Old unknown book treasures...favorites...lets create a list :-)

[Homeschoolmom3]

I have stumbled on a few really great books lately.  I know there are probably so many others out there and would love to create a list.  If you know of any good books that are not notable classics that we all know but some "unknown treasure" please list away!  Thanks!

 

 

Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories (found this at a library sale and LOVE it!) Great morals and teachings!

 

Another favorite of ours is The Children's Hour Set!  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2016 by Homeschoolmom3

[Carol in Cal.]

My BookHouse.  Basically a 10 volume intro to Western Civ for elementary school aged kids.  Get the older blue or 5 volume green editions if possible.

 

In Place of Katya.  One of the best books for 4-5th grade I have ever read.  Set in Colonial America and Russia in the 1700s.

 

The Diamond In The Window.  Hands down the best book for 4-5th grade I have ever read, bar none.  My absolute favorite book until I read Lord of the Rings in 7th grade.

[Homeschoolmom3]

Awesome...thanks! Can't wait to check out! Heard of MyBook House but no experience with it. 😊

[Faithr]

The Secret of Pooduck Island by Alfred Noyes (same guy who the famous poem The Highwayman).  Surreal and just delightful.  The Wonderful Farm by Marcel Ayme.  I'd never heard of this one but it is a charming story, also about animals.  But beware!  You'll cry at the end!

[Homeschoolmom3]

Great...keep them coming!  :-)

[Lori D.]

For more on My Book House -- and lots of other wonderful vintage books! -- check out this thread:

"Anthologies: The Children's Hour vs Young Folks' Library vs ?"

 

And two more threads on these great vintage anthologies:

"Which edition of My Bookhouse do you recommend?"

"Tell me about Collier Junior Classics"

 

And for another stroll down memory lane ;) : "Did anyone else learn to read with Mark, Mike, and Jeff? Around 1969?"

 

 

bwa-ha-ha-ha! sucking more homeschoolers into the vortex of vintage book lust/love!  :laugh:  :drool5:  :tongue_smilie:  :smilielol5:  :patriot:

[Homeschoolmom3]

Thanks Lori!  I always love your posts!   :thumbup:

[Lori D.]

All of my ideas are chapter books for elementary to late elementary ages:

 

I dearly love the Edward Eager magic books: Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic. The writing is so effortless and funny, great vocabulary, references to numerous other classic books and authors, and flat-out clever and enjoyable. I do not care for the 2 books he wrote later (The Well Wishers, and, Magic or Not) that spend the whole time with the characters wondering if there really is magic or not, or if it's just coincidence.

 

Two are Better Than One (Brink) and Baby Island, both by Carol Ryrie Brink, are such sweet old-fashioned girl books.

 

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, and 2 of the 4 sequels, Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet and Mr. Bass's Planetoid, by Eleanor Cameron, are great old-fashioned boy adventures.

 

The Rescuers series by Margery Sharp -- another series with fabulous vocabulary, so well-written and humorous: The Rescuers, Miss Bianca, The Turret, Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines, and Miss Bianca in the Orient.

 

The Miss Pickerell series -- the earlier books (1950s-1960s) that were actually written by Ellen MacGregor and the first 2-3 written by Dora Pantell from Ellen MacGregor's notes, are humorous fun for grade 2-3 readers

 

Alfred Hitchcock Haunted Houseful, and his other collections (Ghostly Gallery, Stories for Late at Night, etc.) -- fun spooky collections -- some short stories from famous authors! -- just right for late elementary ages/early middle school ages.

 

The first two books of Zilpha Keatly Snyder's Greensky trilogy are great for late elementary/early middle ages: Below the Root, And All Between. The third book (Until the Celebration) really falls down in writing quality, and ends abruptly and sadly.

 

Also:

- The Little White Horse (Goudge)

- The Shades; and, No Flying in the House (Brock)

- Twig (Elizabeth Orton Jones)

- Raggedy Ann and Andy books by Johnny Guelle

 

 

Agreeing with Diamond in the Window VERY creative and fascinating allusions and references. It is book 1 of the Hall Family Chronicles. Book 3 of the series, The Astonishing Stereoscope is also good. Book 2, The Swing in the Summerhouse, is also creative, just not quite up to book 1 and 3. Just a heads up: after that, the series falls down, and one of the later books takes a dark, ugly turn with one child character thinking she can fly and jumps/falls to her death.

 

Edited June 15, 2016 by Lori D.

