When We Were Very Young

By A. A. Milne

Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard

Copyright 1924

What book do you give to a brand-new baby? The options are overwhelming due to the vast quantity of excellent children’s books. But when that book is for a grandchild and her name is Emmeline, the choice is easy!

Tucked into this book of poetry by A. A. Milne, is a sweet little poem entitled Before Tea.

                     Emmeline

Has not been seen

For more than a week.  She slipped between

The two tall trees at the end of the green…

We all went after her.  “Emmeline!”

“Emmeline,

I didn’t mean—

I only said that your hands weren’t clean.”

We went to the trees at the end of the green..

But Emmeline

Was not to be seen. 

Emmeline

Came slipping between

The two tall trees at the end of the green.

We all ran up to her.  “Emmeline!

Where have you been?

Where have you been?

Why, it’s more than a week!”  And Emmeline

Said, “Sillies, I went and saw the Queen.

She says my hands are purfickly clean.”

Pasted inside the front cover of this particular copy of When We Were Very Young is a book plate with my name on it, put there by me when I was very young. I never could have guessed that many years later, I would be passing it along to Emmeline Adrienne, a beautiful, sweet granddaughter. I give it to her with the hope that she will come to love her books enough to proudly paste her own name inside of them!