Four Years of Age
Reading edition
He that neer learns his A B C,
For ever will a blockhead be;
But he that learns these letters fair,
Shall have a Coach to take the Air
.
The Royal Battledore. Newbery. Circa 1744.
Picture-books
Summer fading, winter comes--
Frosty mornings, tingling thumbs,
Window robins, winter rooks,
And the picture story-books.
. . . . . . . .
All the pretty things put by,
Wait upon the children's eye,
Sheep and shepherds, trees and crooks,
In the picture story-books.
Stevenson.
Crane, Walter (Illustrator). The Baby's Own Alphabet. Lane. .25
The A B C, accompanied by old English rhymes. There are three or four illustrations to a page.
Francis, J. G.
*A Book of Cheerful Cats and Other Animated Animals. Century. 1.00
Funny verses and even funnier animal pictures. A delightful book for old and young, because of the ability shown in the illustrations.
Poetry, Collections Of Poetry And Prose, And Stories Adapted From Great Authors
The mother sits and sings her baby to sleep; here is one of the very best opportunities for the right literature at the right time.
Mrs. H. L. Elmendorf.
Lang, Andrew
(Editor).
The Nursery Rhyme Book. Illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke. Warne. 1.50
An exceptional collection of the ancient rhymes, songs, charms, and lullabies, accompanied by interesting pictures.
"In Mr. Halliwell's Collection, from which this volume is abridged, no manuscript authority goes further back than the reign of Henry VIII, though King Arthur and Robin Hood are mentioned.... Thus our old nursery rhymes are smooth stones from the book of time, worn round by constant friction of tongues long silent."
Stevenson, R. L.
A Child's Garden of Verses. Illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith. Scribner. 2.50
It is generally admitted that no one has comprehended and written from the child's point of view as did Stevenson. This volume should be among the first to be put into the hands of our little ones. Besides the black and white text illustrations there are twelve full-page pictures in color, all by Jessie Willcox Smith.
Stevenson, R. L.
A Child's Garden of Verses. Illustrated by Charles Robinson. Scribner. 1.50
There are some who will prefer this small edition, beautifully illustrated in black and white.
Welsh, Charles (Editor). A Book of Nursery Rhymes. Heath. .30
Mr. Welsh has arranged this excellent collection of Mother Goose in accordance with the child's development, placing the rhymes in four divisions: Mother Play, Mother Stories, Child Play, and Child Stories.
Stories
To Master John the English maid
A hornbook gives, of gingerbread;
And that the child may learn the better,
As he can name, he eats each letter.
Proceeding thus with vast delight,
He spells and gnaws from left to right.
Prior. 1718.
Potter, Beatrix
.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Illustrated by the Author. Warne. .50
The diverting history of four little rabbits: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and naughty Peter who would go into Mr. McGregor's garden, where he had many exciting adventures. The tiny volumes of this series, with their fascinating colored illustrations, are very delightful.
Smith, Gertrude.
The Arabella and Araminta Stories. Illustrated by Ethel Reed. Small. 1.00
Simple every-day happenings in the lives of little twin sisters, related with much of the repetition so pleasing to very young children. There are plenty of pictures.
Smith, Gertrude.
The Roggie and Reggie Stories. Illustrated by M.H. Squire and E. Mars. Harper. 1.50
This companion to The Arabella and Araminta Stories tells in the same pleasant reiterative style of the doings of the little girls' little twin brothers. The illustrations are in color.