[Homeschoolmom3]

 

All of my ideas are chapter books for elementary to late elementary ages:

 

I dearly love the Edward Eager magic books: Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic. The writing is so effortless and funny, great vocabulary, references to numerous other classic books and authors, and flat-out clever and enjoyable. I do not care for the 2 books he wrote later (The Well Wishers, and, Magic or Not) that spend the whole time with the characters wondering if there really is magic or not, or if it's just coincidence.

 

Two are Better Than One (Brink) and Baby Island, both by Carol Ryrie Brink, are such sweet old-fashioned girl books.

 

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, and 2 of the 4 sequels, Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet and Mr. Bass's Planetoid, by Eleanor Cameron, are great old-fashioned boy adventures.

 

The Rescuers series by Margery Sharp -- another series with fabulous vocabulary, so well-written and humorous: The Rescuers, Miss Bianca, The Turret, Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines, and Miss Bianca in the Orient.

 

The Miss Pickerell series -- the earlier books (1950s-1960s) that were actually written by Ellen MacGregor and the first 2-3 written by Dora Pantell from Ellen MacGregor's notes, are humorous fun for grade 2-3 readers

 

Also

- The Little White Horse (Goudge)

- The Shades; and, No Flying in the House (Brock)

- Twig (Elizabeth Orton Jones)

- Raggedy Ann and Andy books by Johnny Guelle

 

 

Agreeing with Diamond in the Window VERY creative and fascinating allusions and references. It is book 1 of the Hall Family Chronicles. Book 3 of the series, The Astonishing Stereoscope is also good. Book 2, The Swing in the Summerhouse, is also creative, just not quite up to book 1 and 3. Just a heads up: after that, the series falls down, and one of the later books takes a dark, ugly turn with one child character thinking she can fly and jumps/falls to her death.

 

 

Alright Lori you are going to make me go broke!  I am a sucker on vintage books!  :-P  Do you or anyone know if The Children's Hour is similiar to My Book House series or Collier's Junior Classics.  Hate to duplicate too many of the stories, an older lady gave my son one of her Children's Hour books and I was hooked and ended up buying the whole set.  Also, trying to decide which I should invest in getting if I get another set or if I should just focus on one book in particular etc.  Just want the cream of the crop!  Any suggestions?

[Homeschoolmom3]

 

All of my ideas are chapter books for elementary to late elementary ages:

 

I dearly love the Edward Eager magic books: Half Magic, Magic By the Lake, Knight's Castle, The Time Garden, and Seven Day Magic. The writing is so effortless and funny, great vocabulary, references to numerous other classic books and authors, and flat-out clever and enjoyable. I do not care for the 2 books he wrote later (The Well Wishers, and, Magic or Not) that spend the whole time with the characters wondering if there really is magic or not, or if it's just coincidence.

 

Two are Better Than One (Brink) and Baby Island, both by Carol Ryrie Brink, are such sweet old-fashioned girl books.

 

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet, and 2 of the 4 sequels, Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet and Mr. Bass's Planetoid, by Eleanor Cameron, are great old-fashioned boy adventures.

 

The Rescuers series by Margery Sharp -- another series with fabulous vocabulary, so well-written and humorous: The Rescuers, Miss Bianca, The Turret, Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines, and Miss Bianca in the Orient.

 

The Miss Pickerell series -- the earlier books (1950s-1960s) that were actually written by Ellen MacGregor and the first 2-3 written by Dora Pantell from Ellen MacGregor's notes, are humorous fun for grade 2-3 readers

 

Alfred Hitchcock Haunted Houseful, and his other collections (Ghostly Gallery, Stories for Late at Night, etc.) -- fun spooky collections -- some short stories from famous authors! -- just right for late elementary ages

 

Also:

- The Little White Horse (Goudge)

- The Shades; and, No Flying in the House (Brock)

- Twig (Elizabeth Orton Jones)

- Raggedy Ann and Andy books by Johnny Guelle

 

 

Agreeing with Diamond in the Window VERY creative and fascinating allusions and references. It is book 1 of the Hall Family Chronicles. Book 3 of the series, The Astonishing Stereoscope is also good. Book 2, The Swing in the Summerhouse, is also creative, just not quite up to book 1 and 3. Just a heads up: after that, the series falls down, and one of the later books takes a dark, ugly turn with one child character thinking she can fly and jumps/falls to her death.

