Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Learning to Read; a Manual for Teachers Using the Aldine Readers: A Manual and Readers/Google Books

Teacher's guide for Aldine Readers Primer through Book Two:

Begin reading here.

Learning to Read; a Manual for Teachers Using the Aldine Readers: A Manual for Teachers Using The Aldine Readers
By Frank Ellsworth Spaulding, Catherine Turner Bryce
Edition: revised
Published by Newson & company, 1918
243 pages

Main page


Aldine Readers:

The Aldine Readers Primer(Internet Archives)

The Aldine Readers: Book One

The Aldine Readers: Book Two

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Rollo's Experiments/Google Books


Rollo's Experiments
By Jacob Abbott, William Jay Baker, Sheldon & Company (New York, N.Y.)
Illustrated by Frederick M. Coffin
Contributor William Jay Baker, John Andrew, Sheldon & Company, Phillips, Sampson & Company
Published by Sheldon, 1862
180 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

About third - fourth grade level.

Friday, May 22, 2009

The New Century Third Reader/Google Books

The New Century Third Reader
By Henry S. Tibbits
Edition: revised
Published by Rand, McNally, 1899
238 pages

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Stories of Patriotism: A Patriotic Reader for the Intermediate Grades

Stories of patriotism: a patriotic reader for the intermediate grades
By Norma Helen Deming, Katharine Isabel Bemis
Published by Houghton Mifflin Co., 1918
190 pages


Begin reading here.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Opera Stories from Wagner/Google Books

Opera Stories from Wagner: A Reader for Primary Grades
By Florence Akin
Published by Houghton Mifflin, 1915
106 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

About a fourth - fifth grade reading level.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Art Studies for Schools/Goggle Books

Art Studies for Schools: Or, Hints on the Use of Reproductions of High Art in the Schoolroom
By Rydingsvärd, Anna Maria von Rydingsvärd
Published by A. Flanagan company, 1903
184 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Teacher's helps, stories about art. Elementary school level.

Being a Boy/Google Books


Being a boy
By Charles Dudley Warner
Illustrated by James Wells Champney
Edition: 26
Published by Houghton, Mifflin and company, 1896
186 pages

Popular literature for boys at the turn of the century. Excerpts of this book were published in fifth grade readers. This book is about a boy growing up on a farm in Massachusetts.

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Fifth Reader/Google Books

Fifth reader ...
By Charles Maurice Stebbins
Published by American Book company, 1913
480 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

A Practical System of Modern Geography/Google Books


Another interesting geography book, pre-Civil War. It's actually general enough to still be of use, and interesting for historical period study. The language suggests middle elementary school, easy to read and understand. Lovely illustrations throughout which could be used for projects and time lines. Comprehension questions included.


A practical system of modern geography, or A view of the present state of the world ...: Revised and illustrated by a new enlarged atlas
By Jesse Olney
Edition: 60
Published by Pratt, Woodford & co., 1849

Main page

Begin reading here.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

An Accompaniment to Mitchell's Map of the World/Google Books

Interesting for a period study.

An Accompaniment to Mitchell's Map of the World, on Mercator's Projection: Containing an Index to the Various Countries, Cities, Towns, Islands, &c., Represented on the Map
By Samuel Augustus Mitchell
Published by S.A. Mitchell, 1846

Begin reading here.
Main page.

Downloadable map can be found here .

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Free Math Courses Online

Not free ebooks, but math can be a tricky subject to teach(and expensive), so I thought I'd link this here. The Education Portal has a nice list of colleges, universities and other learning centers offering free math courses online and software. Click here.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Pollard's Synthetic Second Reader

Mislabeled by Google Books as First reader.

Begin reading here.

Main page
Pollard's synthetic first reader
By Rebecca Smith Pollard
Published by Western Pub. House, 1895
159 pages

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Pollard's Synthetic First Reader


Pollard's synthetic first reader
By Rebecca Smith Pollard
Published by Western Pub. House, 1895
159 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Geography: or, A Description of the World/Google Books

Geography: or, A description of the world
By Daniel Adams
Edition: 5
Published by Lincoln & Edmands, 1820
335 pages

Dated, but still useful.

