Fiona
Lander was brought up on The Dawnchild, the famous book written and illustrated by David Irving’s mother, and hopes, Monday,
September 10, 2007, to buy an old copy again.

[Beryl Irene Newington Irving, David Irving’s mother]

David
Irving photographed his mother in 1953 at their home in
Essex; on the wall hangs her painting of a drowned seaman tended by a mermaid.

YOU are probably fed up of this request, but I am desperate to find a copy of your mother’s fabulous book The
Dawnchild. My Grandmother bought a copy in the late Twenties and it has been in our family ever since.

[Illustration from The Dawnchild (copyright)]Each generation of mother and daughter has shared the trials and joys of Mig and all the other enchanting characters. I can remember every last one and see every exquisite illustration in my minds’ eye.

Whilst moving, our most treasured copy was lost some while ago and I have been searching for another copy ever since. My daughter (now twenty-six) is so sad that she may not be able to continue passing on this wonderful tale to her children (when she has them!) and whilst she and I can remember the details and tell the story, we cannot replicate your mother’s wonderful prose.

Just reading Chapter
One on the fpp website brought tears to my eyes as it took me rushing back to hearing my mother’s voice (she was an amazing story reader) telling tales of Belinda and the
Umpis!

If you or any of your team can give me any advice I would be so grateful.

Fiona
Lander (ABOVE:
An illustration from The Dawnchild (copyright)

Free
download of The Dawnchild
Readers write about the
book

A
GREAT TREAT FOR OUR YOUNGER READERS:

THE
DAWNCHILD by Beryl Irving
was
one of the great children’s fantasies of the 1920s.
Many visitors to this website have contacted us and
reminisced wistfully about the book they had read
in their childhood. We now present an
online edition of this book as a free download.
Later we shall print a new edition including all
the wonderful illustrations by Beryl Irving.
[Download-page]