The Children’s Literature Collection contains approximately 2,700 volumes and provides a splendid overview of illustrated children’s literature by early British and American authors and artists.

A selection of titles from the Old Juveniles Collection

Some of the Athenæum’s thousands of early children’s books. Primarily dating from 1870 to 1930, the collection is affectionately known as the “Old Juveniles.”

Boy’s Own Book of Amusement and Instruction.

Providence: Published by Geo. P. Daniels, 1843. Embellished with cuts.

Louisa May Alcott. Little Women, or Meg, Jo and Amy.

Boston: Robert Brothers, 1868-9. 2 vols. Illustrated by May Alcott. Inscribed to “Ednah B. Hale, from Hattie – Christmas 1868.” The book includes the following note, “This was when I was 8 years old! Now, at 81, I am giving these dear books to my grand niece, Eliz. Hubbard Lansing, happy to have them go to one who will care for them – Ednah B. Hale, 109 Bowen St., Prov. RI, Feb-4-1942.”

Walter Crane. Baby’s Bouquet.

London & New York: George Routledge, [1878]. Arranged and decorated by Walter Crane. Cut and printed in colors by Edmund Evans.

Horace Elisha Scudder. The Bodley’s Telling Stories.

New York: Hurd & Houghton, 1888. Presented by Miss Irene Cranston. The Miss Irene Cranston Collection of Children’s Books is contained in Old Juveniles Collection, and represents numerous examples of late nineteenth-century British titles with fine bindings, color printing, and award winning illustrators, such as Randolph Caldecott and Walter Crane.

Tony Sarg. Tony Sarg’s Book for Children from Six to Sixty.

New York: Greenberg, 1924.

Amos Vogel. How little Lori Visited Times Square.

Pictures by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row, 1963. 1st edition.

Individual titles date back to the early nineteenth century and are particularly strong from 1870-1930. Further styles of pictorial enhancement of adventure and fairy tales, alphabet books, nursery rhymes and bible stories can be seen. First editions of the works of many important children’s writers are part of the collection, as are Newbery and Caldecott Award books.