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Friday, May 1, 2009

The Historical Geography of the Holy Land/Google Books

Begin reading here.

The historical geography of the Holy land: especially in relation to the history of Israel and of the early church
By George Adam Smith
Edition: 9
Published by A. C. Armstrong and son, 1897
713 pages

Main page.

Rollo's Vacation/Google Book

Rollo's vacation
By Jacob Abbott
Contributor Samuel Colman
Published by Samuel Colman, 1855
Original from the University of California
Digitized Nov 6, 2008
191 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Fourth or fifth grade reader.

Review of Rollo series books.

The Stories Mother Nature Told Her Children

An early elementary nature/geography reader.

The stories Mother Nature told her children
By Jane Andrews
Published by Ginn & Company, 1888
161 pages

Begin reading here.

Main page.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Persia/Google Books

An interesting booklet on Persia, modern day Iran.

Persia
By Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (Great Britain). Committee of General Literature and Education
Published by Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1846
200 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Seven Champions of Christendom /Google Books


The seven champions of Christendom: a new version from the most ancient chronicles and records, all other authentic and reliable sources of information especially adapted for the enlightenment, edification, and instruction of the rising generation
By William Henry Giles Kingston, Richard Johnson, Sampson Low, Son & Co, Sampson Low, Son, and Co
Illustrated by John Franklin, T. L.
Contributor Sampson Low, Son & Co, Sampson Low, Son, and Co, D. Appleton and Company, Chiswick Press, Whittingham and Wilkins
Published by Sampson Low, Son, and Co., 1861
235 pages

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Stories from English History/Google Books


Stories from English History: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day
By Albert Franklin Blaisdell
Published by Ginn & Company, 1897
191 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

English Fairy Tales Retold/Google Books


English Fairy Tales: Retold
By Flora Annie Webster Steel, Arthur Rackham
Illustrated by Arthur Rackham
Contributor Arthur Rackham
Edition: large print
Published by Macmillan, 1918
363 pages

Main page

Begin reading here

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Discovery of the Old Northwest/Google Books

The discovery of the old Northwest: and its settlement by the French
By James Baldwin
Published by American Book Company, 1901
272 pages

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Late elementary, early middle school.

Rollo at School/Google books

The Rollo Series: Rollo at school
By Jacob Abbott
Published by Sheldon & company, 1868
Item notes: v. 5
Main page

Begin reading here.

Appears to be a fourth grade reader.

Hannibal/Google Books

Hannibal
By Jacob Abbott
Published by Harper, 1901
295 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

The Alhambra /Google Books

The Alhambra
By Washington Irving, Edward Kilburn Robinson, Norman Irving Black
Published by Ginn and company, 1915
370 pages

Begin reading here.

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Boys of '76/Google Books

Historical revolutionary war fiction for middle school and up.

The boys of '76: A history of the battles of the revolution
By Charles Carleton Coffin
Published by Harper & brothers, 1899
Item notes: v. 2
398 pages


Begin reading here
Main page

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Stories of Famous Pictures/Google books


Early elementary, educational art reader.

Stories of Famous Pictures
By Ella Marie Powers
Published by Educational publishing company, 1904

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Friday, April 17, 2009

The Cave Twins/Google Books


The Cave Twins
By Lucy Fitch Perkins
Published by Houghton Mifflin, 1916
162 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Legends of Charlemagne/Google Books

Legends of Charlemagne; Or Romance of the Middle Ages
By Thomas Bulfinch
Published by J.E. Tilton and Co., 1866
271 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Rollo at Play/Google Books

Rollo at Play
By Jacob Abbott, Charles Copeland, Oliver Wendell Holmes Library Collection (Library of Congress)
Published by Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1897
191 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Appears to be third grade(advanced) - fourth grade level.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Studies of Great Composers/Google Books

Studies of Great Composers
By Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
Published by G. Routledge and sons, limited, 1904
376 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

High school reading level.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Monday, April 6, 2009

The Child's Pictorial Preceptor /Google Books


Quite old, but timeless. Pages would make nice mottoes for the classroom, or for framing.

