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Children’s literature has a rich history.
“The 3 Little Kittens” (1890) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please readour disclosurefor more info.
Books written, illustrated, and published for young readers skyrocket in popularity during the19th century.
They have remained a mainstay of the publishing industry ever since.
The online archive features countless books available for reading online or downloading.
“Denslow’s Jack and the Bean-Stalk” (c. 1903) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)
Many date to the 19th century, while others were published through the 1950s.
Titles range fromPretty Little Stories for Pretty Little Peopleto the classicCinderella.
Topics range from Biblical stories to school subjects to sweet animal tales.
“The ABC of Nature” (c. 1884) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)
Some may be of historic value.
It is depicted through photographs taken by a radical Russian Jewish immigrant photographer and his wife.
Many books like this are out of print, but they represent moments that historians can mine.
“Whirligig Pictures” (c. 1893) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)
Looking back, these are not always the same as modern values.
Preserving these books and making them available online will help modern scholars studying American and British history.
Changes in children’s literature represent broader changes in culture, as well as our hopes for the future.
“Acrobatic Animals” (c. 1899) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)
you’re free to also shop our favorites while supporting independent bookstores through our curated choices onBookshop.org.
An online archive has over 7,000 historical children’s books available to read or download.
“New England Primer, Improved” (1815) (Photo:Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, Public domain)
