What is this thing and how did it find me ( )

The origins of the Cole’s Funny Picture Book series goes back as far as 1879, when one of Australia’s first major booksellers, Edward William Cole, pieced together the first edition from his home above Cole’s Book Arcade in the centre of Melbourne. The books were created in Cole's spare time, often cutting and pasting content purloined from various other books, newspapers and magazines from around the world.

The book is filled with Victorian-style woodcuts, some deserving of fascinating study, and other rather frightening for young children - grimacing cats, dogs doing ballet in tutus, etc. Chapters are divided into ‘lands’ such as Girl Land, Boy Land, Greediness Land, etc. Racial stereotypes abound, and characters described as 'niggers' or named 'little chinky' may offend readers. The type face is tiny and the lack of coloured illustrations makes it difficult for contemporary children to get engaged in the book, but it remains a mildly entertaining reminder of classic Australiana. ( )

When I was little, I used to read tattered editions of Cole's Funny picture books that my grandmother had rescued from the dump (she's like that). And I always thought they were so funny. Now they don't seem quite so funny, but perhaps my son will get a kick out of them when he is older.