In the preparation of the following German list, the author begs
to acknowledge in a general way his indebtedness to many sources.
An authority on the subject is Wolgast, who is the author of “Vom
Kinderbuch” (Leipzig, Teubner). One of the committee recommends the
inclusion of all the stories by Johanna Spyri; another emphasises the
importance of the work done by Ottilie Wildermuth, and appends the
following interesting account in a letter: “‘She was the wife of a
professor in Tübingen, Swabia, and was born in 1817. She died in 1877.
Long before she thought of writing for publication, she charmed a wide
circle of friends and acquaintances with her talent for narrating the
simple events, memories, and experiences of Swabian life. Most of her
works must be considered, not as mere fiction, but as true pictures
of the culture of that time, and as such will be of permanent value.’
The same may be said of her children’s books, although these are more
fanciful and varied in their subject-matter, and appeal strongly to the
imagination.”
The Germans illustrate their A-B-C Bücher, their Nursery Rhymes, their
Bilderbücher, and their Erzählungen in the most attractive fashion.
Reference is particularly made to Herr Richter. Fairy Tales are read
extensively by German children--and also by adults. Grimm, Hauff,
Musäus, are about the best. Schmitt’s Geschichten u. Erzählungen (of
which there are perhaps from one to two hundred volumes) are excellent
for boys and girls between ten and fifteen years. The Germans have
paid such special attention to the selection and grading of juvenile
literature, that their library lists are recommended to readers. The
volumes here mentioned are not presented with any intention of making
them definitive. Brentano will send, on application, “Verzeichnis einer
Auswahl Vorzüglicher Bücher--Miniatur-Katalog.--Stilke, Berlin.”
The reader is further referred to “Verzeichnis empfehlenswerter
Jugendlektüre. Herausgegeben vom Wiener Volksbildungs-Verein, 1904.”
ÄSOP--Fabeln. Mit 6 Buntbildern. Löwe.
AUS DEM LEBEN DER ZWERGE--Humorist. Bilderbuch.