THE CHILD'S LIBRARY
Every child should be encouraged to possess his own books even in this
age of public libraries. Birthdays and Christmas afford occasions when
the parent can increase the little library, and later the child may be
trained how to choose wisely his own purchases. When he is limited in
the books he possesses public libraries open up opportunities for a wide
range of reading.
We give a brief but varied list of books from which the parent may
select such as suit her child's particular needs. The discriminating
taste in reading must be cultivated from the earliest years if the child
is to read with profit and pleasure in youth and maturity.
All children should be allowed to read a few at least of the traditional
fairy tales. They teach many important life lessons in an impersonal
way; they develop the imagination and widen the sympathies. The
successful business man, the progressive physician or lawyer, and the
truly successful minister is he who understands human nature, who can
put himself in the other person's place; and to do this he requires a
cultivated imagination. The fairy tale also lifts the child from the
restricted life of his environment into the region of boundless
possibilities. It increases his sense of power over untoward
circumstances. Acquaintance with fairy lore also familiarizes one with
many allusions to be met with in reading all great writers.
A love of poetry should be the heritage of every child, because of the
inspiration it gives amidst the sordid cares of life, and because of the
innocent pleasure and refreshment it affords in hours of loneliness and
weariness. The child's first book of verse should, of course, be Mother
Goose. After this there are many valuable compilations of good poetry
that may be used.
A varied library to be found in one large volume is "The Children's
Book" compiled by Scudder. It includes selections from Mother Goose,
from Grimm's fairy tales, from old English fairy tales, the Arabian
Nights, and Hans Andersen. There are also several of Maria Edgeworth's
famous moral stories, a great many of Aesop's fables, many of the old
English ballads, etc. An excellent compilation of verse is Roger
Ingpen's "One Thousand Poems for Children," which contains all the old
favorites of children as well as a large number of the best-known poems
by standard authors.
Standard books on science and nature should be in the home, and the
child's library should include a few books with stories from real life
leading up to biography, history, and travel.
The little one's sense of humor must be accorded recognition. Mother
Goose supplies such a need in part, and Lear's Book of Nonsense may be
added. The Sunday funny sheet should be censored before being put into
the hands of the child. Expurgate anything that expresses disrespect to
old age; that makes light of honor and integrity; or that is coarse in
drawing, color, or subtle suggestion. If the child when grown is to
appreciate the delicate humor of a Charles Lamb, his taste must not be
dulled when he is young.
It is a pity for a child to grow up without knowing and loving the
"Pilgrim's Progress." To give him this pleasure the book should be read
to him or put into his hands when about ten years old. Otherwise the
psychologic moment has passed and he may never learn to care for the
great English classic.
The great mediaeval legends should also be known to the child. They are
interwoven with much of history and literature and give a glimpse into a
rapidly receding past.
We include in our list a charming wee volume, "The Young Folks' Book of
Etiquette," by C. S. Griffen, which the mother, wearied of repeating
from day to day the same admonitions as to manners and morals, will find
a great assistance in seconding her efforts. The child will enjoy both
the text and the pictures.
For the child's Bible reading we recommend Moulton's edition of the Old
and New Testaments. The language is identical with that of the familiar
old volume, but the text is condensed so that each story is given in the
form of a continuous narrative, and objectionable passages are omitted.
It may thus safely be put into the hands of very young children, who
enjoy the simple, dignified style.
Music also must form a part of the child's library. The list appended
covers a variety of needs.
FAIRY TALES, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS
Adventures of Pinocchio, translated from Cullodi by Cramp (an
Italian classic loved by children).
Aesop's Fables.
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll.
Among the Farmyard People, Clara D. Pierson.
Among the Night People, Clara D. Pierson. (Exceptionally good.)
Arabian Nights Entertainments.
Bimbi, Ouida. (Collection of beautiful tales.)
Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, Abbie Farwell Brown.
Bow-wow and Mew-mew, Georgiana M. Craik.
Boys' Odyssey, W. C. Perry.
Curious Book of Birds, Abbie Farwell Brown.
Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Andersen.
Fifty Famous Stories Retold, Baldwin.
Folk Tales from the Russian, Blumenthal.
Gods and Heroes, Francillon. (Greek legends.)
Household Stories, Anna C. Klingensmith.
Heroes Every Child Should Know, Hamilton Wright Mabie.
In the Days of Giants, Abbie Farwell Brown. (Norse legends.)
Japanese Fairy Tales, translated by Williston.
Jungle Book, Kipling.
King Arthur and His Court, Frances Nimmo Greene.
Knights of the Silver Shield, R. M. Alden. (Includes "Why the
Chimes Rang.")
Little Black Sambo. (Beloved by young children.)
Mother Goose (Altemus edition), including a few fairy tales.
Nights with Uncle Remus, Joel Chandler Harris.
Norse Gods and Heroes, A. Klingensmith.
Norse Tales, Hamilton W. Mabie.
Peterkin Papers, Hale. (Afford pure, wholesome humor.)
Peter Rabbit, The Tale of, Beatrix Potter.
Saints of Italy Legends, Ella Noyes.
Story of Siegfried, Baldwin.
The Boys' King Arthur, edited by Lanier.
The Red Book of Romance, edited by Lang.
The Red Fairy Book and others of same series, edited by Lang.
Tanglewood Tales, Hawthorne (Greek Legends).
