stm4him Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am wanting to collect some old sets of books. Which would you recommend from this set and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 We have parts from the 70's (white binding, pastel stripes on spines) and 50's (solid color bindings). The format of the pages and the illustrations are pretty much the same. My only real preference between the two is the pages of the older one aren't so BRIGHT WHITE and thus easier on my eyes. My DD who loves My Book House in general prefers the newer white bindings because they're prettier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 My set has the newer white bindings, but then I have two older In Your Hands and Your Child's World guide books that accompany the complete set. My neighbor got a set and had newer child development standards, etc. in these books. I prefer the older guide books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredHSmom Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I have the white bindings with pastel stripes. I grew up with the solid green ombre bindings (easiest books were lightest green, hardest were the darkest) my mother still has that set. I have compared them and the insides are identical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stm4him Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 What is the difference in content in terms of what was added or taken away in later versions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I think the artwork was changed from the original set, but the content has remained the same. No clue about the guides themselves. I've only used it for the index when looking for something specific or planning geography reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have the 70s ones and love, love, love them. They were sitting on a shelf at my fave thrift store where books sell 4 for $1. So pretty that I snatched them all up for under $4, not knowing what they were (they included the 2 parent guides, but one volume was missing). Got home and googled them--and realized I had found a TREASURE. In mint condition. Spent about $12 on ebay for the missing book. I would say that both sets are good, from what other people said. I appreciate having a set that isn't fragile and isn't so precious that I have to wear gloves to read them :) Go for price and condition; it's all good-- b 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I think there are a few more modern stories in the white (70s) set. Most of the content is the same, but it's easier to find the newer books in good condition, plus they tend to be cheaper. I ended up finding an absolutely pristine set of the 70s version at my local used book store. Most of the books look like they have never even been opened! BTW, Dover has republished volumes 1 and 2 (In the Nursery and Story Time) if you want a new copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 We found a nearly whole set of the white/pastel My Book House at Goodwill on half price day. Each volume was $1.5. I probably paid $8 for the missing volume on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 (edited) Mine is also the 1971 white binding version of My Bookhouse. Each volume has quite a few selections in it. The volumes increase in reading age/interest level as you go. Librivox has a number of the selections from the older 6-volume set available as free audio download. Here are the 12 volumes of the 1971 edition, with very rough estimate of read aloud (RA) and reader ages of interest/ability: vol. 1 = In the Nursery = toddler - Kinder (RA) = almost 400 nursery rhymes and children's poems vol. 2 = Story Time = pre-K - 1st grade (RA) = about 90 stories & poems vol. 3 = Up One Pair of Stairs = K-2nd (RA), 2nd-3rd (reader) = about 60 stories, poems vol. 4 = Through the Gate = K-3rd (RA), 3rd-5th (reader) = 36 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 5 = Over the Hills = K-3rd (RA), 3rd-5th (reader) = 32 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 6 = Through Fairy Halls = 1st-4th (RA), 4th-6th (reader) = 37 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 7 = The Magic Garden = 2nd-5th (RA), 5th-7th (reader) = 32 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 8 = Flying Sails = 2nd-5th (RA), 5th-7th (reader) = 21 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 9 = The Treasure Chest = 3rd-5th (RA), 5th-8th (reader) = 22 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 10 = From the Tower Window = 4th-6th (RA), 6th-9th (reader) = 27 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 11 = In Shining Armor = 4th-6th (RA), 6th-9th (reader) =15 stories, excerpts, poems vol. 12 = Halls of Fame / Index = 4th-6th (RA), 6th-9th (reader) = 15 stories, excerpts, poems I do like the My Book House set a lot, but my personal favorite is the first set I collected: the early 1960s version of Collier's Junior Classics: The Young Folks' Shelf of Books. In this thread, I described what was in each of the 10 volumes of the set: "Collier's Young Folks books questions". I found this set the easiest to actually use as part of our classical homeschooling reading in the late elementary/middle school years. Volumes 1-5 and 10 are timeless classics; volumes 6-9 have a fair number of more dated "school reader stories" written specifically for 1950s-early 1960s school reading books for elementary grades -- but, also some excerpts from classic children's books. Volume 1: Fairy Tales and FablesVolume 2: Stories of Wonder and MagicVolume 3: Myths and LegendsVolume 4: Hero TalesVolume 5: Stories That Never Grow OldVolume 6: Stories About Boys and GirlsVolume 7: The Animal BookVolume 8: Stories From HistoryVolume 9: Sport and AdventureVolume 10: Poetry Reading Guide Indexes I also LOVE the 1950s/early 1960s editions of the Ginn Basic Readers -- especially the school readers for grades 4-6. Some great classics written at elementary grade levels, some classic poems, and some volumes also have comprehension or discussion questions and a small dictionary in the back (bolded words in the