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Puss in Boots

Walter Crane

1873

In the 1860s master printer Edmund Evans began commissioning woodblock illustrations by renowned artists of the day for a series of ‘Toy Books’.

Walter Crane’s Puss in Boots, published by George Routledge & Sons, pays homage to Japanese printmaking and the Arts and Crafts movement which flourished in London.

Walter Crane was born in 1845 and the miller’s son, who features in the story, is based on Crane himself. Crane’s sister provided the rhyming verse, which is lighter in tone than most tellings of the story.

In contrast to other fairy tales, the morals of Puss in Boots are somewhat ambiguous, with the tale suggesting that lying can get you all that you desire.

Look & Listen
Turn the pages of this book and listen to a reading by Juliet O'Conor by following the link on the left-hand side of this page.