Children's books and reading

In Short

Montrose Jonas Moses offers a pioneering survey of juvenile literature, charting its historical growth from early puritanical tracts to early twentieth-century publishing. The work traces how society's perception of childhood shifted from viewing children as miniature, fallen adults to recognizing their distinct imaginative needs. By examining key literary movements, influential authors, and the role of schools and libraries, Moses establishes a comprehensive framework for selecting quality books. It remains a foundational historical text that laid the groundwork for modern children's librarianship, advocating for literature that respects a child's innate sense of wonder over dry, artificial instruction.

The Story

The book opens by framing the central problem of children's reading: the conflict between a child's natural, imaginative desires and the rigid, adult-imposed structures of instruction. Moses argues that adults often misunderstand youth, buying books based on arbitrary standards rather than genuine child psychology. To understand how literature reached its present state, the narrative embarks on a detailed historical journey starting with the earliest physical and printed texts made for the young. It explores the era of horn-books, chap-books, and the New England Primer, showing how early juvenile reading was dominated by grim religious instruction and moralistic warnings intended to enforce discipline rather than delight.

From these puritanical beginnings, the book traces the gradual rise of imagination through French influences like La Fontaine's fables and Perrault's fairy tales, alongside the traditional jingles of Mother Goose. A major turning point occurs in the eighteenth century with publisher John Newbery, who introduced playful formatting and heroics to juvenile books, despite pushback from contemporaries like Dr. Samuel Johnson who debated what truly stimulated young minds. The historical narrative then moves into the era of the "old-fashioned library," dominated by the philosophical impetus of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "back to nature" movement. This led to a wave of didactic writers—such as the Edgeworths, Mrs. Barbauld, Thomas Day, and Hannah More—who filled stories with heavy-handed moral lessons, Socratic dialogues, and utilitarian advice, often banishing fantasy in favor of practical instruction.

Countering this overly dry approach, Moses highlights poets and visionary writers like William Blake, Charles and Mary Lamb, and later Robert Louis Stevenson, who recognized the profound value of a child's imagination and inner life. Moving into the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the narrative shifts focus to the American context. It contrasts the decline of austere Sunday-school tracts with the rise of sensational "dime novels" and adventure series, illustrating how natural boyhood cravings for excitement were often met by cheap melodrama when quality alternatives were absent.

Finally, the book concludes by integrating historical lessons into practical modern applications. Moses outlines a clear methodology for classifying and selecting children's literature, insisting that history, myth, and adventure must be presented through high-quality biography and heroic narrative rather than dull textbooks. He details the vital, democratic relationship between the public library, the school, and the home. The work ends with extensive bibliographies, musical lists, and curated reading guides, cementing its ultimate thesis: literature must nurture the child's soul, imagination, and natural development.

How It Unfolds

The core dilemma Moses establishes that adults frequently fail to understand the true nature of childhood, imposing artificial moral standards instead of satisfying a child's genuine desire for wonder, play, and imaginative freedom.

Early instructional origins The survey examines early print artifacts, showing how horn-books, chap-books, and the grimly religious New England Primer treated children as miniature adults needing strict moral and spiritual discipline.

The dawn of entertainment Imaginative storytellers like Perrault and visionary publishers like John Newbery break away from pure dogma, introducing playful formatting, fairy tales, and heroic adventures into the juvenile market.

The didactic wave Spurred by Rousseau’s educational theories, eighteenth-century authors construct highly didactic, utilitarian stories that prioritize practical lessons, Socratic questioning, and strict moralizing over spontaneous fun.

Imaginative liberation Poets like William Blake and writers like Charles Lamb and Robert Louis Stevenson restore dignity to youth, validating night fears, play, and the rich, emotional inner life of the child.

Sensationalism versus culture The narrative analyzes the American emergence of dime novels and action series, arguing that children crave excitement and that educators must channel this appetite into great literature like legends and heroic biographies.

