This textbook is part of a series of school readers to help children acquire the art and the habit of reading well enough to give pleasure not only to themselves, but also to those who listen to them. The selections to be memorized are such as have been recommended and required by the departments of education in New York state and elsewhere. They should not be disregarded until the end, but should be studied and spoken at appropriate times throughout the year. Writings by authors such as Eliza Lee Follen, George Cooper, Eugene Field, Lucy Larcom, Samuel F. Smith, H. B. Nesbit, T. B. Aldrich, and Edna Dean Proctor are presented.