What principle of selection shall one adopt in making a book-list? No
hard and fast rules can be framed, for what I may consider best may be
rejected as second best by you. There is not a book-list issued that
does not differ from the others in many essentials; in classification,
in titles, and in purpose. Most of these lists are marked by a sincere
effort on the part of librarians to direct a child’s reading along the
best lines. But even though they may be suggestive and helpful, at
the most they are passive and need to be supplemented by a personal
knowledge of the books recommended. For, in the lists of history and
biography, a compiler finds it necessary to adopt many volumes that
are far from literary in the style of writing or in the manner of
treatment. To-morrow these books may give place to others far superior
and far more permanent in value.
The agreement between the lists, however, does show that there are
numberless stories, legends, and the like, which are generally acceded
to be desirable, as much because of their inherent freshness as
because of the fact that they have stood the test of time. Rarely do
the lists fail to mention them.
Notwithstanding, the recommendations issued by the libraries usually
are sent forth, hedged around by exceptions and by indirect warnings.
This is a healthful sign; it indicates that, however intent the maker
of book-lists may be to offer the best, human nature is not all of the
same calibre, and excellence is of an illusive character.
It is with some peculiar pleasure that I offer the list of books in
this Appendix, protecting myself, and the committee that aided me,
with excuses, and forestalling criticism by claiming that while the
recommendations have been made to the best of several abilities, and in
accord with no mean standards of selection--at the same time much has
been included of necessity which will pass away in the years to come.
This is not an exclusive list; the attempt has been made to have it a
practical, workable list, for parents and teachers and librarians to
consult, bringing to it their own personal judgment as to individual
taste and development of the child under consideration. Such a term as
“the child” has been used reluctantly, since there is no other term,
more human, less mechanical, to take its place. Because of this dislike
for a stereotyped grading of childhood, the reader will here find no
indication as to age demands. The books have been mentioned with a
generous range of from six to fifteen years.
Other lists will be found to include a fuller division of subjects.
Notably in the historical sections, they will contain many more
references than are here given. Our histories smack largely of the
school-room; they do not differ so very much from each other as to
excellence; they are very apt to agree in the zealousness with which
they follow fact. If we decide to seek for general literary merit, we
should avoid, as far as possible, the inclusion of what we know is not
the case; of what we know is intended for the class-room.
And so, in order to supplement our method, which may be considered too
narrow or too broad, the following table of available lists, which have
been brought to my notice, is included: