1. (Dick and Jane) The three books in the pre-primer
series of the Basic Readers by William S. Gray, Dorothy
Baruch and Elizabeth Rider Montgomery. Colour illus. by
Eleanor Campbell (first two books) and Miriam Story Hurford.
These are the Canadian editions, 1959 printing, by W.J.
Gage and Co., Toronto. Abt. 5-3/4 x 7-3/4" tall. Pre-primer
one, "We Look and See" has just 17 different words in 48
pages. Pre-primer book two, "We Work and Play", provides for
gradual basic development of the 17 words introduced in
pre-primer one and adds 22 new words. 64 pages. Pre-primer
three, "We Come and Go", is 72 pages long, and adds 19 new
words to those incorporated from the first two books. The
three books prepare the young student for the Basic Primer,
"Fun With Dick and Jane". Stiff paper covers with cloth
spines. The first pre-primer has a couple short tears and
some edgewear to covers; two school stamps: one on inside
front cover and one on title page with date stamp, Sept.
1961; o/w a clean VG copy. The second pre-primer (Yellow)
is a VG+ example with just the two school stamps (Sept.
1962 date) and minor soiling and chipping of covers, plus
a minor stain on topedges. The third pre-primer in a G+
copy with some creasing and chipping of covers; a card
pocket on inside front cover; a school stamp on title
page (dated Sept. 1960); inked lines through about half
the words in the Vocabulary List at back. All together
a very desirable set of this collectible set of readers.
Set of 3 $200.00
1a. (Dick and Jane) Another copy of Pre-primer 2, "We Work
and Play". The 1959 printing of the W.J. Gage, Toronto ed.
A G+ copy with some soiling and creasing of covers; about
a 1/4" tip missing from lower front cover; school stamp on
front cover; abt. a 3" tear in pp. 43-44; repaired 1" tear
in rear cover. Still a very acceptable copy. $45.00
2. (Dick and Jane) Our New Friends, 1/2. By William
S. Gray and May Hill Arbuthot. Illus. in colour by Keith
Ward. Basic Readers, a revision of the Elson-Gray Basic
Readers by W.J. Gage & Co., Toronto. 1957 printing. 12 mo.,
192 pp. Our New Friends follows "Fun with Dick and Jane",
the primer of the Basic Readers in the Curriculum Foundation
series. See the "Think-and-Do Book" below that accompanies
this reader. Blue cloth with Red and Yellow lettering and
illustration on front cover. Minor edgewear; abt. a 1/2"
by 1-1/2" corner missing from pp. 155-56 with loss of part
of one letter on each page; a few little margin tears and
margin smudges; crease in f.e.p.; but otherwise a G+ to -VG copy.
$85.00
2a. (Dick and Jane) Another copy of Our New Friends. As above
but the 1961 Gage printing. Abt. 1/3 of pp. 139-140 missing (The
Wind and the Umbrella story); fairly heavy wear to top and
bottom of spine; corners bumped; a few pencil markings; school
stamp on inside front cover; about a Good copy. $35.00
3. (Dick and Jane) A wonderful collectible for Dick and Jane
fans: the "Think-and-Do Book to accompany: Our New Friends,
the Basic Readers: 1 (2)" or the second reader for Grade I.
9 x 12" tall, 80 pp. By William S. Gray and Marion Monroe.
This is the Canadian edition, published by W.J. Gage & Co.,
Toronto. n.d. (circa 1940's). "The exercises in the "Think-
and-Do Book" to accompany "Our New Friends" are carefully
synchronized with the Reader in regard to vocabulary,
reading difficulty, and the development of reading skills."
Instructions to the Teacher are in the margins. This copy
never used--not one item filled in! Blue heavy card wraps
with three staples. Minor chipping, light soiling of covers;
covers pulling away from two of the staples; name printed
on front cover; o/w a VG+ copy. $40.00
4. Ginn Basic Readers: My Little Red Story Book by Odille
Ousley and David Russell. Ginn and Co., Tor. n.d. (circa 1952-55).
Revised ed. Abt. 7 x 9" tall. 48 pp. Colour illus. by Ruth Steed.
