Half-Past Seven Stories

Every child deserves a friend like the Toyman. In this enchanting 1922 collection, three children named Marmaduke, Jehosophat, and Hepzebiah welcome a mysterious visitor into their home at the White House with the Green Blinds - a gentle creator who fashions toys by hand and shares wisdom as effortlessly as he stitches together wooden horses and cloth rabbits. Together, they navigate a world where animals speak, adventures await in every garden, and kindness is the greatest magic of all. In the opening tale, 'The Little Lost Fox,' the boys face their first test of courage when Reddy Fox is hunted by men in red coats. What follows is a tender lesson in compassion and standing up for those who cannot defend themselves. These stories glow with gentle humor, old-fashioned charm, and quiet moral wisdom - the perfect gateway into a world where protecting the vulnerable matters as much as any adventure.