Oak Knoll

"This book shines a light on publishers who grew the market for children from the late 1700s. Histories of books tend to focus on authors and, perhaps, illustrators, but we are here reminded of the crucial role of the people who commissioned new formats and subjects-- who risked their capital and, when things went well, made profits"
- Sheila O'Connell, curator emeritus, The British Museum

"The scholarly scrutiny of new material dating back to the early eighteenth century, together with the huge number of amusing and informative illustrations, is a gift to anyone interested in the history of publishers, business models, and child-centered developments in print and education."
- Nina Christensen, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark

"The authors' experience with countless early children's books and ephemera leads them to show how the editorial and commercial skills of publishers lay at the heart of developments in children's literature. Each essay is a masterclass in the history of publishing for children in the English hand-press era."
- Stuart Bennett, author of Trade Bookbinding in the British Isles, 1660-1800
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Five essays about innovative publishers for children, 1670-1830. With 142 color illustrations and a comprehensive index.

The essay topics include:
- "Pasted on Boards, for Hanging Up in Nurseries": The Engraver, the Printer, and the Juvenile Novelty Market, 1660-1830 by Jill Shefrin
- John Newberry and the Packaging of "Excellent Little Books," 1744-1767 by Andrea Immel
- Saint or Sinner? Thomas Saint of Newcastle upon Tyne: Printer, Publisher, Pirate by Nigel Tattersfield
- The Pitfalls of Seeking Respectability: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of John Marshall, "the Children's Printer" by David Stoker
- "No Effort, No Invention . . . Shall Be Left Untried": The Godwins, Their Juvenile Library, and Beauty and the Beast by M. O'Grenby and Brian Alderson.