Mary Frances Books by Jane Eayre Fryer   The Mary Frances Cook Book: Adventures Among the Kitchen People by Jane Eayre Fryer teaches children to cook via the antics of Toaster Man, Auntie Rolling Pin and other bantering Kitchen People who befriend young Mary Frances. They share the secrets of the kitchen with her in a series of fun adventures. Mary Frances learns how to prepare 40 simple dishes, including baked potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and Queen of Heart Tarts. Some of the instructions are for an antiquated style of cooking (most people probably don't toast their bread over a fire unless they are camping), but others are perfect for today's kitchen. The book was written in 1912 and the reader gets glimpses of that time via an encounter with a "tramp" and a chapter on a "man's lunch". It is a fun way to learn cooking through storytelling. Paper, 175 pages. #5884 $14.95 $12.99   The Mary Frances Knitting and Crocheting Book by Jane Eayre Fryer. Basic knitting and crochet techniques are taught to the young girl, Mary Frances, by the Knitting People: woolie ball, yarn baby, crow shay, and others. Through a delightful story, children learn how to knit and crochet all kinds of garments for their dolls. The book was originally published in 1918 and gives a glimpse into that time period. Parents should be aware that there are instructions for a Dinah Doll (a black servant). My daughter and I had never heard of this type of doll before, and it was an excellent opportunity for us to discuss/research the implications this would have during that time. (Note: This is a very small part of the book). I would not use this purely as an instruction book for a child or adult learning knitting and crocheting on their own. It is much more interesting as a charming story, especially as a read-aloud for a child interested in crocheting/knitting (or a parent who would like to interest their child in either). #5973 $17.95 $14.99   Mary Frances Sewing Book: Adventures Among the Thimble People by Jane Eayre Fryer. This delightful book was written in the early 1900's to teach children how to sew. It is the story of a resourceful young girl who wanted to sew; and her grandmother's sewing bird, and all the other sewing tools, show her how. There are 33 sewing projects for 16" dolls which includes a wedding dress pattern. Full-size patterns are included with the book. Apparently adult doll collectors use this book as a reference to sew clothing for dolls such as bisques, Schoenhuts, compositions and others from the early part of the 20th century. Paper, 280 pages.  100+ illustrations. Out of print, one copy available. This copy comes with all of the patterns. However, the patterns are no longer shrink-wrapped with the book and the first pattern page has some discoloration (not to the actual pattern, though). #5373 $26.99