Literature Adapted to the Child 71 



his thoughts are made. So he must have the widest 

 possible experience, while young, in the use of his 

 natural senses. 



The literature best adapted to the child would be 

 that which appeals to the interests predominating 

 in his life at any given time. During his early years 

 not hard, prosaic facts, but situations that stretch 

 the truth and sport with the fixed condition of things 

 are especially appealing to him. He should there- 

 fore be indulged in the classic myths, fables, fairy 

 tales, and the like. The parent will of course be 

 on guard against his acquiring any seriously errone- 

 ous beliefs in respect to such things, and also against 

 his receiving any serious shock or fright from the 

 tragic aspects of the tale. Later on, during the early 

 teens, the boys and girls will become more and more 

 interested in the stories of the wars of old and in the 

 fact and romance of history. Stories supplementing 

 the textbook history of the home country may now 

 be introduced. 



As a possible means of bringing the minds of the 

 boys and girls into a more intimate knowledge of the 

 rural situation, nature studies and nature stories 

 should be offered. It must be remembered that it is 

 quite possible for the boy to grow up within a stone's 

 throw of many of the living things of nature and yet 

 scarcely recognize their presence, much less know 

 anything definite about them. Therefore, nature- 

 study books and leaflets written perhaps in story 



