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We also note different kind of publications. There were monthlys publications which might combine stories, comics, and activity suggestions. We notice a variety of individual fiction and non- publications. Adventure stories set in the Old West were very popular through the 1940s. Sports were a popular subject. Unlike Britain, school does not appear to have been a common subject. There were many non-fiction books on an increasingly wide range of subjects. There were many multiple-volume productions, and many serialized stories that appeared in children's magazines were, later, published as novels. We are just beginning to acquire information on American children's periodicals. There were such publications well before the Civil War. We remember reading a series of American primary school books called The Wide Range Readers with child charactors named Dick and Dora, a dog called Nip and a cat called Fluff, Jack' a boy of the 1950s, 60s or 1970s. Comic books were especilly popular, perhaps more with boys than girls.
We notice a variety of individual fiction and non-publications. Story books for younger childrn were a popular format. Sometimes these books were filled with stories on a particular theme. Other story books had a wide range of stories. These were generally for younger readers. Adventure stories set in the Old West were very popular through the 1940s. Sports were a popular subject. Religious books were especially popular in the early 20th century, especially Biblical stories. There were alsp prayer books. Ethnic stories have become very popular in America, although I am not yet sure of the chronology. Unlike Britain, school does not appear to have been a common subject. We note some works of historical fiction. There were many non-fiction books on an increasingly wide range of subjects. Here thetre were books on science, amimal life, history, geography, and many other topics.
There were many multiple-volume productions, and many serialized stories that appeared in children's magazines were, later, published as novels (Optic's "Winning His Way" is one example that comes to mind). In the 20th century there were Little Golden Books which are still around today. One HBC reader recalls the Encyclopedia Jones eries with some affection.
We are just beginning to acaquire information on American children's periodicals. There were such publications well before the Civil War (1861-65). Early magazines for children were heavily moralistic and this was reflected in the stories and features on history as well as current events, natural history, and other topics. The Civil
War inspired northern writers for children, especially, to focus even more on exciting stories of adventure and peril, although the old values and standards were often conspicuously and tediously present. Although there were certainly war-related
toys produced for children during the war, there was not a lot of cross-marketing, at least not much that I've found in my research. The juvenile magazines sometimes promoted other books and journals (if they were produced by the same publishers) and often offered "premiums" of subscriptions or small gifts (in the case of The Little Corporal, pictures of "Old Abe, the War Eagle") as rewards for selling subscriptions. I did come across an unusual piece of direct marketing of war-related items on the back pages of MAGNUS' UNIVERSAL PICTURE BOOKS, SERIES N. 1-12(New York: Charles Magnus, 1863). Advertised were paper soldiers, maps, bird's-eye views of battlefields, lithographed battle scenes, patriotic stationary, and "Fifty Lithographed Games and Twenty Four Lithographed Picture Books," apparently somehow connected to the war. The leading child's publication after the Civil War was St. Nichols Magazine which began publishing in 1873. Many important writers published storuies in it and major illustrators drew for it. The magazine was so well done that many adults read it. There was an American publication entitled Boys' Own, published by Charles F. Richards, Boston Mass. This weekly started on October 11, 1873 and ran until about December, 1876. Jules Verne's Mysterious Island was serialized in this publication from December 5, 1974 through March 20, 1875. It was similar, but appears to have pre-dated the British Boys' Own Paper.
One of the most popular type of children's books is the story book, a volume which includes many different short stories. A perenial favorite for younger children who can not yet read or who are beginning readers, is the story book. These were especially helpful for younger readers because they were collections of short stories. There are a wide variety of story books. They vary widely. Some are collections of storie of related themes. We note story books specifically for boys or girls while others have storries that will appear to both. Fairy tales were common for the younger child. Others for older children might deal with exciting adventures. Some story books have stories about children while others have stories in which children are interested. Some cover a wide range of themes. Almost always story books are meticulously illustrated. Older boys turn to story books with adventure or youth themes.
We remember reading a series of American primary school books called The Wide Range Readers with child charactors named Dick and Dora, a dog called Nip and a cat called Fluff, Jack' a boy of the 1950s, 60s or 1970s.
Comic books were especilly popular in America, but more with boys than girls. There is some debate about who drew the first cartoon. Some German readers claim that it was Wilhelm Busch. We have seen political cartoons even earlier, in America and England during the 18h century. The first American cartton charactr was the Yellow Kid drawn by R.F. Outcault. He is better known for Buster Brown. These were newspaper cartoons. I'm not sure precisely when the first comic actual book appeared. They were certinly being widely read by the 1930s. I remember how popular they were in the 40s. At the time they cost 10 cents. It was America that became the leading producer of comic books. The leading ones were the Disney characters, the ??? (Warner Brothers characters, the super heros, and many more. There were, however, only a few boy characters. The ones that come to mind are Archie, Buster Brown, and Richy Rich. There were also comic boks on classic books, perfect for highschool studenys not desiring o read their class assignments.
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