stories show up in that little dictionary). Very handy! We used about 5 of the grade 4-6 volumes in the elementary years a LOT as part of our homeschooling. Here is the list of titles and grade levels of the readers; enrichment books just have additional stories (usually ones written in the 1950s esp. for the school books); the readers have the classics and the additional teaching bits: Primer- My Little Red Story Book (1st primer)- My Little Green Story Book (2nd primer)- My Little Blue Story Book (3rd primer)- Come With Us (enrichment)1st Grade- The Little White House (1st semester reader)- On Cherry Street (2nd semester reader)- Under the Apple Tree (enrichment)- Open the Gate (enrichment)2nd Grade:- We Are Neighbors (1st semester reader)- Around the Corner (2nd semester reader)- Ranches and Rainbows (enrichment)3rd Grade- Finding New Neighbors (1st semester reader)- Friends Far and Near (2nd semester 1reader)- Fun and Fancy (enrichment)4th Grade- Roads to Everywhere (reader)- Down Story Roads (enrichment)5th Grade- Trails to Treasure (reader)- Doorways to Discovery (reader)- Along Story Trails (enrichment)6th Grade- Wings to Adventure (reader)- Windows on the World (reader)- On Story Wings (enrichment) I also have the 1953, 16-volume Children's Hour anthology (Marjorie Barrows), which has quite a bit of overlap with the My Book House and the Collier's, but what I love about is that it has a few very unique volumes in the set, including one that is all mystery/detective tales -- including some classic stories from Poe and Dickens; another that is focused on fiction/stories of U.S. history, and yet another all focused on Sci-Fi of the first half of the 20th century: l. First Storybook 2. Favorite Fairytales 3. Old-Time Favorites 4. Caravan of Fun 5. Best-Loved Poems 6. Stories of Today 7. Favorite Mystery Stories 8. Myths and Legends 9.From Many Lands 10. School and Sport 11. Along Blazed Trails l2. Stories of Long ago l3. Roads to Adventure l4. Favorite Animal Stories l5. Leaders and Heroes l6. Science Fiction / Reader's Guide Another worthwhile set that I don't own, but that others, such as 8FillTheHeart find to be their top choice is Journeys Through Bookland (there is a 1900s version and a 1920s version). You can read 8 of the 10 volumes online through Gutenberg (only missing vol. 1 and 9). You can read more about how other WTMers are using this particular set in these threads: - "Just wanted to share again how much I really like Journeys Through Bookland" - Journeys Through Bookland - Pursuing a Classical Liberal Arts Education- "My Book House vs. Journeys Through Bookland - compare" - "What vintage reference and anthology type sets do you recommend?" - "How to use My Book House set?" - "Junior Classics anthology set - what now?" -- how to use Anthologies: The Children's Hour vs. Young Folks' Library vs.?" -- this thread will feed a latent collecting addiction -- at least that's what it did for me 😉 . Actually, lots of wonderful collectible books in there, not just anthology or series books. Good art/illustration is equally important to me in some of these vintage books, and I've collected close to a dozen books just because I also LOVED the art -- for example, several of the Tenggren books (Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights, and hopefully eventually King Arthur). So you may want to browse vintage children's books online for awhile first to get an idea of what it is you WANT out of the books, and then invest. 🙂 Edited May 2, 2021 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Oh! I think you can get all the Journeys in Kindle format free on Amazon. I'd forgotten about that until I noticed Lori's post. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Any of the rainbow editions, steer clear of the white bound 1970's ones, they changed so much of the illustrations, which I love. My sister and I can still look at any illustration from the set and recall the story or poem. I own this set, it was my Mom's http://www.childscapes.com/bookpages/bookhouse1925.html and this one http://www.childscapes.com/bookpages/bookhouse.blue.html and the 1960 Rainbow set I wanted a set for both my girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have the white 1970's bound set, it came with our house when we bought it, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FawnsFunnyFarm Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have the 1971 white version. I love the pictures! They remind me of the pictures in my old Mother Goose book that I read until it fell apart. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I'm not sure what version I have, but I agree with Lori, the Colliers Jr. Classics series is much better. The only advantage of My Book House is the illustrations, for younger readers who like to see those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 WHY AM I FOLLOWING THIS THREAD??? I just ordered a set of Collier Junior Classics off half price books . . . Thanks ladies, ha ha. B I do like the My Book House set a lot, but my personal favorite is the first set I collected: the early 1960s version of Collier's Junior Classics: The Young Folks' Shelf of Books. In this thread, I described what was in each of the 10 volumes of the set: "Collier's Young Folks books questions". I found this set the easiest to actually use as part of our classical homeschooling reading in the late elementary/middle school years. Volumes 1-5 and 10 are timeless classics; volumes 6-9 have a fair number of more dated "school reader stories" written specifically for 1950s-early 1960s school reading books for elementary grades -- but, also some excerpts from classic children's books. Volume 1: Fairy Tales and FablesVolume 2: Stories of Wonder and MagicVolume 3: Myths and LegendsVolume 4: Hero TalesVolume 5: Stories That Never Grow OldVolume 6: Stories About Boys and GirlsVolume 7: The Animal BookVolume 8: Stories From HistoryVolume 9: Sport and AdventureVolume 10: Poetry Reading Guide Indexes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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