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Just wanted to share again how much I really like Journeys through Bookland


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I had to take my dd to her crack of dawn kickboxing class this mornign and couldn't find the book I had meant to take to read, so I grabbed the Guide to Journeys through Bookland and spent an enjoyable hour reading it.   I haven't picked up any of these books since our move and I had forgotten just how much I really love this series.   I am going to switch my 6th grader back to JtB after our Christmas vacation.  

 

Here is an online copy of the Guide.   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24857/24857-h/24857-h.htm

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Where will your 6th grader be starting?  Or maybe she's already done some of them? Just curious where you think is an appropriate place to start for a 6th grader.  I'm intrigued by these, too, but I recently got a set of Junior Classics, so probably don't need a whole second set . . . I love the guide though, and hadn't seen it before so thank you for sharing.

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I had to take my dd to her crack of dawn kickboxing class this mornign and couldn't find the book I had meant to take to read, so I grabbed the Guide to Journeys through Bookland and spent an enjoyable hour reading it.   I haven't picked up any of these books since our move and I had forgotten just how much I really love this series.   I am going to switch my 6th grader back to JtB after our Christmas vacation.  

 

Here is an online copy of the Guide.   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24857/24857-h/24857-h.htm

 

I found a old and worn but still usable copy of this volume and can't wait to get it back out of storage and start making use of it. We also have volume 9, I think, and have read some things from it too.

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Where will your 6th grader be starting?  Or maybe she's already done some of them? Just curious where you think is an appropriate place to start for a 6th grader.  I'm intrigued by these, too, but I recently got a set of Junior Classics, so probably don't need a whole second set . . . I love the guide though, and hadn't seen it before so thank you for sharing.

 

We are going to start back in Vol. 4.   She read vol 3 last yr.    A link to vol 4 is here:  http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7013/pg7013.html   Unfortunately it is not hyper-linked within the volume.   I read the poem Incident of the French Camp this morning and that is definitely on the stretch side for her whereas some of the other readings are on level.  So I think it is going to be a good blend of stretch/on level.   Here is the TOC for vol 4:

 

BETTER THAN GOLD ………………………………….. Father Ryan

My HEART LEAPS UP……………………………. William Wordsworth

THE BAREFOOT BOY ……………………….. John Greenleaf Whittier

RAIN ON THE ROOF ………………………………… Coates Kinney

CID CAMPEADOR

ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF A MAD DOG ………………… Oliver Goldsmith

MOTHER'S WAY ……………………………………… Father Ryan

SONG OF THE BROOK ……………………………… Alfred Tennyson

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW ……………………… Grace E. Sellon

FOOTSTEPS OF ANGELS ………………….. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

To H. W. L. ………………………………. James Russell Lowell

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH ……………….. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS …………….. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A DOG OF FLANDERS …………………………… Louise de la Ramee

ALICE AND PHOEBE CARY …………………………….. Anna McCaleb

NEARER HOME ………………………………………. Phoebe Cary

PICTURES OF MEMORY …………………………………. Alice Cary

THE ESCAPE FROM PRISON ……………………… Sir Samuel W. Baker

STORIES OF THE CREATION

THE DEFINITION OF A GENTLEMAN …………………… Cardinal Newman

THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER ……………………………. Alexander Pope

INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP …………………….. Robert Browning

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE ……………………………. Grace E. Sellon

THE PINE-TREE SHILLINGS……………………… Nathaniel Hawthorne

LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS IN NEW ENGLAND .. Felicia Browne Hemans

THE SUNKEN TREASURE ………………………… Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE HUTCHINSON MOB …………………………. Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE BOSTON MASSACRE ………………………… Nathaniel Hawthorne

SHERIDAN'S RIDE …………………………… Thomas Buchanan Read

JOAN OF ARC …………………………………. Thomas de Quincey

PANCRATIUS …………………………………… Cardinal Wiseman

ALFRED THE GREAT ………………………………. Charles Dickens

THE BURIAL OF MOSES …………………….. Cecil Frances Alexander

BERNARDO DEL CARPIO …………………………….. Felicia Hemans

DAVID

CHEVY-CHASE ……………………………………. Richard Sheale

THE ATTACK ON THE CASTLE ………………………. Sir Walter Scott

THE DEATH OF HECTOR …………………………. From Homer's Iliad

THE WOODEN HORSE ………………………….. From Vergil's Aeneid

JOHN BUNYAN

THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS …………………………….. John Bunyan

AWAY …………………………………….. James Whitcomb Riley

LITTLE GIFFIN OF TENNESSEE

LITTLE BREECHES ……………………………………… John Hay

THE YARN OF THE "NANCY BELL" ……………………… W. S. Gilbert

KATEY'S LETTER ………………………………….. Lady Dufferin

THE ARICKARA INDIANS …………………………. Washington Irving

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I found a old and worn but still usable copy of this volume and can't wait to get it back out of storage and start making use of it. We also have volume 9, I think, and have read some things from it too.

