Thumbkin Children's Nursery Rhyme Hans Christian Andersen

English Illustrator Barbara C. Freeman depicts Thumbkin resting on the edge of the petals of a White Water-Lily. She's taking in the scenery as a yellow butterfly takes flight. It was the cover art for "Thumbkin and Other Stories".
The term "Thumbkin" in the book title "Thumbkin and Other Stories" is an alternate or earlier name for the fairy tale "Thumbelina" by Hans Christian Andersen. The meaning of this classic story centers on the adventures of a tiny girl, born from a flower, and her journey through various challenges as she encounters different creatures (toads, moles, swallows) before finding her true home and a companion her own size. It is a tale of resilience, adventure, and ultimately, finding one's place in the world.
The Nursery Rhyme's The primary purpose is to help young children identify and name the fingers on their hand. Each finger is given a character name:
Thumbkin (thumb), Pointer (index finger), Tallman (middle finger), Ringman (ring finger) and Pinky or Baby (little finger)
Signed lower right
Board Size 17 x 12.25 - unframed
Artwork comes with a copy of the book.
Conditioin Good: Slight toning, pinholes and tape adhesive staining in the margins, paper fragment adhered to the butterfly wing, with soiling/staining and edge/handling wear

Barbara Constance Freeman (29 November 1906 – 1999) was an English writer and illustrator of books for children and young adults.
Biography

Barbara Constance Freeman was born on 29 November 1906 in Ealing, near London.[1] She attended the Tiffin Girls' School in Kingston upon Thames in Surrey and later studied at the Kingston School of Art.

She illustrated many books by other writers, including The Treasure Hunters by Enid Blyton, and many collections of fairy tales, both traditional tales by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen and modern stories. Some of her earliest illustrations are found in The Cuckoo Book (1942), a book of fairy tales by Edith Mary Bell. She also contributed to comics, including Playhour, and to annuals, such as Blackie's Children's Annual 1934.
By the 1960s, she had begun writing and illustrating her own books for children and young adults. Some have a touch of fantasy: in Two-Thumb Thomas, the eponymous hero is raised by school cats; in Broom-Adelaide, a fox rides a flying broomstick. Some, including Lucinda and The Name on the Glass, are set in the past, while others, such as A Book by Georgina and The Other Face, interweave the lives of the main characters with history.
Her books have not remained in print, but some of her illustrations are still available as posters and art prints.
Bio from Wikipedia