For live links, click to: riverhouses.org/2019-childrens-books ๐
Tuesday is our Books & Libraries Day in the River Houses when we write about book-related resources you can browse, save, and share with your students. Here’s aย real treat: a new digital collection of classic children’s books, all online and free to read, from the Library of Congress:
“In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Childrenโs Book Week (April 29 to May 5),” the Library reports, they have released this “unique online collection of 67 historically significant childrenโs books published more than 100 years ago. Drawn from the Libraryโs collection, Childrenโs Book Selections are digital versions both of classic works still read by children today and of lesser-known treasures.”

There should be something for everyone in this wide-ranging collection:
“From Humpty Dumpty to Little Red Riding Hood, the books in this collection were published in the United States and England before 1924, are no longer under copyright, and are free to read and share. Highlights of the collection include examples of the work of American illustrators such as W.W. Denslow, Peter Newell and Howard Pyle, as well as works by renowned English illustrators Randolph Caldecott, Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway….
“The selections span many generations and topics, and reflect three central themes: Learning to Read: Materials produced to teach American children to read: ABC books, primers and a wooden hornbook. Reading to Learn: Materials that support classroom instruction in subjects such as mathematics, classical mythology, natural science and the structure and function of the Unites States government. Reading for Fun: Materials to nourish the imagination: fiction, poetry, fairy tales and toy books.“ (Library of Congress)
Why not browse this wonderful new (old) collection on a tablet, laptop, or large screen, and see if you can find some new (old) titles for your next homeschool read-aloud hour.
What treasures have you discovered in your library this week? ๐
โกโ Dukedoms large enough: Have you visited all the local libraries in your area? There may be more than you realize! The WorldCat Library Finder (worldcat.org/libraries) will help you locate all the libraries near you โ public and private, large and small โ and the WorldCat catalog itself (worldcat.org) will help you find the closest copy of almost any book in the world. ๐
โกโ Books in the running brooks: The sidebar on the River Houses website (riverhouses.org) has links to several important online library collections that we like to explore. Why not sit yourself down at a large screen for a while (rather than a phone), and give them a browse. ๐
โกโ When in doubt, go to the library: This is one of our regular Homeschool Books & Libraries posts. Add your name to our weekly mailing list (riverhouses.org/newsletter) and get great teaching ideas and learning resources like these sent right to your mailbox all through the year. ๐