 

I just love the Guide.   I re-read the section on how to read literature this morning and love the way he describes discussing literature b/c it is the natural way that I prefer over lit guides.   Here is a section from what I read:

 

 

When the story has ended, the pleasure has but just begun. Children like to ask questions, but they are no less ready to answer them if the questions are on things of interest, are related to the things which children know and are put in such a way that the genuine interest of the questioner is always evident. The I-know-it-all-and-you-know-nothing style of questioning; the I’m-the-master-and-you’re-the-pupil style; the because-I-ask-you-must-answer style are all fatal to interest, and will soon prevent that hearty sympathy and living spirit of coöperation that the parent wishes to secure.

 

If we suppose it is Cinderella that has been read, we may begin our questioning in this manner:

 

“That’s a good story. I like it, don’t you?—It is rather long, though; I’ve almost forgotten how it began.—O, was that the first thing that happened?—Was the father a rich man?—Did the story say he was rich or did you just think he was?—If he had not married a widow could things have happened as they did?—How did the widow and her daughters treat Cinderella?—If Cinderella had not been mistreated would her fairy godmother have come to her aid?—If the fairy had not appeared could the story have been the same?—How did the fairy make the golden coach?—Could she have made it out of anything else?—If she had made one just as good out of something else, could Cinderella have gone to the ball just as well?—If Cinderella went to the ball in good style did it [155]matter how she went?—If Cinderella had not gone to the ball, could she have met the prince?—Was it as important then that she should have a coach made from a pumpkin as that she should go to the ball and meet the prince?—Can you think of something else just as necessary to make the story come out right as that Cinderella should go to the ball?—Can you think of other things that must have happened just as they did to make the story come out right and just as it did?—Can you think of some things that might have happened differently and still not have hurt the story at all?—Let us put together all the things that must have happened to make the story right and leave out the things that could be changed. Now, what are they?—Now let us find a few things we could leave out or change. What are some of them?—If we left them out the story would come out the same, but would it be as good, as interesting?—Would you like Cinderella as well if these little things had been left out?—Would you think as much of the prince if he had found Cinderella right away as you do when he has to do so many hard things before he finds her?â€

 

Every one must realize the impossibility of providing a scheme of questioning that would fit exactly any given case, but will not the above suggest a method that may lead to many a happy and profitable evening at the family round table? Even if there are older children in the group they will renew their interest in the old stories and get more good from them when it is seen that father and mother do not deem it beneath their dignity, nor outside the range of their interests, to read and study a fairy tale.

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Thanks for this. I've been trying to look at it all day but have only found small bits of time. Maybe after the kids sleep I can dig in.

 

It looks really good; I personally have mixed feelings as I just started digging into the Lang Fairy books and now feel a bit overwhelmed wondering if I should switch over.

 

So much good stuff, so little time.

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I had to take my dd to her crack of dawn kickboxing class this mornign and couldn't find the book I had meant to take to read, so I grabbed the Guide to Journeys through Bookland and spent an enjoyable hour reading it. I haven't picked up any of these books since our move and I had forgotten just how much I really love this series. I am going to switch my 6th grader back to JtB after our Christmas vacation.

 

Here is an online copy of the Guide. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24857/24857-h/24857-h.htm

So how do you use these? Do you have her read them aloud, silent, both? Do you discuss the stories together? Do you give writing assignments from them? I'm intrigued. I would like a set. It looks wonderful!

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Thanks for sharing again 8. I bought the 8-volume edition after you mentioned this series a few months ago. So buyers do be aware of the different editions. In my 8-volume 1955 copyright series, Vol 3 corresponds to the TOC of the Vol 4 you included upthread but stops at The Attack on the Castle.

 

I am giving the first two volumes as a gift to my sis, a new mom. :) Kiddo's cousin will "inherit" the rest when kiddo's done reading them.

 

ETA: My 1955 edition doesn't include the extensive Guide. There is only a short chapter at the back of Volume 8. The gutenberg link is much appreciated!

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So how do you use these? Do you have her read them aloud, silent, both? Do you discuss the stories together? Do you give writing assignments from them? I'm intrigued. I would like a set. It looks wonderful!