 

 

Awesome, can't wait to check them out!  We are running out of the normal classics.  My five year old is a little sponge!  We read A LOT!!  There seem to be a bunch of great ones for girls!!  Humph!  :-(  However, he doesn't seem to mind he has enjoyed The Penderwicks and Pippi Longstocking, etc.  :-P

[Carol in Cal.]

When she's a little older, 'Enchantress From the Stars' is really good, and strangely obscure.

 

Re. the Hall family chronicles, I have read all of them, including the one that won a prize (I think that was the fourth one) and I really don't know that I would recommend any but the first one.  I thought that the first one was staggeringly good, and the rest were just fine, but no comparison quality wise.  YMMV.

 

OH!  The Judy Bolton mysteries were more realistic and less formulaic than the Nancy Drew ones.  I liked them both a lot as a kid but would recommend JB over ND in general.

 

TOTALLY agree about the books by Edward Eager.

 

"Ben and Me" is an excellent, very funny send up of the life of Ben Franklin.

 

The 'shoes' books are good also--Ballet Shoes, Circus Shoes, etc.

 

Lori D, I have been trying to run down a book for a while--written maybe in the 60s, set in London, two girls who are supposed to hate each other for reasons I don't recall find a heavy rock with a broken chunk of a metal shaft in it, it turns out it's a slice of the sword in the stone, and they can only separate the pieces when they work together.  Do you know which one that is?  I'll bet you do!

Edited June 15, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[Tanaqui]

How old are we talking?

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't think anything else is really similar to My Book House.  Maybe volume one, which is mostly nursery rhymes, but not the rest.  Really, get it.

[Homeschoolmom3]

I don't think anything else is really similar to My Book House.  Maybe volume one, which is mostly nursery rhymes, but not the rest.  Really, get it.

 

Thanks!!

[Homeschoolmom3]

How old are we talking?

 

Any age really, I am mostly looking for elementary ages but would love to compile any.  :-)

[frugalmamatx]

Series books - The Happy Hollisters and The Bobbsey Twins {but get the OLD ones, because they rewrote them in the 70's}. Both are just nice wholesome stories for elementary age kids. Almost twaddle but not quite. 

[4Kiddos]

Oh goody, my favorite topic! I love vintage books.

 

Here are some of our favorites:

 

Sugar Mouse Cake by Zion

 

Books by Kate Seredy

 

Immortals of Science series

 

Books by Elizabeth Goudge

 

The Living Year by Headstrom

 

Dandelion Cottage by Rankin- such a sweet story for little girls

 

Doll books by Rumer Godden- also for girls

 

Original Boy Mechanic books- so perfect for boys

 

A Round Dozen by Alcott

 

Books by Stephen Meader- quintessential boy books and there are reprints

 

Master Tyll Owlglass by Mackenzie- this was very old but such fun

 

This is all I can do for now. :) I need to clean up dishes.

 

ETA: Couldn't resist more: The Church Mouse series by Oakley, The Anatole Series by Sharp

 

 

Edited June 15, 2016 by 4Kiddos

[Homeschoolmom3]

Yeah!!  Thanks everyone! :hurray:

[Carol in Cal.]

Series books - The Happy Hollisters and The Bobbsey Twins {but get the OLD ones, because they rewrote them in the 70's}. Both are just nice wholesome stories for elementary age kids. Almost twaddle but not quite. 

Um.

My mom had the older Bobbsey Twins books, and they are quite racist.  Be a little careful about that.

 

For one thing, the African American servants in the family talk in an accent that makes them seem uneducated and ignorant all spelled out.  For another, they are cheerful and servile all the darned time, like they are kind of dumb and know that they are inferior.  Lastly, at some point one of them gives an African American doll to Flossie, who puts it on the shelf or dresser with her other dolls, but then later in the same book decides that this is not right and separates the African American doll from the others with something between them. 

 

The fact that I remember these examples so vividly gives you an idea of how searing they seemed to me as a kid. 

 

FWIW.

[Lori D.]

Alright Lori you are going to make me go broke!  I am a sucker on vintage books!  :-P  Do you or anyone know if The Children's Hour is similiar to My Book House series or Collier's Junior Classics.  Hate to duplicate too many of the stories, an older lady gave my son one of her Children's Hour books and I was hooked and ended up buying the whole set.  Also, trying to decide which I should invest in getting if I get another set or if I should just focus on one book in particular etc.  Just want the cream of the crop!  Any suggestions?

