On Scientific Child Rearing by Mr Lavender

 

Christmas Bell Babies by May Gibbs: thanks to The State Library of New South Wales

Title: On Scientific Child Rearing

Author: Mr Lavender 

Publisher: Not known 

Source book: Away With the Fairies by Kerry Greenwood (Phryne Fisher #11)

Much of Away With the Fairies is concerned with the murder of Miss Marcella Lavender, also known as Rosebud Peachblossom(!). Apparently she wrote fairy books for children. All we ever learn about in any detail are her magazine stories, which sound too saccharine for words, featuring words like ‘beautifullest’; but she can paint a good waratah (a beautiful red Australian flower).

However, we do learn that Miss Lavender’s father (first name presumably Mr) was responsible for a book called On Scientific Child Rearing. Poor Miss Lavender was brought up by two parents who believed a child should be given nothing but good solid facts: none of your rubbishy fairy stories or creepy religion.

Obviously this ridiculous system backfired spectacularly and, as soon as she was able, Miss Lavender surrounded herself with as many fairies as possible. She took her excellent botanical drawings and added fairies. A bit like May Gibbs (see the Christmas Bell Babies, above), although some of her work absolutely terrified me as a child (big bad banksia men anyone?), or Cecily Mary Barker (the Hawthorn fairy, below) and her flower fairies (not frightening at all). Only Miss Lavender seems to have added extra twee.

Also in Away With the Fairies, Professor John Keith is writing a book, his life’s work, about indigenous dicotyledons of the Otway forest. He is certain that what he has to say will shake some dovecotes.

And one of the journalists at Women’s Choice Magazine is reading Night of the Sheik by Eunice Henderson (see Murder on the Ballarat Train).

Thanks to Flower Fairies.com