Hans Brinker, The Silver Skates - Cosimo's December Classic

This December, pick up a classic for the little one in your life! We recommend our Classic of the Month, Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge and illustrated by Alice Carsey as the perfect stocking stuffer.

A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half (and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood), Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone.

First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children.

Dodge's book takes place in the Netherlands and is a fictional portrait of early 19th-century Dutch life. The perfect gift for the young reader, children's lit lover, and readers among your friends & family.

About the Author
Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children's magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864).

The Santa Clause & St. Nicholas Connection

The history of Saint Nicholas is a colorful and storied one: he lived from 270 to December 6, 343 AD, was the Greek Bishop of Myra - located in modern day Turkey - and he was a Christian saint known for his miracles and secret gift-giving. Saint Nicholas attended the First Council of Nicaea, which was the first effort to attain consensus in the Church through an assembly representing all of Christendom. Later on Saint Nicholas became an important figure for Italians and Greeks, honored in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church. Throughout Europe he is celebrated for his generosity, especially towards children. Next Sunday evening, December 5, the Dutch will celebrate their feast of Sint Nicolaas, with poems, marzipan, ginger biscuits and hot chocolate, and with presents for the children.

In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became a figure of folklore, who would visit the Netherlands every November traveling by steamboat from Spain, riding a white horse and joined by.... 

December Classic of the Month: Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates

This December, pick up a classic for the little one in your life! We recommend our Book of the Month, Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge and illustrated by Alice Carsey as the perfect stocking stuffer.

A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half (and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood), Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone.

First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children.

Dodge's book takes place in the Netherlands and is a fictional portrait of early 19th-century Dutch life. The perfect gift for the children's lit lover, young adult reader, and avid bookworms in your life.

About the Author
Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children's magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864).

Sint Nicolaas - the Connection between Santa Claus and Dutch Folklore

The holiday season has truly started in the U.S. with the Thanksgiving holiday last week. However, in other parts of the world, other tradional holidays will be celebrated as well and some of those are closely connected to the U.S. and its upcoming Christmas celebrations. An interesting example is in the Netherlands, where the feast of Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas will be celebrated, which consists of giving gifts to children on  St. Nicholas' Eve, the evening of  December 5.

Saint Nicholas, who lived from 270 to December 6, 343 AD, was the Greek Bishop of Myra (located in modern day Turkey) and he was a Christian saint known for his miracles and secret gift-giving. Saint Nicholas attended the First Council of Nicaea, which was the first effort to attain consensus in the Church through an assembly representing all of Christendom. Later on Saint Nicholas became an important figure for Italians and Greeks, honored in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church. Throughout Europe he is celebrated for his generosity, especially towards children.

In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became a figure of folklore, who would visit the Netherlands every November traveling by steamboat from Spain, riding a white horse and joined by mischievous and hilarious helpers, called Zwarte Piet ("Black Pete"), companions with blackened faces and colourful Moorish dresses. Zwarte Piet first appeared in print in Sint Nicolaas en zijn knecht ("St. Nicholas and His Servant/Apprentice"), published in 1850 by Jan Schenkman, a teacher from Amsterdam. Schenkman also became well-known for his poems about Saint Nicholas, which are still sung throughtout the holidays, for example:'Zie, ginds komt de stoomboot' ("Look over yonder, the steamboat is arriving").

To complete the circle of holidays in the U.S. and the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became the model for the American Santa Clause. When the Dutch established the colony of New Amsterdam (modern day New York),  they celebrated the traditions of Saint Nicholas, and apparently over time shortened "Sinterklaas" to "Santa Claus".  In the early 1800s, American books were published that symbolized the advent of Santa Claus in American tradition, for example: A New-year's present, to the little ones from five to twelve and A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clark Moore.

It is with this fascinating history in mind, from the early Christian days to European and Dutch folklores, and the connection to the Santa Clause tradition in North America, that Cosimo is proud to present to our Dutch readers a beautiful color replica of the Dutch edition of Sint-Nikolaas en zijn knecht by Jan Schenkman. A wonderful gift for children, booklovers and those interested in folklore, and a reminder of the confluence of history and folklore. Enjoy the holidays and Prettig Sinterklaasfeest!

This book is available from online bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, Bol.com and Amazon (print and eBook).

December Classic of the Month: Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates

"Gretel looked at her [mother] in troubled silence, wondering whether it were very wicked to care more for one parent than for the other-and sure, yes, quite sure, that she dreaded her father, while she clung to her mother with a love that was almost idolatry." -- from Hans Brinker

A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half--and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood--Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone. First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children.

Dodge's book takes place in the Netherlands and is a fictional portrait of early 19th-century Dutch life. The perfect gift for the children's lit lover, young adult reader, and avid bookworms in your life.

About the Author
Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children's magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864).

Cosimo is happy to offer Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates in both hardcover and paperback formats at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble (paperback, hardcover) and Amazon (paperback, hardcover).

Dare to Care and The Espresso Book Machine at The American Book Center in Amsterdam

This Saturday and Sunday, Cosimo author Louis Bohtlingk is presenting his climate-conscious finance book, Dare to Care, at American Book Center locations in The Hague and Amsterdam in The Netherlands. In addition, he will be demonstrating the technology of the Espresso Book Machine.

Not only will this be an interesting presentation on the meaning of money in our economies from someone who has worked in finance and with money for years, but copies of Dare to Care will be printed locally at the event by the Espresso Book Machine for fans who want a signed copy.

Dare to Care is just one of thousands of Cosimo titles available on this innovative publishing machine, which is featured in bookstores around the world. In New York City, McNally Jackson in Soho houses its own machine, ready to print any book within the Espresso database at a moment's notice. This device as a fantastic alternative for bookstores who want to offer print-on-demand books, but don't want to carry a large stock, especially for stores in locations where not every single book is available or where online ordering is not always available or fast. For locations of all Espresso Book Machines around the world, click here.