 

I will not at all be of help to you, because I am an addict and slightly OCD, so I cannot own just one or just a few volumes of a series. ;)

 

Journey Through Bookland

One last anthology series you might consider. I don't own it, and several of the complete volumes are available for online reading. Other WTMers share how they use this series in their homeschooling: "Just wanted to share again how much I really like Journeys through Bookland". It contains more of the traditional classics.

 

I own complete sets of The Children's Hour, Collier's Junior Classics, Through Golden Windows, and My Bookhouse. Yes, there is overlap in some of the selections. Let me look through My Book House later this week and I can star the volumes I think are esp. worthwhile out of that series. Through Golden Windows is for young elementary/elementary, and there is a lot of repeat in it with the other three anthologies I own. I feel like there are enough differences in My Bookhouse and Collier's and The Children's Hour that it's worth it to *me* to have all three of those. Through Golden Windows has a LOT of 1950s type of school reader stories and fewer classics, and although it's pretty with color illustrations, if I were forced to give up one of my four anthology sets, that would be the one I would let go of first, without too much pain. ;)

 

My Book House (I have the 1971 ed.)

Grows with the child; in post #10 of "Which edition of My Bookhouse do you recommend?" I listed a rough idea of what's in each volume -- also at the bottom of that post are links to more helpful threads on My Bookhouse, and on deciding between My Bookhouse and Journeys Through Bookland:

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

 

Collier's Young Folk Shelf of Books (I have the 1957 ed.)

Starred volumes are esp. good. See my posts #3 and #8 "Collier's Young Folks books questions" for specifics of what's in these volumes:

* Volume 1: Fairy Tales and Fables

* Volume 2: Stories of Wonder and Magic

* Volume 3: Myths and Legends

* Volume 4: Hero Tales

* Volume 5: Stories That Never Grow Old

Volume 6: Stories About Boys and Girls

Volume 7: The Animal Book

Volume 8: Stories From History

Volume 9: Sport and Adventure

* Volume 10: Poetry; Reading Guide Indexes

[Ausmumof3]

The Secret of Pooduck Island by Alfred Noyes (same guy who the famous poem The Highwayman). Surreal and just delightful. The Wonderful Farm by Marcel Ayme. I'd never heard of this one but it is a charming story, also about animals. But beware! You'll cry at the end!

I'm going to need that one by the author of the highway man.

[frugalmamatx]

Um.

My mom had the older Bobbsey Twins books, and they are quite racist.  Be a little careful about that.

 

For one thing, the African American servants in the family talk in an accent that makes them seem uneducated and ignorant all spelled out.  For another, they are cheerful and servile all the darned time, like they are kind of dumb and know that they are inferior.  Lastly, at some point one of them gives an African American doll to Flossie, who puts it on the shelf or dresser with her other dolls, but then later in the same book decides that this is not right and separates the African American doll from the others with something between them. 

 

The fact that I remember these examples so vividly gives you an idea of how searing they seemed to me as a kid. 

 

FWIW.

 

 

They can be, yes. For us that was an opportunity to discuss how racism is no longer acceptable, where when these were written it was a part of american culture. I wouldn't hand them off to a child without some guidance, but I don't see a problem with a child reading them either as long as they understand they are from a different time and the cultural norms were different. 

Edited June 15, 2016 by frugalmamatx

[Homeschoolmom3]

I will not at all be of help to you, because I am an addict and slightly OCD, so I cannot own just one or just a few volumes of a series. ;)

 

Journey Through Bookland

One last anthology series you might consider. I don't own it, and several of the complete volumes are available for online reading. Other WTMers share how they use this series in their homeschooling: "Just wanted to share again how much I really like Journeys through Bookland". It contains more of the traditional classics.

 

I own complete sets of The Children's Hour, Collier's Junior Classics, Through Golden Windows, and My Bookhouse. Yes, there is overlap in some of the selections. Let me look through My Book House later this week and I can star the volumes I think are esp. worthwhile out of that series. Through Golden Windows is for young elementary/elementary, and there is a lot of repeat in it with the other three anthologies I own. I feel like there are enough differences in My Bookhouse and Collier's and The Children's Hour that it's worth it to *me* to have all three of those. Through Golden Windows has a LOT of 1950s type of school reader stories and fewer classics, and although it's pretty with color illustrations, if I were forced to give up one of my four anthology sets, that would be the one I would let go of first, without too much pain. ;)

 

My Book House (I have the 1971 ed.)