This is the first Pre-Primer of the Ginn Basic Reading Series
and it introduces 19 words, 5 of which were already presented
in "Fun with Tom and Betty", the Readiness book of this series.
This book has 2 less words than the original smaller format
(see below) and different artwork. Featuring Betty, Tom and
Susan, plus Flip the dog. Stiff Red card covers with
Yellow cloth spine, stapled. Moderate edgewear and rubbing; tips
of some pages turned; 3 school name stamps; prev. owner's name
at top of title page; o/w a clean VG copy. $16.00
4a. Another copy of My Little Red Story Book by Ousley and
Russell, this the original 6 x 8" size, also 48 pp.; 21 words.
Red card covers with Black cloth spine, stapled. A Good Only
copy with 4" tear in front cover repaired with glue and tape;
small chip from front cover and small chip from rear cover;
covers creased; 2 school stamps; contents clean. $8.50
5. Ginn Basic Readers: My Little Blue Story Book by Odille
Ousley and David Russell. Ginn and Co., Tor. n.d. (circa 1952-55).
Revised ed. Abt. 7 x 9" tall. 72 pp. Colour illus. by Ruth Steed.
This is the third Pre-Primer of the Ginn Basic Reading Series
and it re-introduces the 42 words which were already presented
in the first two pre-primers, and adds 14 new words. Stiff Blue
paper wraps with Beige cloth spine, stapled. Moderate edgewear
and rubbing of covers; stains on spine around staples; two
school name stamps on inside covers; the tips of a few pages
turned; o/w a VG clean copy. $17.50
6. Ginn Basic Readers: Come With Us by Odille
Ousley. Ginn and Co., Tor. n.d. (circa 1955). Illus. in
colour by Ruth Steed. This is the first book in the
Enrichment Series and follows the third pre-primer above.
It re-introduces the 56 words from the three pre-primers
and presents just 10 new words. Yellow stiff paper wraps
with Red cloth spine, stapled. A G+ copy with a piece
missing from lower corner of front cover as shown plus a
piece clipped from the same corner of the title page;
covers a bit soiled and creased; school stamp on front
cover dated June 1956; a few ink marks on the last page
"To the Teacher". $10.00
7. The 1939 printing of the "Highroads to
Reading Primer" featuring Jerry and Jane. Published by
Ryerson Press, Toronto. 12 mo., 122 pp. Written by
Henrietta Roy and others. Illustrated by Elsie Deane
and Edith MacLaren. 85 pp. with 3-colour illus. The book
is divided into 6 parts: Toys, At Home, Play Time, Story Time,
The Birthday Party, and School Days. A charming piece of
nostalgia. Blue cloth with pictorial stamping on front
panel in Orange and Black. Illustrated endpapers. Minor
edgewear; some minor soiling and inkspots to front cover;
prev. owner's name filled-in on f.e.p.; 6 pages with an
inkblot in the margin and two pages with an extra small
inkblot(see photo); 3 of the pages with inkblots also have
small amount of paper missing; a few other minor smudges
throughout; o/w still a G+ copy of this precious early
reader. $30.00
8. Highroads to Reading, Book Two. Macmillan Co.
and Ryerson Press, Toronto. 14th printing. 1945.
12 mo., 243 pp. Edited by Francis L. Ormond. Reading
selections include the works of Aesop, Rose Fyleman,
Robert Louis Stevenson, Christina Rossetti, Mary
Mapes Dodge, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and more.
The reader is divided into eleven sections, starting
with: "Happy School Days"; "Old Tales"; "Land of
Make Believe"; and "Animal Stories". Numerous colour
illustrations. Blue cloth with Orange lettering. A
well-read book, with heavy shelf-wear and some soiling;
couple of chunks missing from margins; several smudges
in margins; no school stamps; abt. a Good copy. $12.50
9. (Phillips, W.J.) Highroads to Reading, Book Four.
W.J. Gage & Co., Tor. 1st Edition, 1st Printing. 1934.
12 mo., 320 pp. Many stories and poems plus numerous
illustrations, including 5 small b/w drawings by Walter
J. Phillips as well as a full-page colour illustration
by him of a hockey game in progress (see above). Illus.
endpapers. Blue cloth with Orange lettering and
embossed ship on front cover. Minor edgewear; cover
faded a little; two school stamps (one on f.e.p. and
another on back of frontispiece); o/w a VG+ clean
copy, the best I've seen. $40.00
10. (Phillips, W.J.) Highroads to Reading, Book Five.