The Oak Tree Fairy Book, edited by Clifton Johnson.
The Pilgrim's Progress, Bunyan.
The Stars in Song and Legend, Jermain G. Porter.
The Wonder Book, Hawthorne.
Wagner Story Book, Frost.
Wandering Heroes, Lillian J. Price.
Water Babies, Charles Kingsley.
Wizard of Oz, Baum.
HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY
Childhood of Ji-Shib the Ojibwa, A. E. Jenks.
Children of the Cold, Frederick Schwatka. (Life among Esquimaux
children.)
Cuore, de Amicis, translated by Mrs. Lucas. (Experiences of a
school boy in Italy.)
Each and All, Jane Andrews.
Five Minute Stories, Laura E. Richards.
History of the Ancient Greeks, C. D. Shaw.
Lolami, the Little Cliff-Dweller, Clara K. Bayliss.
Ten Boys of Long Ago, Andrews.
The Chinese Boy and Girl, Bishop Headland.
The Snow Baby, Mrs. Peary.
Seven Little Sisters, Jane Andrews.
Story of Joan of Arc for Boys and Girls.
Story of My Life, Helen Keller.
Story of Troy, M. Clarke.
NATURE
A Year in the Fields, Burroughs.
Everyday Birds, Bradford Torrey.
First Book of Forestry, Filibert Roth.
Friends in Feathers and Fur, Johonnot.
Grasshopper Land, Margaret Morley.
How to Attract Birds, Neltje Blanchan.
Lady Hollyhock and Her Friends, Margaret C. Walker. (Tells how to
make dolls out of flowers.)
Plant Relations, Coulter.
Pussy Meow, S. Louise Patteson.
The Bee People, Margaret Morley.
The Hall of Shells.
The Stars in Song and Legend, J. G. Porter.
The Training of Wild Animals, Frank C. Bostock.
Trees in Prose and Poetry, Stone and Fickett.
Ways of the Woodfolk, William J. Long.
Wilderness Ways, William J. Long.
Wild Animals I Have Known, Seton Thompson.
POETRY
Book of Nursery Rhymes, New Collection of Old Mother Goose, Charles
Welsh.
Children's Book, The, compilation by Scudder. (Prose and verse.)
Child's Garden of Verses, Robert L. Stevenson.
The Chinese Mother Goose, Bishop Headland. (Charmingly illustrated
with photographic pictures of Chinese children with their parents.)
Golden Numbers, Kate Douglas Wiggin. (Choice collection of
miscellaneous poetry; beautifully bound.)
Little Rhymes for Little Readers, Wilhelmina Seegmiller.
Lyrica Heroica, edited by W. E. Henley.
One Thousand Poems for Children, Roger Ingpen. (A very full
collection.)
The Listening Child, L. W. Thacher. (Compilation of short poems
suitable for children over six.)
The Posy Ring, Kate Douglas Wiggin. (Choice collection for young
children.)
The Robin's Christmas Eve. (Old English ballad.)
PICTURE BOOKS
An Apple Pie, Kate Greenaway.
At Great Aunt Martha's (Pictures), Kathleen Ainslie. (Illustrations
of wooden dolls.)
Book of Nonsense, Edward Lear. (Highly recommended by Ruskin.)
Dean's Rag Books. (For very young children; will wash and iron.)
Jingleman Jack (Pictures and verses about the trades), O'Dea and
Kennedy.
Four and Twenty Toilers, Lucas. (Hard to procure.)
MUSIC
Children's Messiah, Mari Ruef Hofer.
Children's Singing Games, Old and New, Mari Ruef Hofer.
Christmas-Time Songs and Carols, Mrs. Crosby Adams.
Finger Plays, Emilie Poulsson.
Holiday Songs, Emilie Poulsson.
Merry Songs and Games for the Use of the Kindergarten, Clara B.
Hubbard.
Music for the Child World, Mari Ruef Hofer. Two vols. (Music every
child should know.)
Nature Songs for Children, Fanny Snow Knowlton.
Primary and Junior Songs for the Sunday-school, Mari Ruef Hofer.
Small Songs for Small Singers, illustrated, W. H. Neidlinger.
Song Stories for the Kindergarten, Mildred and Patty Hill.
Songs and Games for Little Ones, Walker and Jenks.
Songs and Games of the Mother-Play Book, Froebel.
Songs Every Child Should Know, Dolores Bacon.
Songs for Little Children, Eleanor Smith. Two vols.
Songs of Childhood, Field de Koven Song Book.
Songs of the Open, Seeboeck.
Songs of the Child World, Jessie L. Gaynor.
St. Nicholas Songs, the Words from St. Nicholas Magazine.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL HELPS
A Year of Sunday-school Work, Florence U. Palmer.
Beginnings, A. W. Gould. Pamphlet. Tells of the beginnings of
world, man, sin, language, death, law, etc., according to the
Bible, according to Science, and according to old myths.
Bible for Young People, Century Co.
Kindergarten Sunday-school Stories, Laura A. Cragin. (New
Testament.)
Old and New Testament for Children, edited by Richard G. Moulton.
Old Testament Bible Stories, Walter L. Sheldon.
Stories from the Lips of the Teacher, O. B. Frothingham.
Stories of the Patriarchs, O. B. Frothingham.
Wonder Stories from the Gospels, Katherine Beebe.