Grows with the child; in post #10 of "Which edition of My Bookhouse do you recommend?" I listed a rough idea of what's in each volume -- also at the bottom of that post are links to more helpful threads on My Bookhouse, and on deciding between My Bookhouse and Journeys Through Bookland:

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

 

Collier's Young Folk Shelf of Books (I have the 1957 ed.)

Starred volumes are esp. good. See my posts #3 and #8 "Collier's Young Folks books questions" for specifics of what's in these volumes:

* Volume 1: Fairy Tales and Fables

* Volume 2: Stories of Wonder and Magic

* Volume 3: Myths and Legends

* Volume 4: Hero Tales

* Volume 5: Stories That Never Grow Old

Volume 6: Stories About Boys and Girls

Volume 7: The Animal Book

Volume 8: Stories From History

Volume 9: Sport and Adventure

* Volume 10: Poetry; Reading Guide Indexes

 

Thanks so much Lori!

[Kalmia]

Why do I open these threads, already my Amazon cart is up to $24 in used books! I don't know how many of these will be considered "unknown" on this forum!

 

Picture Books:

Andrew Henry's Meadow: exquisitely detailed pen and inks of Andrew Henry's elaborate and fanciful contraptions. Honors kids' unique talents and interests

https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Henrys-Meadow-Doris-Burn/dp/0970739923/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954542&sr=1-2&keywords=Andrew+Henry%27s+Meadow

 

Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm by the Provensens. Charming depiction of the individual personalities of the animals

https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Friends-Maple-Hill-Farm/dp/0689844999/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954588&sr=1-1&keywords=our+animal+friends+at+maple+hill+farm

 

Children's Novels:

This one IS unknown because not only is it out of print but used copies are very expensive! (There is a used audiobook of it out there somewhere by Chinaberry). Maybe you can get the print version or audiobook through interlibrary loan. Two kids miniaturize and live with ants.

The City Under the Back Steps by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

https://www.amazon.com/City-Under-Back-Steps/dp/9999238963

 

The Cinder Pond by Carroll Watson Rankin: Wonderfully written for older kids (father does die in the book)

https://www.amazon.com/Cinder-Pond-Carroll-Watson-Rankin/dp/1530262461/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954342&sr=1-1&keywords=Cinder+Pond

 

Journey to the River Sea by Ibbotson: Nonstop South American adventure with strong heroine. A page turner.

https://www.amazon.com/Journey-River-Sea-Eva-Ibbotson/dp/0142501840/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954699&sr=1-1&keywords=journey+to+the+river+sea

 

Thimble Summer: Lovely vignettes.

https://www.amazon.com/Thimble-Summer-Elizabeth-Enright/dp/031238002X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954776&sr=1-1&keywords=thimble+summer

 

The Fur Person by May Sarton: Life from the point of view of a cat. For slightly older readers.

https://www.amazon.com/Fur-Person-Gift-May-Sarton/dp/039334990X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954843&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fur+person

 

Blue Willow by Doris Gates:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Willow-Doris-Gates/dp/0140309241/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1465954892&sr=1-1

 

Cinnabar: The One O'Clock Fox by Marguerite Henry: Often overlooked because of her horse books. Good for younger readers.

https://www.amazon.com/Cinnabar-One-OClock-Marguerite-Henry/dp/1481404008/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465954983&sr=1-1&keywords=cinnabar+the+one+o%27clock+fox

 

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson. Good for younger readers.

https://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Hill-Puffin-Modern-Classics/dp/0142407968/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465955072&sr=1-1&keywords=rabbit+hill

 

The Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit. Only available as far as I can see as one of those print on demand scanned books.

https://www.amazon.com/Book-Dragons-Eight-Stories-Chiildren/dp/1482775964/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465955105&sr=1-4&keywords=the+book+of+dragons+by+edith+nesbit

 

The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek by Evelyn Sibley Lapman. For younger readers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1930900376/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=9999238963&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=Q3D231VKWJY9SJ5KCG14

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lori D.]

When she's a little older, 'Enchantress From the Stars' is really good, and strangely obscure...

OH!  The Judy Bolton mysteries were more realistic and less formulaic than the Nancy Drew ones...

TOTALLY agree about the books by Edward Eager.

"Ben and Me" is an excellent, very funny send up of the life of Ben Franklin.