A modern library standard Moses presents practical guidelines for parents, teachers, and librarians, urging them to collaborate, discard dull textbooks in favor of original sources, and select books that foster genuine cultural appreciation.

The People

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The revolutionary philosopher whose "back to nature" doctrine upended traditional views on civil society and education. His theories ignited a massive wave of eighteenth-century juvenile literature, driving writers to replace old dogmas with practical, nature-focused, though often overly utilitarian, instruction.
• John Newbery: The pioneering eighteenth-century English publisher who revolutionized juvenile bookmaking. By combining playful formats—such as waist-pocket editions packaged with balls or pincushions—with imaginative tales, he demonstrated that children's books could be both commercially viable and genuinely entertaining.
• Maria Edgeworth and Richard Lovell Edgeworth: The influential father-daughter writing team who championed "practical education." While earnestly striving to provide clear guidance for youth, their strict theories led them to banish dolls and mechanical toys in favor of utilitarian objects, producing highly structured, didactic tales.
• Mrs. Anna Laetitia Barbauld: A prolific educator and writer whose Socratic, lecture-style books aimed to teach history, geography, and prose hymns to young minds. Though admired by contemporaries for her intellect, her intensely detailed instructional methods represented the era's heavy reliance on factual accretion over imaginative freedom.
• Hannah More: A sharp-witted writer and social reformer who, alongside her sister Patty, established Sunday schools in poverty-stricken mining regions. She dedicated her talents to moral and religious instruction, battling local ignorance through determination, published dialogues, and "Sacred Dramas."
• William Blake and Robert Louis Stevenson: Visionary poets who stood in stark opposition to strict didacticism. They recognized the exquisite value of a child's mind, capturing the authentic dignity, wonder, and subtle sadness of youth without condescension or moralizing.

In Its Own Voice

"A book is a fact, nay, a friend, a dream."

Moses reflects on the spiritual value of reading, arguing that a book's true worth lies far beyond catalog numbers or educational utility.

"Babies do not want to hear about babies; they like to be told of giants and castles, and of somewhat which can stretch and stimulate their little minds."

In discussing the rise of eighteenth-century publishing, Moses quotes Dr. Samuel Johnson to highlight the perpetual conflict between adult expectations and what children actually crave.

"Without imagination, there can be no genuine ardour in any pursuit or for any acquisition, and without imagination there can be no genuine morality..."

Quoting William Godwin's critique of early educational books, the text underscores the central argument that creative fantasy is the true foundation of human empathy and character.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the deep historical conflict between adult utility and juvenile imagination. Moses argues that society historically viewed children through the lens of its own anxieties, using literature first to save their souls from sin, and later to mold their minds with practical facts. The text challenges the notion that education should consist of endless factual accretion or forced morality. Instead, it asserts that true moral and intellectual growth springs from the cultivation of empathy, wonder, and creative play. By tracing how literature evolved alongside changing views of human development, the book asks a fundamental question: how can society provide children with the freedom to experience childhood while gently guiding them toward true cultural appreciation?

Why Read It Today

While modern readers will encounter extensive bibliographical catalog lists and early twentieth-century terminology, the book remains a fascinating time capsule for educators, historians, and literary enthusiasts. Moses writes with a warm, measured authority that avoids academic dryness, offering vivid historical sketches of figures like Hannah More and John Newbery. The book's primary difficulty for contemporary audiences lies in its structural pivot midway through, where flowing literary history gives way to dense lists of archival citations, recommended titles, and musical scores.

Nevertheless, what makes the text enduringly relevant is its remarkably modern perspective on youth reading. Long before contemporary discussions on media consumption, Moses recognized that banning thrilling "dime novels" or sensational stories is useless unless adults offer equally exciting, high-quality alternatives—like epic myths, outlaws, and real-world adventure. His passionate defense of fairy tales, poetry, and child-centered library spaces feels strikingly prescient. For anyone interested in the history of publishing, the philosophy of education, or the preservation of childhood wonder, this study provides an invaluable, ground-level look at how we learned to respect the young reader's mind.