The Child's pictorial preceptor
By E.B. & E.C. Kellogg (Firm)
Contributor E.B. & E.C. Kellogg (Firm)
Published by Published by E.B. & E.C. Kellogg Hartford, Conn. & Berea, Ohio., 1842
46 pages

Main page.
Begin reading here.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Rollo Learning to Work

Rollo at Work
By Jacob Abbott, Charles Copeland
Published by Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1897
191 pages



Main page.
Begin reading here.

About a fourth grade reading level.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

The Art Crafts for Beginners/ Google Books

This book presents historical background information and directions. Written for adults, but wonderful for homeschool projects led by an adult.

The art crafts for beginners
By Frank Goodwin Sanford, Arthur F. Phillips
Published by Century, 1906
270 pages

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Little Arthur at the Zoo(Birds)/ Google Books


Little Arthur at the Zoo, and the birds he saw there
By Mary Seymour
Published by T. Nelson and Sons, 1887

Main page.

Click here to read.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Friday, March 27, 2009

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Count up the sunny days : a story for girls/Internet Archives

Appears to be appropriate for ages 9-12. The writing style is not as meandering as many Victorian books. This book looks like a pleasant read for young people. I only skimmed through the first five pages, so I could not give a synopsis of the story.

Click here.

Devotional Poetry for the Children/Internet Archives

This book was published in 1870 by the Society of Friends(Quakers).

Click here.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Children's Six Minutes/Project Gutenberg

THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES BY BRUCE S. WRIGHT
NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
COPYRIGHT, 1922,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
THE CHILDREN'S SIX MINUTES. II
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Click here.

Mini-sermons for children with Scripture(Methodist Church)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Favorite Songs and Hymns for School and Home/Google Books

Favorite Songs and Hymns for School and Home: Containing Four Hundred and Fifty of the World's Best Songs and Hymns, Including National Songs and Many Songs of Days : Also, the Elements of Music and Twenty-five Responsive Scriptural Readings
By John Piersol McCaskey
Published by American Book Company, 1899
400 pages

Main page.

Begin reading here.

Songs for Catholic Schools and Aids to Memory for the Catechism/Google Books


Begin reading here.

Main page.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

A History of Spain for Young Persons/Google Books

A History of Spain for Young Persons
By Bennett George Johns
Contributor Joseph Masters, W. & E. Pickering
Published by Joseph Masters, 1849
212 pages
Main page.
Read here.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Little Jan the Dutch Boy/Google Books

Story of Little Jan, the Dutch Boy
By Helen L. Campbell, Helen Mary Campbell
Published by Educational Publishing Co., 1905
100 pages
Main page
Begin reading here.

Third Grade Unit Study to be used with the Little Cousins/Twins Series and/or Peeps from Many Lands Series

This is a third grade unit study lesson/teacher outline from Socializing the Child(see section VI)
for the countries of Holland, Germany, Japan, and France. Also includes children's book recommendations for further reading at the end of each section.

Main page
Socializing the Child: A Guide to the Teaching of History in the Primary Grades
By Sarah Ann Dynes
Published by Silver, Burdett and company, 1916
302 pages

To be used with any of these reading resources: Peeps from Many Lands, The Twins Series, and the Little Cousins Series:

Our Little Dutch Cousin
Our Little French Cousin
The Japanese Twins

Our Little German Cousin(mislabeled title by Project Gutenberg as simply, "Bertha", just ignore this and click through.)

