The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-25
THE SELECTION OF BOOKS FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE.

any factor in their "bringiog up" and
education, moral and intellect ual.
Sometimes young people eyid .nce tastes
in reading when they sre very young.
Perhaps as general thing the taste OF
tho boy or girl ma be directed by the
parent without conflicting with any pre-
disposition. LET. 10 40 II alone the
child's tastes arc not unlikely to take a
bent that Ia not wholesome. Left to
careless selection by parents, tie choice
OF books may not iEirequentiy be as bad.
Reliance cannot always DO placed In the
virtue Indicated by the fact that a
boy or girl shows q tendency to be
avaricious in reading. Sometimes it is
wise 10 check the avsrlciousness and i'm
prove the quality of the kind of reading
that alone ths child seeks TO devour.
The acquisition of the reading habit is
the reverse. boy or girl who Gloves to
rea O." but does not love TO read any
thing but books that tend TO give an un-
wholesome bent to the mino is often q
more difficult subject for the educator to
grspple with than the child VINO prefers
something else than books for its enter
tsinment.
The book stores are crowded with
books for young folk. Nearly all OF
them are attractive to the eye. The
titles betray no secrets. To the average
grown-up man or woman II is easy to
make gift of a book to a child. A
book is to nearly every young person an
acceptable gift. But 1t is not easy to
select the right.kind of book, since few
OF us are we'll informed on the subject.
Hence the child quite often receives .
book that IT will never do it any good
to read and may do 1t harm. Most any
attractive looking book too often serves
as a Christmas present to boy or girl
hat the wisdom OF the gilt is not always
in evidence. Nobody would harm a
child. But lots of folk, good many
parents, too, bring harm to children by
placing In their hands q kind of book
that ould better be in the ash barre
for ell it's attractiveness and reada BILE ness.
No argument OF the pleasure and value TO
be derived through all life by the early cuI-
tivation Of the reading habit 10 neces-
ssry to make 1t clear that any help Ia the
selection Of books for the young IL al
ways grateful. Some timo ago under |
the auspices of the American Library
Association book entitled, "Read- |
ing for the Young" was compiled |
by John f. Sargent. And now there
Is at hand from the Providence Public |
Library Supplement to that volume,
by MARY E. ana ABBY L.
SARGENT, with acknowledg gments to
several authorities, including Mr.. JAMES
NJ. SAwIN, princip,l of the Point street
grammar school, widely known an an
earnst investigator aud conscientious
reviewer in the field of literature for
young people. Tbi, Supplement brings the
list OF desirsb BILE books down to ls93-from
1890.
The book Is more than q mere cata-
logue. The names OF author snd title
are given with a brief decription OF the
book, while the are to which II Is best
adapted is indicated in general way and
The list 10 classified under numerous heads
and sub-heads for quick reference.
and selections from
periodical literature sre also noted.
While some names that are
familiar rs writer's OF books for the
young are not found in the list no ar
yument Is necessarily invited on that
score. Tho tenefi. of the doubt IN omit
ling them may well be given to book
20 carefully compiled and issued und ,r
'uch auspices as this. 1t Is q ,sfe guids
% parents and folk generally who look
about for books for young reople-as
most of N do at one time or another.
While there are books OF current issue
hat are desirable but which were not
ssued In time TO find place In this Sup
element, ns.Supplsment will serve as
.uide to them through its list Of approved
uthoy. which, generally sposking,
viii be an assurance for later works. To
he Supplement is added a subject incex
or the entire list, and the volume is alto
ether valusble for instruction and as
istance.