A Book of Old Rhymes with New Dresses. The Music by the Earliest Masters. Walter Crane (1845-1915) was one of the earliest contributors to children's literature and one of the most influential illustrators in the development of children's colour picture books. Crane began working for Edmund Evans in 1864 producing bright, colourful children's books which revolutionised the type of children's books available. This book, 'The Baby's Opera, A Book Of Old Rhymes In New Dresses' was originally published in 1877. It contains the music for many English nursery songs and Cranes beautiful illustrations make it one of his best known books. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children.