Miniature History of England... to George v. Goode, T. Clerkenwell Green. London. [1910].

50 unnumbered pages. Frontispiece and four central full-page illustrations of London landmarks. 36 vignette portraits of English monarchs from William the Conqueror to George V. 5 pages of George V's maiden speech at end. All edges gilt. Some mild occasional spotting and some page corners folded. 30 x 35 mm. Original black paper wrappers. Gilt lettering completely faded and wrappers slightly torn and damaged - also loose. Bondy, 143 .Welsh, 5046.  A similar edition is in the Queen Mary's Dolls' House in Windsor Castle. Goode's penny publications, such as this, made reading accessible to the growing working-class readership, encouraging literacy. This publication was one of the stock penny lines of the London street vendors and is interesting for its illustrations and specific literary form combining prose and poetry; the dual approach aimed to engage readers through different literary styles: descriptive prose for factual accounts and poetic verse for devotional or reflective passages. Dramatic illustrations made them the precursors to penny dreadfuls and modern comics.