Boyhood is pre-eminently the period of perception. Hence all books on scientific subjects are helpful, if they are simple enough to aid the child in seeing nature and her marvels. The mother should be careful that the child does not rest in mere perception of the objects of nature, but that he compares and classifies them, and above all, that he is led to trace a purpose in created things, in order that he may learn "to look through nature up to nature's God."
LIST OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS.
- The Story Mother Nature Told, by Jane Andrews.
- Child's Book of Nature (3 vols.), by Worthington Hooper.
- Among the Stars, by Agnes Giberne.
- History of a Mouthful of Bread, by Jean Macé.
- Overhead, by Laura and Anna Moore.
- Life and Her Children, by Arabella Buckley.
- Winners in Life's Race, by Arabella Buckley.
- Fairyland of Science, by Arabella Buckley.
- Little Folks in Feathers and Furs, by Olive Thorne Miller.
- Queer Pets.
- Little Lucy's Wonderful Globe, by Charlotte M. Yonge.
- Four Feet, Two Feet, and No Feet.
- Odd Folks at Home, by C. L. Mateaux.
- Tenants of an Old Farm Yard, by McCook.
- Home Studies in Nature, by Mary Treat.
Many other valuable books might be added to this list. However, a few good books are better than many less good ones. It is well to lead a child to the world's great books as soon as possible. Enough have been given to show the kinds of books which are not hurtful to children. Each book on the above list has been personally inspected.
After all, it is not so important what your child reads as what you read. If the father reads nothing but the newspapers and the mother nothing but novels, what then? Children are taught as much by the general tone of conversation of their parents as by the books they are given to read.
A LIST OF BOOKS HELPFUL TO MOTHERS AND TEACHERS IN THEIR STUDY OF CHILD NATURE.
- Mother-play and Nursery Song, by Frederick Froebel.
- Letters to a Mother, by Susan E. Blow.
- Symbolic Education, by Susan E. Blow.
- Commentaries of Froebel's Mother-play Songs, by Denton J. Snider.
- A Study of Child Nature, by Elizabeth Harrison.
- The Child, by Madam Marenholtz von Bulow.
- Household Education, by Harriet Martineau.
- Levana, by Jean Paul Richter.
- Christian Nurture, by Horace Bushnell.
- Conscious Motherhood, by Emma Marwedel.
- Bits of Talk about Home Matters, by H. H.
- Reminiscences of Froebel, by Madam Marenholtz von Bulow.
- The Children for Christ, by Rev. Andrew Murray.
- From the Cradle to the School, by Bertha Meyer.
- Gentle Measures in Training the Young, by Jacob Abbott.
- Emil, by Jean Paul Rousseau.
- Leonard and Gertrude, by Pestalozzi.
- Hints on Early Education, Anonymous.
- For Boys, a Special Physiology, by Mrs. E. R. Shepherd.
- For Girls, a Special Physiology, by Mrs. E. R. Shepherd.
LIST OF BOOKS HELPFUL TO MOTHERS AND TEACHERS IN SCIENCE.
- Steps in Scientific Knowledge, by Paul Bert.
- History of a Mouthful of Bread, by Jean Macé.
- Ministry of Nature, by Hugh Macmillan.
- Bible Teachings in Nature, by Hugh Macmillan.
- Sabbath in the Fields, by Hugh Macmillan.
- Elementary Book of Zoölogy, by Packard.
- Little Folks in Feathers and Furs, by Olive Thorne Miller.
- The Geological Story Briefly Told, by Dana.
- Science Primer—Geology, by Archibald Geikie.
- Science Primer—Botany, by F. D. Hooker.
- Science Primer—Chemistry, by H. E. Roscoe.
- Madam How and Lady Why, by Charles Kingsley.
- Principles of Geology, by Lyell.
- How Plants Grow, by Gray.
- How Plants Behave, by Gray.
- Child's Book of Nature, by Hooker.
- Elementary Botany, by Bessey.
- Revised Manual of Botany, by Gray.
- Plant Relations, by John M. Coulter.