 

A combination of all of the above. For selections like some of the poems that I know she would not understand on her own, we will definitely do together. Some that she might struggle slightly in understanding, I will have her read on her own and then read together discussing as we go along, etc.

 

 

Thanks for sharing again 8. I bought the 8-volume edition after you mentioned this series a few months ago. So buyers do be aware of the different editions. In my 8-volume 1955 copyright series, Vol 3 corresponds to the TOC of the Vol 4 you included upthread but stops at The Attack on the Castle.

 

I am giving the first two volumes as a gift to my sis, a new mom. :) Kiddo's cousin will "inherit" the rest when kiddo's done reading them.

 

ETA: My 1955 edition doesn't include the extensive Guide. There is only a short chapter at the back of Volume 8. The gutenberg link is much appreciated!

I have always wondered what was sacrificed in reducing 10 volumes to 8. Do yours have the artwork inside?

 

For those interested in purchasing the set, the one volume that has not been in very good condition in our sets (we own more than1) is the first one. It is the one I don't care if we own bc we already have other sources for the exact same selections.....Aesops Fables, nursery rhymes, etc.

 

And Rose, I love Colliers Jr Classics as well. If I had to reduce all my books down to just a few, Jr Classics and JtB would be at the top of my keep above all others stack. The major difference between the 2 is that JtB has wonder biographies and discussions interspersed amg the literary selections and a more graduated level of difficulty (some of the selections in JtB are definitely geared to older students.)

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I have always wondered what was sacrificed in reducing 10 volumes to 8. Do yours have the artwork inside?

 

 

There are illustrations. Perhaps not as many as the 10-volume? They have definitely reduced the number of stories/ poems etc. I didn't see the last few titles of your Volume 4 (my Volume 3 1955 ed) carried over to my Volume 4 (1955 ed).

 

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Yes,8, thank you for bringing this forward again. I was intrigued by your mention a few months ago, but then it had slipped my mind. Last night I was able to find a 1922 set that will ship to Denmark for a reasonable (ok, almost reasonable!) price with tracking. The first volume is missing but that is ok.

 

Merry Christmas to me :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

My set arrived a few days ago but I opened it last night. It looks fantastic and I'm going to start reading the guide later today. (After football. We have priorities, you know.)

 

I'm excited but a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out how to fit this in with what was supposed to be our next project: reading the Lang fairy books. Maybe I can make my way through Bookland but switch to Lang as a replacement for the fairy stories, using Bookland for non-fairy stories until we're through Lang. Hmmm.

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My set came last week. I read through the guide. **awesome** I have a lot going on with a move the next two months, so for now I'm using the books as assigned reading. Before, I was letting them choose what to read, but they weren't branching out in their selections. Dd8 is starting in book 2 and dd9 in book 3. They really enjoy it so far.

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Could anyone compare these to then My Bookhouse Set? I was gifted a My Bookhouse set and am just wondering if Journeys Through Bookland is worth owning as well.

I own both and vastly prefer JtB. I gave my ds a set of My Bookhouse for his kids bc the stories in there are younger and it has more colored pictures,etc. JtB is more a literary set. But, really, JtB volumes are available online, so there is no need to purchase a set and not know exactly what you are getting.

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I just thought that I would mention that I found Vol 1 on Google books this afternoon (if anyone else is looking for it).

Where? Could you give the URL please?

 

I also found that it looks like it's for sale cheaply in paperback scan/reprint, if that's of interest. 

http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Through-Bookland-Vol-1/dp/1434477932/

 

I was perusing vol 8 and was startled/impressed that the entire saga of Mary Lamb was in there, with no minced words! That was a surprise.

 

I have My Bookhouse (as well as several other sets of this sort) and one of my kids quite likes it. It does seem to have more advanced material in the later volumes, but I haven't seen much of Journeys through Bookland to compare! Ack.  

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I own both and vastly prefer JtB. I gave my ds a set of My Bookhouse for his kids bc the stories in there are younger and it has more colored pictures,etc. JtB is more a literary set. But, really, JtB volumes are available online, so there is no need to purchase a set and not know exactly what you are getting.

Thank you, I think we'll check out the online versions first and see how much/if we use them.

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The problem I found was that it was difficult to identify the volumes until you actually open the books at they are not clearly labeled.

I totally agree -- I had this problem before with a set of readers, which is why I've reposted my list of links many times! ;) Thank you -- your link worked perfectly.

