice enjoying the excitement of each season from harvest to winter balls, weddings to picnics. The second set  - The Secret Staircase, The High Hills, Sea Story, and Poppy's Babies adds to the adventures of the mice showing them traveling to the seaside to get salt, setting up a new home for a tired mother, and discovering secrets in the Old Oak Palace.

The Brambly Hedge stories are a pastoral world, with the mice busily collecting, storing, and sharing food in their intricate stumps and tree homes. There's a quasi-feudal feel to it, with the presence of Lord and Lady Woodmouse, but on the whole the mice are an egalitarian lot with everyone pitching in to help each other out. The most present characters are the ever-curious Wilfrid Toadflax and his best friend, Primrose Woodmouse. Together they have many adventures in and around the meadow.

A large part of the charm of this series is Barklem's intricate illustrations showing shelves stacked with tiny dishes, food, and other household equipment. Then there's the fields, stream, and trees with exquisite drawings of flowers, grasses, berries, and mushrooms. The mice themselves are dressed in old-fashioned style, buttoned into trousers, petticoats, and adorned with shady straw hats (suitably adjusted for ears and tails of course).

Verdict: The complete collection is a great buy for library shelves, if you have little listeners who love tiny things (and who doesn't?) and I look forward to introducing our patrons to this beloved series. Consider either the complete collection or selections of the individual books for the miniature loving children in your life; you can even pair them with some little mouse dolls or tiny foods for imaginative play.

Revisited: This is still in print, although it's rather expensive, at nearly $30. However, it regularly circulates to patrons who love the adorable miniature art and I'm pleased to be one of only two libraries in my consortium that owns it.

ISBN: 9780008282820; This edition published October 2018 by HarperCollins; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library (I have purchased my own copies of the individual books as well as a few for the library)