On Valentine s Day, stories to renew your wows
Michael Dirda, The Washington Post
Feb. 10, 2021
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By Eleanor Farjeon
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Two weeks ago, I was casting about for a novel or short-story collection - something sweet - that would be just right for Valentine s Day. Being fond of anniversaries, I hoped there might be some appropriate book from 1921 due for centenary celebration. There was. But Eleanor Farjeon s Martin Pippin in the Apple Orchard - containing six romantic fairy tales recounted by a wandering minstrel - turned out to be far more than just appropriate. It was magical.
Of course, I shouldn t have been surprised since Farjeon (1881-1965) is one of the 20th century s most beloved children s authors, equally adept at verse and prose. The Little Bookroom, a selection of some of her best stories, received Britain s 1955 Carnegie Medal and, in 1956, was honored with the inaugural Hans Christian Andersen Award. (The book is currently available in the N