W.J. Gage & Co., Tor. 6th printing, 1941. 12 mo., 352 pp.
Many stories and poems plus numerous illustrations,
including 25 b/w drawings by Walter J. Phillips, from
1/4 page to full-page, including some fantasy illus.
Lovely colour plates include reproduction from the
paintings of Tom Thomson, Innis Fripp, C.W. Jefferys,
W. Langdon Kihn and Cayley Robinson. Illustrated
endpapers. Blue cloth with Orange lettering and
embossed figure with spear on front cover. Minor edgewear;
few spots of cover worn off rear board; o/w a VG or
better clean, tight copy. $22.50
11. (Alice and Jerry) Open the Door: the 3rd and Basic
pre-primer of the new pre-primer programme of The Alice
and Jerry Basic Readers. Written by Mabel O'Donnell and
illustrated in colour by Margaret C. Hoopes and Florence
J. Hoopes. Copp Clark Publishing Co., Vanvouver, Toronto
and Montreal (circa late 1950's). Abt. 7-3/4" sq., 72 pp.
This copy has a West Vancouver school stamp on the title
page, dated June 1964. "Open the Door" may be used as a
beginning preprimer, since all of the words in the first
two preprimers and re-introduced and developed here. As
well, 21 new words are introduced. Heavy card wraps with
Blue cloth spine. Some chipping and wrinkling of covers;
just the one school stamp; o/w a VG or better copy. $26.50
11a. (Alice and Jerry) Another copy of Open the Door.
Same school stamp on title page; covers a bit more soiled
and creased; small piece torn from rear cover; two short
margin tears; about a G+ copy. $17.50
12. (Alice and Jerry) "High on a Hill", the 4th Preprimer
of "The Alice and Jerry Basic Reading Program" is to be used
after the Third, or Basic, Pre-Primer "Open the Door" above.
The original American ed., Published by Row, Peterson and Co.,
Evanston, Illinois and White Plains, N.Y. 1957 printing.
Abt. 7-1/2" square, 48 pp. Colour illus. by Florence
and Margaret Hoopes on nearly every other page. There are
just 11 new words. Card wraps with cloth spine. Covers are
wrinkled and lightly soiled; couple of minor stains in
margins; couple of little drawings in text coloured in;
one school stamp on title page; still a Good copy and
effective reading tool. $12.50
EASY GROWTH IN READING SERIES
13. At Play, Primer Level One. John C. Winston Co.,
Toronto (1950). Written by Gertrude Hildreth and others.
Illus. in colour by Corinne Pauli Waterall. 12 mo., 156 pp.
This reader includes the 65 words from the three pre-primers
in the series and introduces 107 new words. The characters
are Bob, Nancy, Baby, Don, Tom, Jack, Mother and Mac the dog.
Brown cloth with Red/Blue lettering and decoration. 3 school
stamps; corners bumped; some edgewear and soiling of covers;
o/w a G+ copy. $12.50
13a. Another copy of At Play. 2 school stamps on f.e.p.;
felt pen "T" on f.e.p.; cover slightly more stained than
above copy; a G to G+ copy. $11.50
14. Fun in Story, Primer Level Two. John C. Winston Co.,
Toronto (1952). Written by Gertrude Hildreth and others.
Illus. in colour by Erick Berry, Fred T. Chapman and Joan
Esley. 12 mo., 156 pp. Contains 63 new words. Some of the
stories included are: "Three Little Rabbits"; "Three
Little Hens on the Farm"; "Little Elephant and the Water";
"Big Bear's Sack"; "Halloween and Christmas"; and, "The
Toys That Wanted to Run Away". Grey/Orange cloth. Just one
school stamp; some wrinkling to two pages; slight edgewear
and rubbing; o/w a VG+ clean copy. $14.00
15. I Know a Secret, First Reader, Level One. John
C. Winston Co., Toronto. 1954. Written by Gertrude Hildreth
and others. Illus. in colour by Corinne Pauli Waterall
and Jacob Bates Abbott. 12 mo., 186 pp. Contains 164
new words. Bob and Nancy, Tom and Don and Baby Anne
are back in stories about Playtime, Spring is Here,
Surprises, A Birthday, The Circus and Back Home At The
Farm. Green cloth with Red/Blue lettering and decoration.