Also see other graded resources for geography and social studies at An Old Fashioned Education.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Sunday, March 15, 2009

"Say Fellows-": Fifty Practical Talks with Boys on Life's Big Issues/Project Gutenberg

Adapted from the Author's weekly Sunday School
Lesson Treatments in The Sunday School Times,
by permission of the Editors.
Fleming H. Revell Company
1921

Click here.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Saint Patrick and Irish Children's Stories, Activities and Music

To print pages, right click on the image of the page, and then print picture or save picture. Make sure the page is on HMTL(bottom right on sidebar). I should have defaulted all these links to come up as HMTL. Get to main download page by clicking through, "Write review", then "About book". Sorry, they have changed things since I wrote this post last year. I've bumped this up from 3/11/08.

Stories of Saints, 1880, about a fourth grade reading level and up.

The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, 1866, detailed history for older children.

The Every-day Book and Table Book , Saint Patrick biography for older students

Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints: With Reflections for Every Day in the ... - Page 171 , middle elementary grade reading level.

Saint Patrick from Our Island Saints by Amy Steedman, middle elementary reading level and up.

The Seven Champions of Christendom: A New Version from the Most Ancient , Saint Patrick, middle elementary reading level and up.


Children's Stories and how to Tell Them, BARNEY NOONAN'S FAIRY HAYMAKERS (Re-told from the Irish) .

World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls: One Hundred and Eighty-seven ... - Page 86 , Saint Patrick and the Snakes.




The Mary Dawson game book: a manual of original games and guessing contests, didactic games, good for unit studies.

Child-garden: Story, Song, Play, The Four-Leaved Clover, Kindergarten

The World and Its People, Ireland where the Shamrock Grows, fifth grade

The American Normal Readers: Fourth Grade, An Irish legend.

Golden Rod Fairy Book, THE FIELD OF BOLIAUNS

The Red Fairy Book, THE BLACK THIEF AND KNIGHT OF THE GLEN.

Irish Fairy Tales

Celtic Fairy Tales

Poems by Grades: Containing Poems Selected for Each Grade of the School , seventh grade, Song of the Clover(not specifically Irish)

An Elementary Class-book of General Geography, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The Old-fashioned Fairy Book, THE LEPERHAUN. A Legend of the Emerald Isle.


Reading with Expression: Fifth grade, THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER

The American School Readers, Fourth Grade, The Magic Well

Child-garden: Story, Song, Play: The Four-Leaved Clover, elementary school.

The King Nobody Wanted/Project Gutenberg


"In a very real and interesting way, The King Nobody Wanted tells the story of Jesus. Where the actual words of the Bible are used, they are from the King James Version. But the greater part of the story is told in the words of every day.

Since you will certainly want to look up these stories in your own Bible, the references are given on pages 191 and 192. You will discover that often more than one Gospel tells the same story about Jesus, but in a slightly different way. In The King Nobody Wanted, the stories from the Gospels have been put together so that there is just one story for you to read and understand and enjoy."

Begin reading here. Main download page.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Champion Spelling Book/Google Books

Champion Spelling Book: For Public and Private Schools
By Warren Edwin Hicks
Published by American book company, 1909
238 pages

I believe this is for grades one - six, a section a grade.

Main page
Begin reading here.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Mother Carey's Chickens/Google Books

Begin Reading here.
Main page.

Mother Carey's Chickens
By Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911
355 pages

Mother Carey's Chickens
Amazon review: . Another heartwarming tale from the author of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. In this story the reader follows a strong-willed widow, Nancy Carey, as she struggles for the future of her beautiful daughters Nancy and Kitty and her beloved son Peter. Good humor and folksy grit help Mother Carey keep poverty and the wrong fellows for her daughters at bay.

An old fashioned story with old fashioned values - uplifting and edifying fiction.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Days of the Discoverers /Google Books


Days of the Discoverers
By Louise Lamprey
Published by Frederick A. Stokes company, 1921
300 pages

Living history, Vikings - 17th century. Begin reading here.

