Telling Stories: Nursery Rhymes, Fables and Fairy Tales from the Sheila R. Bourke Collection

Here Mother Goose on winter nights / The old and young she both delights. - Mother Goose’s Fairy Tales. Glasgow: J. & M. Robertson, 1799.

Collecting children’s literature has been a lifelong passion for Mrs. Sheila R. Bourke and the donation of her collection to the McGill University Library has placed a magisterial research collection at the disposal of university scholars and students. The collection contains over three thousand works of early and modern children's literature, written and illustrated by the most prominent names in the field, and spanning five centuries of artistic and literary creativity.

For this exhibition, we have selected fine examples of books of nursery rhymes, of Aesop’s fables and of fairy tales to celebrate the cataloguing of Mrs. Bourke’s gift. Join us in recalling the stories and poems of our youth. Share these well-loved classics with your family and friends. Some tales contain morals and others are whimsical nonsense rhymes.  All have wonderful illustrations.

No charge. Accessible during opening hours.