This book, ‘R. Caldecott’s Picture Book No. 1’, is a collection of the first four stories he published in the Caldecott ‘Picture Books’ series. These were published in pairs, every year, from 1878 until his death in 1886. Stories compiled in this volume are The Diverting History of John Gilpin, The House That Jack Built, An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog, The Babes in the Wood. Randolph Caldecott was one of the most important British illustrators of the Victorian period. He transformed the world of decorated children’s books, with his delicate yet considered drawings and imaginative subject choices. Caldecott selected all the stories and rhymes he illustrated (and occasionally wrote) and frequently added his delightful style and humour to the stories himself. Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration’ in children’s classics and fairy tales - a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.