Main page

The Boy of Mount Rhigi/Google Books


The Boy of Mount Rhigi
By Catharine Maria Sedgwick
Published by Crosby and Nichols, 1862
252 pages

Main page
Begin reading here.

Review:

"Senior High to Adult: Besides fishing in the beautiful wooded hills of Mount Rhigi, Massachusetts, Harry Davis and Clapham Dunn have little in common as far as their upbringing. Harry can hardly relate to the brutal existence that Clapham endures every day—which has molded his character and produced tormenting frustration and fear in his heart. Emotionally and spiritually bankrupt, Clapham, like a magnet, is drawn to the love and acceptance of the Davises. But one sad day he is seized and threatened to do that which is unthinkable. Long, miserable, dark days follow. But though sorrow endures for the night, the healing balm of truth brings joy in the morning.

About the author...

Both the public and her contemporaries regarded Catharine Maria Sedgwick highly. Catharine was actually one of the first American female authors to gain fame. She gained her recognition through writing stories with Christian morals such as were popular during her day."

Saturday, March 7, 2009

In the Days of the Guild/Google Books


In the Days of the Guild
By Louise Lamprey
Published by Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1918
291 pages

Main page. Begin reading here.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Elementary Composition/Google Books

Elementary Composition(advanced middle school and up)
By Dorothy Canfield Fisher, George Rice Carpenter
Published by The Macmillan company, 1906
274 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Stories of the Pilgrims/Google Books

Main page
Begin reading here.

Stories of the Pilgrims
By Margaret Blanche Pumphrey, Lucy Fitch Perkins
Published by Rand, McNally & Company, 1912
241 pages

This book has been republished by Christian Liberty Press, and is a part of their fourth grade curriculum. Yesterday's Classics also has this in reprint. See main page for all book links.

(Thanksgiving)

Monday, March 2, 2009

A Spring Flora for High Schools/Goggle Books


A Spring Flora for High Schools
By Henry Chandler Cowles, John Gaylord Coulter
Published by American book company, 1915
144 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Ten Boys who Lived on the Road from Long Ago to Now/Google Books

Ten Boys who Lived on the Road from Long Ago to Now
By Jane Andrews
Published by Ginn & company, 1913
249 pages

Main page

Begin reading here.

Appropriate for about ages 10 -12.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

The Madonna and of the Goldfinch/Internet Archive

Published in 1917 by Amy Steedman. "Stories of Italy and of little Italian boy and girls, into which has been woven much interesting information concerning Italian customs and beliefs. Beautifully illustrated." ~ 1918 Publishers Weekly

Click here.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Knights of Art; Stories of the Italian Painters/ Internet Archive

Published in 1907 by Amy Steedman, art history with pictures for elementary aged children.

Click here.

The Child's World Fourth Grade Reader/ Google Books


The Child's World Fourth Reader
By Sarah Withers, Hetty Sibyl Browne, William Knox Tate
Published by B.F. Johnson, 1917

Begin reading here.
Main page

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Facts and Backgrounds of Literature: American and British/Google Books

All this and more:

344
Chivalry , joust , minstrels
347
middle ages , farmed in common , scat
349
craft guilds , merchant guild , main purpose
350
Inns of Court , Middle Temple , Twelfth Night
354
single houses , male heir , American readers
355
proscenium , actors , Elizabethan plays
363
bear-baiting , falconry , judicial combat
370
Boy Bishop , Whitsunday , Childermas
378
Roman Catholic church , established church , nonconformist
383
astrology , Ptolemaic astronomy , Alchemy


Main page

The Facts and Backgrounds of Literature: English and American
By George Fullmer Reynolds, Garland Greever
Published by The Century Co., 1920
425 pages

Begin reading here

Sunday, February 22, 2009

My Country: A Textbook in Civics and Patriotism for Young Americans/Google Books


From the introduction: "Many of the pupils in whose hands this book is placed will never read or study another discussion of civics and patriotism. Is it more important that they get from this text a detailed knowledge of the machinery of town, city, county, state, and national government, or that they get deeply implanted in their minds and hearts the conviction that America is really a nation founded on liberty, that it is a nation which looks to them to-day and every day to help in its building, that patriotism means making the most of every opportunity that this land of opportunities offers. The author has felt that unless the boy and the girl leave the elementary or junior high school with a definite conception of what America stands for, what it expects them to do now as boys and girls and later as men and women, they will be futile, even if well-meaning, citizens.

