PREFACE 



THE original matter in this series of Readers has 

 been written, and the selections chosen, with the 

 desire of putting into the hands of little children 

 literature which shall have for their minds the same 

 interest and value that really good books and maga- 

 zines have for grown-up people. It is the author's 

 aim to prepare the ground and even thus early to 

 plant the seeds of that which may later develop into 

 a love for art, for literature, and for nature. 



But this most desirable result cannot be accom- 

 plished by merely putting the Readers into the hands 

 of the child, expecting him to master the words by 

 reading the sentences, to get at the thought 

 while he stumbles and hesitates over unfamiliar 

 words. 



It is expected that each of these lessons will be 

 preceded by a nature lesson. 



For a guide in this work, both for facts and 

 method, I know of nothing better than my own 

 book, "Nature Study: A Manual for Teachers." 

 These Readers have been planned in accordance with 

 the course of study there outlined. 



Either during the nature lesson or after it, the 

 new words should be thoroughly taught from the 



191651 