The 'shoes' books are good also--Ballet Shoes, Circus Shoes, etc.

 

Oh yes, more great titles! In addition to Ben and Me, Mr. Revere and I, also by Robert Lawson, is a very amusing send-up of Paul Revere, as told by his horse.  :laugh:

 

 

Lori D, I have been trying to run down a book for a while--written maybe in the 60s, set in London, two girls who are supposed to hate each other for reasons I don't recall find a heavy rock with a broken chunk of a metal shaft in it, it turns out it's a slice of the sword in the stone, and they can only separate the pieces when they work together.  Do you know which one that is?

 

LOL! Alas, Carol, not at ALL familiar to me, but it sounds SUPER cool! I'd love to read it if you are able to track it down. :)

 

Meanwhile, I've been struggling for years to figure out the titles of two historical fiction works:

 

1. probably written in 1950s-60s, set in ancient Egypt, boy and an old man (I think he was formerly in the military), find a legendary treasure buried in the desert -- the title might have a place name of Khartoum or something like that in it -- it's NOT Golden Goblet. ;)

 

2. probably written in the 1970s, no later than 1976, set in Mycenae with teen girl protagonist who is a lady in waiting at the court is "punished" by the queen to go hang out with the bull jumpers; a Mycenaen youth is attracted to her, but their romance is interrupted wen the girl falls for a visiting Greek soldier/visitor named Alexander (possibly a relative of the Mycenaen queen) -- climax is a huge earthquake and Alexander is swallowed up by a crack opening and closing again, and the heroine and the young man escape the disaster together to go live happily ever after… 

[SilverMoon]

.

Edited September 8, 2023 by SilverMoon

[Lori D.]

Awesome, can't wait to check them out!  We are running out of the normal classics.  My five year old is a little sponge!  We read A LOT!!  There seem to be a bunch of great ones for girls!!  Humph!  :-(  However, he doesn't seem to mind he has enjoyed The Penderwicks and Pippi Longstocking, etc.  :-P

 

The Rescuers series is very much for both boys and girls.

Robert Lawson's Ben and Me, and, Mr. Revere and I, are boy animal protagonists

And the Mushroom Planet books are all-boy characters.

 

Some more boy protagonist, often overlooked titles:

The Enormous Egg (Butterworth)

The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek (Lampman)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Fleming)

Little Pear (Lattimore)

 

Nim's Island (Orr) and Baby Island have girl protagonists, but are very appealing to boys due to the shipwreck / living on a deserted island aspect. Your 5yo might also enjoy the Robinson Crusoe Reader by Cowles.

[Lori D.]

Okay, two more must-have vintage books for you, that are right at your 12yo's level:

- Tenggren's Golden Tales from the Arabian Nights -- scrumptious illustrations, but very nice re-telling of the tales

- Tenggren's Canterbury Tales, Special Edition for Young Readers -- his art style is *completely* different for this collection; what I esp. really like is the retelling, which manages to capture a strong flavor of the original, but tells the tales in prose -- perfect for middle school/early high school

[SilverMoon]

My 5yo boy's all-time favorite read alouds have been The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Not exactly old unknowns...lol.  Some honorable mentions were Princess and the Goblin (Curdie gets enough of the action that it's not the chick-lit it sounds like), Hugo, and Winnie the Pooh (original A.A. Milne).

Edited June 15, 2016 by SilverMoon

[Tanaqui]

Any age really, I am mostly looking for elementary ages but would love to compile any.  :-)

 

:)

 

What I meant is "how old should the books be?" Some books I call "old" might be younger than some posters here, y'know?

 

Though I also meant that too, I think :)

 

I don't see a problem with a child reading them either as long as they understand they are from a different time and the cultural norms were different.

 

This is a common opinion, but you might feel differently if you had a black child.

 

[Homeschoolmom3]

Wow, thanks everyone!  A lot of  new ones I haven't heard of.  Can't wait to go exploring!   So hard in choosing!

[featherhead]

Bracken, My Dog was always a favorite of mine. I'm not sure if you can find it anywhere. Apparently it was published under another name as well, I just don't remember what it was.

[Homeschoolmom3]

Okay, thanks a lot  Silver moon now I don't know what to get!  So I have The Children's Hour complete set and looking to invest in one more set of books so which would you recommend and is least NOT like the Children's Hour!  I am then going to plunge in and look at all of the chapter books.   :laugh:

 

So which one?  Childcraft books, Collier's Junior Classics, My Book House or Journey Through Bookland?