This book therefore aims to create a background which will help the teacher develop a spirit of true patriotism (this is accomplished by the early chapters in the book), and, when this has been kindled, to take the pupil into the technical part of the subject (the chapters on laws, government, taxes, thrift, etc.). In these chapters, as in the earlier ones, the pupil is never allowed to lose touch with the American spirit which is the keynote of the whole text. And finally he is led to symbolize love of country in a consideration of the flag. The Appendix will assist those teachers who wish to emphasize the mechanics of the subject in a broad way. The minor details of local government vary in each state and cannot be included in a text of this kind."

Begin reading here.
Main page

My Country: A Textbook in Civics and Patriotism for Young Americans
By Grace Alice Turkington, Newell Convers Wyeth
Illustrated by Newell Convers Wyeth
Published by Ginn and Company, 1918
394 pages

Friday, February 20, 2009

Business Mathematics/Google Books

Click here to begin reading.

Main page
Business Mathematics: A Textbook for Schools
By Edward Ira Edgerton, Wallace Edgar Bartholomew
Published by The Ronald press company, 1921
305 pages

Vocational Mathematics for Girls/Google Books


Politically incorrect math for girls. ;) This book covers: household budgets, kitchen math, dress making, thrift and investment, farm math, and math in formally traditional female occupations outside the home.

Begin reading here.
Main page.
Vocational Mathematics for Girls
By William Henry Dooley
Published by D.C. Heath & co., 1917
369 pages

May or may not be useful for homeschool math, but it is interesting for cultural/history studies.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Warne's Victoria Picture Spelling Book(and more)


Warne's Victoria picture spelling book by Laura Valentine, Published by , 1866:

EASILY GRADUATED SPELLING LESSONS.
EASILY GRADUATED READING LESSONS.
EASY LESSONS IN GRAMMAR.
EASY LESSONS IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.
EASY LESSONS IN CHRONOLOGY.

USEFUL INFORMATION.

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION.

ARITHMETICAL TABLES.

POETRY.

WRITING LESSONS, ETC., ETC.

Begin reading here.
Main page

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Famous Stories Every Child Should Know /Google Books

Click here to begin reading.

Main page
Famous Stories Every Child Should Know: A Selection of the Best Stories of All Time for Young People
By Hamilton Wright Mabie, Kate Stephens
Published by Grosset & Dunlap, 1907
300 pages

Saturday, February 14, 2009

The children's picture-book of good and great men/Google Books


Easy reader for early elementary school.
Click here to start reading.
Main page
The children's picture-book of good and great men
Published by , 1860

Thursday, February 12, 2009

At the Back of the North Wind/Google Books


Click here to begin reading.

Main page
At the Back of the North Wind
By George MacDonald, Jessie Willcox Smith
Illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith
Published by D. McKay, 1919
342 pages

Review:

"The book tells the story of a young country boy named Diamond. He is a very sweet little boy who makes joy everywhere he goes. He fights despair and gloom and brings peace to his family. One night, as he is trying to sleep in the loft, Diamond plugs up several holes in the barn wall in order to stop the wind from blowing in. However, he soon finds out that this is stopping the North Wind from going on her routes. Diamonds befriends her, and North Wind lets him ride on her back, taking him on several adventures.

Though North Wind does goods deeds and helps people, she is also does terrible things. In one of her mischievous acts, she sinks a ship. Yet everything bad leads to something good. North Wind seems to be a representation of Pain and Death working according to God's will for something good.

