Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Part 26

CHAPTER X

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 circ.u.mstances. 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 coa.r.s.e 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 pa.s.sed and he may never learn to care for the great English cla.s.sic.

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 a.s.sistance 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 pa.s.sages 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 cla.s.sic 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.

G.o.ds 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.)

j.a.panese Fairy Tales, translated by Williston.

Jungle Book, Kipling.

King Arthur and His Court, Frances Nimmo Greene.

Knights of the Silver s.h.i.+eld, 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 G.o.ds 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.