The Child's Delight: A Present for Young People (1849)
The Child's Delight: A Present for Young People (1849)
Edited by a Lady
The Ohio State University Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
PZ.C4 1849
This nineteenth-century book is made up of a collection of poems and other short stories for all children. These stories all encourage “appropriate” behavior by telling the reader about children who were overly aggressive, vain, impious, or otherwise not ideal children, who then suffer as a result of being so. The children learn to correct their behavior and are described as being happy for the rest of their lives, setting an example for the readers. In addition to the fictional content of the book, there is also a catalogue in the back. It advertises other books marketed to children that were published by the same publisher. Some such titles include Moral Tales or the collection Clever Stories for Clever Boys and Girls, which itself includes a story entitled “Think before you Act.” Like The Child’s Delight, these books are marketed for boys and girls, reflecting the idea that they had the same expectations for appropriate behavior.