 

Oh, if you could all recommend one that is a must for a set and maybe if there are ones that you like of the others in regards to certain volumes maybe I can look and get just a few.   :D

 

I so far have one vote for My Book House from Carol in Cal.

 

Can't wait to dig into all of the others, thanks again EVERYONE!!

 

 

[SilverMoon]

All littles and already own TCH... I'll vote for Collier's Junior Classics. You can't go wrong with any of them though. Maybe just look around used book sites and Ebay to see which you can get the better deal on.

 

(Then get Journeys Through Bookland next year. If you're curious now I think you can get this one all free on Kindle.)

[Homeschoolmom3]

Another one we love is "The Twins series" by Perkins  We have read the Eskimo Twins this year for geography and also enjoyed for history:  Stories of Great Americans by Eggleston 

[Carol in Cal.]

Another one we love is "The Twins series" by Perkins  We have read the Eskimo Twins this year for geography and also enjoyed for history:  Stories of Great Americans by Eggleston 

OHOHOH!

 

I loved the Twins books!  How could I have forgotten them?  Revolutionary or Colonial (I forget which) Twins was particularly good.

 

Also, do not miss "The Wheel On the School" and later for older kids, "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates".  

 

And "Heidi", which is SO much better than the movies.  And "Dora" by the same author is even better.

[Lori D.]

Another one we … enjoyed for history:  Stories of Great Americans by Eggleston 

 

That reminds me of an OLD Sonlight (c. 2001 or 2002) core 3 and 4 pair of books that we really enjoyed in the middle elementary grades: American Adventures (Greenburg), vol. 1 = 1770-1870 and vol. 2 = 1870-1999. I know those aren't vintage or anything, but we really enjoyed the interesting people highlighted in these volumes, as many, esp. in vol. 1, were people we had not heard of, doing interesting things. Along with that, we also really enjoyed The Complete Book of US History, also perfect for gr. 3-5, which covers topics in US History not usually covered, making it quite interesting.

 

 

...So I have The Children's Hour complete set and looking to invest in one more set of books so which would you recommend and is least NOT like the Children's Hour!  ...So which one?  Childcraft books, Collier's Junior Classics, My Book House or Journey Through Bookland?

 

Oh, if you could all recommend one that is a must for a set and maybe if there are ones that you like of the others in regards to certain volumes maybe I can look and get just a few...

I so far have one vote for My Book House from Carol in Cal...

 

Depends on how you plan to use additional sets of books:

 

- Childcraft (select volumes) is esp. good for Kinder-3rd grade as supplement for Science and History

- Children's Hour is esp. good for supplemental or just for fun solo reading by late elementary/middle school student, and you can use some selections as part of your literature studies with middle/high school students

- Collier's Young Folks' Shelf of Books is a "cross-trainer" type of series -- a number of the volumes (6-9) are similar to The Children's Hour and can be used in that way, while volumes 1-2 are wonderful for younger children for nursery rhymes, fairy tales, folktales and fables, while volumes 3-5 and #10 are esp. good for using as part of a more formal Lit., or integrated History/Lit study

- My Book House is similar to Collier's, but more old-fashioned and a bit more formal, with more selections useful for school purposes, and fewer selections that would probably be picked up and read for fun.

- Journey Through Bookland is the most "academic".

 

___________________________

 

 

Below are the volume titles for the Childcraft series -- we only used parts of vol. 7 the year we were doing Physics in 4th grade, and most of the book seemed too young by several grades for what we were doing. Don't know if it true of all the series, but that one volume seemed much more geared for K-3rd grade to me. Also, the Childcraft series has a much broader across-the-curriculum use -- but also a much more limited lifespan (due to being geared for young ages).

 

I'd probably pass on this series (unless given it, or finding it for $0.50-$1 per volume at a yard sale or second hand store), although if I had young children and didn't have lots of other resources already or access to a library with tons of science and social studies I *might* consider some of the science or social studies volumes. OR, if I had a child who loved solo reading through these sorts of series.

