For readers of any age, a witty and strikingly irreverent collection of moral guidance

Most notable among prolific English satirist Hilaire Belloc’s writings are the sharp and clever admonishments he composed for children. Collected here and illustrated to wonderful haunting effect by Edward Gorey, these short, funny pieces offer moral instruction for all types of mischief makersfrom a certain young Jim, “who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion,” to the tale of Matilda, “who told lies and was burned to deathand add up to a delightful read for any fan of Roald Dahl or Shel Silverstein.