On their adventures, North Wind brings Diamond to the country she lives in; a country without pain and death.Yet, he is brought only in a shadow of the real country at the back of the North Wind. The real country is open for him only after his death. At the end of the book, Diamond dies, finally able to see the country.

In this book, MacDonald touches many theological and philosophical questions, especially concerning theodicy[A vindication of God's goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil.]. Today, it is considered one of his masterpieces."

Appropriate for later elementary and up. A good read aloud for younger children.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Children's Picture-book of Quadrupeds and Other Mammalia/Google Books


Beginning zoology for early middle school.

Note: Chapter on "Man" is Biblical, and no Evolution Theory is mentioned. Many nice illustrations.

Click here to begin reading.
Main page
The Children's Picture-book of Quadrupeds: And Other Mammalia
By John George Wood, William Harvey
Illustrated by William Harvey
Published by Harper, 1861
Original from Harvard University
Digitized Feb 13, 2008
276 pages

Monday, February 9, 2009

Scenes in Africa/Google Books


This is a fascinating children's book Published in 1824 about North Africa, Central Africa, and South Africa. Of course, times have changed, and if read, should be read with an understanding that it is a glimpse back into old Africa. The style of writing reminds me of historical fiction written for children, so it's comfortably read even if out of date in regards to people and places. There is nothing dry or boring about this book, yet a lot of information and pictures are packed into each chapter.

I skimmed the initial section on North Africa and did not see anything written in a disrespectful manner. The author, a Christian minister writes as many Quaker authors would in that time period, without negative regard to race or religion. The book is mislabeled by Google as a book about America instead of Africa. The slave trade, abolished in Rev. Taylor's native England is described in detail and condemned.


Scenes in Africa: For the Amusement and Instruction of Little Tarry-at-home Travellers
By Rev. Isaac Taylor
Published by John Harris, 1824(England)
120 pages

Main page
Begin Reading here.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

The Age of Fable and The Age Chivalry /Google Books


Description at Dover Publications, "Bulfinch's Mythology is a classic retelling of the great myths and legends, from ancient Greece and Rome to the time of Charlemagne. The second volume, reprinted here, focuses on Arthurian legends, and covers such notables as Sir Gawin, Launcelot, Richard the Lion-Hearted, Tristan and Isolde, Robin Hood, and much more." ages 14 and Up. Note: Bulfinch comes at these fables from a Christian viewpoint.

Main page
The Age of Chivalry
By Thomas Bulfinch
Published by Crosby, Nichols, 1859
414 pages

Click here to begin reading.

The Age of Fable
Click here to begin reading.
Main page
The Age of Fable
By Thomas Bulfinch
Published by George Routledge & sons, limited, 1905
394 pages

Friday, February 6, 2009

The Orange Seed(Christian)/Google Books

A gentle Christian girl's tale roughly for ages 9-12.

This is a nicely written, pleasant storyline for children, teaching them the morality of living through your soul rather than through the flesh. The story is free of any obvious denominational theology.

Click here.

Main page
The Orange Seed
By Sarah Schoonmaker Baker
Published by A.D.F. Randolph, 1863
103 pages

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Tom, the Boater, A Tale of English Canal Life (Christian)/Google Books

Click here.
Main page
Tom, the Boater: A Tale of English Canal Life
By Emma Leslie, Religious Tract Society (Great Britain
Published by Religious Tract Society, 1882
160 pages

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Monday, February 2, 2009

An Island Story: A History of England for Boys and Girls/Google Books

Click here.
Main page.
An Island Story: A History of England for Boys and Girls, by H. E. Marshall, with Pictures by A. S. Forrest
By Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall
Published by Frederick A. Stokes company, 1920
557 pages

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Life of Don Bosco(Saint John Bosco)/Google Books


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Life of Don Bosco: Founder of the Salesian Society
By Jacques-Melchior Villefranche, Martin, Lady Martin
Translated by Martin, Lady Martin
Published by Burns & Oates, 1898
342 pages