 

For the other volumes in the Childcraft series: your Children's Hour and other books you probably already have will contain most of the material in vol. 1-2. Your math program and free online math websites would probably cover all of the math volume, and arts and crafts are all over the web for free -- unless you have a child who loves to read and do projects all on their own. Just what I'd do ;) ... Here's a subject match-up with the different volumes:

- Lit/Reading = vol. 1-2

- Math = vol. 13

- Science = vol. 4-7, 14

- Social Studies = vol. 8-10

- Arts & Crafts = vol. 11

- General Learning = vol. 12

 

1980s edition volumes:

v. 1. Poems and rhymes

v. 2. Stories and fables

v. 3. Children everywhere

v. 4. World and space

v. 5. About animals

v. 6. The green kingdom

v. 7. How things work

v. 8. About us

v. 9. Holidays and birthdays

v. 10. Places to know

v. 11. Make and do

v. 12. Look and learn

v. 13. Mathemagic

v. 14. About me

v. 15. Guide for parents

 

___________________________

 

If a family could only own one of the four sets of books discussed, really, any one of the four are great. A lot would depend on how you want to use them. For me, personally, if I could only add one other collection to The Children's Hour, I'd probably vote to add the Collier's Young Folk's Shelf of Books, even though some of the selections and volumes are similar to The Children's Hour. I just really like the selections, the size, and the layout a lot. :) Those two sets would be the most readable and most useable for our family.

 

Content comparison:

Some of the selections in My Book House are a bit old-fashioned, and there are a number of selections that are not necessarily classics or at-all-known; also, some of the selections in My Book House are not as accessible or as engaging for a late elementary/middle school student reading the books solo as those in Collier's Young Folk's Shelf of Books.

 

I prefer the choice of fairy tales, nursery rhymes, poetry, and pre-school/kinder stories in the first 2 volumes of the Colliers -- and in the first 3 volumes of The Children's Hour -- to those in vol. 1-3 of My Book House. Some (not all) of the My Book House ones tend to be hit-you-over-the-head moralizing.

 

Colliers: Volumes 1-5 and 10 of the Collier's have the most classic selections in them; I really like how the types of works tend to be grouped together, and myths and folktales are grouped together by area of the world of origination. (In contrast, My Book House presents a very randomized mix of selections in each volume -- which may be preferable for some readers wanting a variety while reading. Of the Collier's, volumes 6-9 are similar to volumes of The Children's Hour -- mostly excerpts from longer works, and some short stories written back at the time the volumes were published. If you were only going to collect individual volumes of the Collier's Young Folks' Shelf of Books, those would be the 4 to collect last -- although, each volume does have a good amount (about half) of the selections from well-known authors/works. Like The Children's Hour, most of the volumes of the Collier's would be more likely to be picked up and enjoyed by a late elementary/middle school student.

 

My Book House: the volumes are designed to "grow" with the student, VERY roughly with #1-3 for preK-grade 2, #4-6 for grades 3-6, and #7-12 for grades 6-9. Volumes 4-11esp. contain some great old classic works and authors. If you do a chronological History and link up a lot of your Literature, you'll find some great Lit. selections that will help fill in when doing Ancient and Medieval studies, esp. with gr. 4-8 students as readers or read-alouds. Also, the selections in my My Book House are more varied and have less overlap, which makes it a good secondary set of books or single/stand-alone set of books.

 

Layout comparison:

One advantage to My Book House (at least the 1971 ed.) is full-color illustrations. The Collier's are 1- and sometimes 2-color ink illustrations. Layout disadvantages to My Book House: the jammed up and difficult to read table of contents drives me nuts, and the text on some pages has type running pretty close to the margin (esp. the inner spine margin), making it less easy to read. The Collier's table of contents is super easy to use, and the pages of text have wider margins for easier reading.

 

___________________________

 

As far as Journey Through Bookland…

I'd suggest reading the threads linked up-thread on how people use it. From my previewing via online versions of the text, I would use Journey Through Bookland more for "academic" or formal schooling with 6th through 10th graders. I'd also look at the 8 of the 10 volumes that can be read for free online to help you decide what you think about the content. And, if you do want to use parts of Journey Through Bookland with your older 2 students, you might try starting with reading from the free texts online, rather than buying, and see how it goes.

 

Internet Archive -- free online (vol. 2-8 and 10)

Gutenberg -- free online (vol. 2-8 and 10)

Kindle -- free (vol. 2-8 and 10)

 

Edited June 16, 2016 by Lori D.

[Homeschoolmom3]

Thank you so much Lori for your lengthy description!  That really helps in what to purchase!  Your the best!   :D

[Faithr]

Thought of another!  The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household.  Great retelling of the Anabasis for middle schoolers on up written back in 1955.