On 2/26/2021 12:27 PM, Gary wrote:
> On 2/26/2021 9:42 AM, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 2/25/2021 7:37 PM, BryanGSimmons wrote:
>>> On 2/25/2021 3:29 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>>>
>>> Oh, and I think it's been a while since I told *you* that you should
>>> read my book.
>>
>> Your book sucked.
>>
>> Jill
>>
> LOL.Â* Bryans book was well written, just boring as hell. I read a few
> chapters and had to quit. His "excerpts" here have convinced me not to
> try to read further.
>
Agreed, it held no interest for me.

> I am going to try Mike's a second time when I get some spare time.
>
>
Mike's book is admittedly a children's book. I have no reason to read
one, although I do own a children's "reader" that was used by my father
and his older brother and their older syster before. They all wrote
their names inside as it was handed down.

'Sleepy Time Tales: Story Hour' by Coe and Christie. Published in 1923.
It was deemed a 2nd grade "reader". Fairy Tales, many from the
Brother's Grimm. Nice printed colour plates, hand drawn. When I was a
kid my Dad gave me a copy of another old book, 'The Tales of Fatty Coon'
by Arthur Scott Bailey. Copyright 1915. Nice colour plates/drawings.
'Fatty Coon' was akin to the British "B'rer Rabbit". Always getting
into mischief with his raccoon friends trying to hide from the farmers
while raiding the gardens. He wore a smart little vest and carried a
pocket watch. LOL

I'm quoting from the end of this 'Fatty Coon' book now. "A word to
Grown Ups: To you, parents, guardians, teachers and all other upon whom
devolves the supremely important responsibility of directing the early
years of childhood development, this series of 'Tuck-Me-In Tales' which
scetch such vivid and delightful scenes of the vibrant life of the
meadow and woodland should have tremendous appeal. In this collection
of stories you will find prescicely the sort of healthy, imanaginative
entertainment that is an essentil in stimulating thought-germs in the
child mind. Merely from the standpoint of their desireability for
helping the growing tot to pass an idle half hour, any one of these
volumes would be worth your while. BUT the author had something further
than that in mind. He has, with simplicity and grace, worthy of high
commendation, sought to convey a two-fold lesson throughout the entire
series, the first based upon natural history and the second upon the
elemetary principles of living which should be made clear to every child
at the earliest age of understanding."

It goes on. There are many other little stories in this 'Fatty Coon'
book. At the back of the book is a short 'Tale of Jolly Robin',
Tale of Betsy Butterfly', 'Buster Bumblebee' (he wasn't writing about
canned tuna!) and 'Tale of Freddie Firefly'.

I wonder what going to school and having these books passed down during
the Depression to take to school must have been like.

Jill