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Volume 1 is nursery rhymes and fairy tales. It is a good read aloud for ages 2-5. Books 2 & 3 are good read aloud for ages 5+. For independent reading I started my dd8 in book 2 and she is finding it easy to read. Dd9 started in book 3 and she is finding it challenging.

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I was perusing vol 8 and was startled/impressed that the entire saga of Mary Lamb was in there, with no minced words! That was a surprise.

 

 

Ok, so this was one of the first things I read LOL.  I had no idea that there was a Mary Lamb saga.  :huh: And just in case I am not the only person who only knows Mary Lamb as the Tales from Shakespeare coauthor, Mary Lamb suffered from mental illness and stabbed her mother to death. 

 

Stripe, the saga was well told in Journeys to Bookland.  Add me to the startled/impressed list!

 

 

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Wow, that is super disturbing! Makes me question using her works in my homeschool!

I have a reluctance to using her stuff too, but I knew about it already, I can't even remember when I first learned, but long ago.

 

Ok, so this was one of the first things I read LOL.  I had no idea that there was a Mary Lamb saga.  :huh: And just in case I am not the only person who only knows Mary Lamb as the Tales from Shakespeare coauthor, Mary Lamb suffered from mental illness and stabbed her mother to death. 

 

Stripe, the saga was well told in Journeys to Bookland.  Add me to the startled/impressed list!

 

I knew about it, I was just surprised that it was included (without mincing words!) in the Bookland books!

The situation reminds me of "Heavenly Creatures."

 

Well, darn.  Gutenburg doesn't have volume 1 or 9.  

Based on this thread, I thought I'd download volume 1.  I really like the discussion question format mentioned above, and I hate the Teacherly-I know everything-Quizzing of most Discussion Questions.  

Can you look at vol 1 online at the Google link below?

Try this for vol 9

https://archive.org/details/journeysthrough00unkngoog

 

I'm hoping this link works for volume 1 on google books:  http://books.google.com/books/about/Journeys_through_bookland.html?id=jZkXAAAAIAAJ

 

There are a few volumes there (complete with images).  The problem I found was that it was difficult to identify the volumes until you actually open the books at they are not clearly labeled.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I found an almost complete set of these buried behind some old magazines. I really want to sit down with the guide and mark it up, but don't want to write in such an old book.

 

I think I'm going to wait till I have $35.00 of books to buy from Amazon, and buy a paperback copy to scribble in. I miss the old $25.00 free shipping. It's probably good, actually, as I'm not tempted by the $35, like I was the $25.

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My complete set arrived. I was lucky to find a set with all the books in good condition. I've been reading the guide, and am just so excited to start, as is my DD, my oldest. My boys rolled their eyes when I showed them the books. In a way, I'm scared they won't treat the books with respect. I was going to wait until next fall to start using them, but I think we'll start next week. The guide is very interesting.

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I found an illustrated version of Volume 1 and the guide on Google books. I have been checking out copies to buy on ebay. 

 

Last night I decided to do a search on Charles Herbert Sylvester, and found this:

https://play.google.com/books/reader?printsec=frontcover&output=reader&id=msIvAQAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PA12

I am NOT going to look for that set, really! :tongue_smilie:

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I had been thinking the same thing, but I didn't see any reviews on any of the reprints that stated the illustrations were there. I'd rather have decent quality page scans. The guide looks rather nice on the ipad mini on the Google Play books app. It's a little laggy with page turns, but it's a very readable size. The TOC is a bit garbled though, but at least it's there. I'll have to search through the links above to find all of the illustrated volumes. I think I have 3 or 4 illustrated. Every time I start searching I get sidetracked looking at other books, especially on Google. My Google library is enormous now!

 

 

I thought about buying this paperback version of the guide but I realized it might be a badly edited text version.
http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Through-Bookland-Vol-10/dp/B003YMMRUC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1TPK0RNM835UG&coliid=I1L3QB9MQ6WUV7

 

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The volume 10 I ordered surprisingly says volume 9 on the spine instead. Now I have to go look for 10 again. Bah.

 

If you're curious about the differences ~ The older volume 9 TOC starts out exactly the same as the newer volume 8, but the last twelve stories of older 9 are not in newer 8 at all.

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The volume 10 I ordered surprisingly says volume 9 on the spine instead. Now I have to go look for 10 again. Bah.

 

If you're curious about the differences ~ The older volume 9 TOC starts out exactly the same as the newer volume 8, but the last twelve stories of older 9 are not in newer 8 at all.

 

:grouphug:

 

Sometimes box day can be such a disappointment, especially for used books.

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