Just one school stamp; minor wear and soiling of covers;
a few pencil marks; o/w a VG copy. $11.50
16. The Story Road, Second Reader, Level Two. John
C. Winston Co., N.Y. (1940) American version, circa
1950 printing. Written by Gertrude Hildreth
and others. Illus. in colour by Jacob Bates Abbott.
12 mo., 140 pp. Contains 126 new words. Back to the
animal stories in this reader: "Dudley Duck in the Well";
"Tim Chick Sees the World"; "Three Little Monkeys";
"Eddie Elephant and Jungleville"; "Long Ears, Bob
Tail, and Fuzzy"; plus more. Orange cloth with Blue
lettering and decoration. Moderate soiling to covers;
heavy wear on bottom of spine and two corners; crease
in rear cover; a few page tears; binding a little loose;
a well-read copy that's Good Only. $10.00
END OF EASY GROWTH IN READING SERIES
17. Yoakum, Gerald. We Learn to Read. Laidlaw Basic Readers.
Laidlaw Bros., Chicago, N.Y. Abt. 6 x 8" tall, 48 pp. 1947. A
pre-primer with just 34 words. Featuring Father, Mother, Nancy,
Jack, Baby, Tippy the dog and Boots the cat. Numerous
colourful illus. by Milo Winter and others. Heavy card pictorial
wraps. Minor chipping and rubbing; stamp on front cover
indicating this was the copy of the "Supervisor of Teacher
Service Bureau, Department of Education, Edmonton, Alberta".
A VG or better clean copy. $ 27.50
18. My Very First Little Reading Book. Hodder &
Stoughton, N.Y. and Lon. n.d. (circa 1910).
Printed by Bemrose Dalziel, London & Watford. 12 mo., 
unpaginated (33 pp.). No author noted. Many charming
colour illustrators by someone identified only as
E.H.S. (Ernest H. Shepard was already doing some
illustration at this time but the drawings don't
quite match his style and skill. And there is no
mention of such work in Rawle Knox's book on Shepard.)
Nevertheless, a delightful little reader with many
very short stories such as: Bed-time; Going to School;
The Sick Doll; Dick and His Horse; What We Did At
The Sea; My Old Hen; Our Cookery; The Hoop and the
Snail; and more. Green patterned paper-on-boards with
colour illus. affixed to front board; sewn. Fairly
heavy chipping to spine and corners; some staining to
covers; there has been some glue repair at spine;
a few smudges in margins; still a G+ example of
this lovely early children's book. $40.00
19. The French Picture Primers, Second Primer by
Marguerite Ninet. B/w illus. on every page by Josephine Young.
The Ryerson Press, Toronto. 2nd printing, March, 1942. 12 mo.,
(6-3/4 x 4-3/4") 40 pp. Authorized for the Province of Manitoba.
A few pages with pencilled translation to English; 2 pages
with translation to English in pen. Limp Grey cloth sewn. Prev.
owner's name and school on half-title; a little edgewear and
two spots of wear on front cover; o/w a G+ clean copy. $20.00
20. The Ontario Readers, Third Reader, authorized for use
in the public schools of Ontario. Canada Publishing Co., Tor.
1st Edition. 1885. 12 mo., 280 pp. This reader includes short
pieces by renowned authors Dickens, Longfellow, Tennyson,
Wordsworth and others; plus a few historical lessons and two
lessons which serve as an introduction to Physical Science. A
few b/w illus. Gold cloth. Minor edgewear and soiling;
o/w a VG copy. $26.50
21. New Canadian Readers, A Second Primer. W.J. 
Gage & Co., Tor., Winnipeg. 1st Edition. 1901.
Prescribed for use in the Schools of British
Columbia and Prince Edward Island. Sq. 12 mo.,
71 pp. Some pages in script. A few full-page illus.
and numerous in-text drawings. Green cloth limp
wraps. Covers quite soiled; edges worn; some
smudges in margins; part of one drawing lifted
and stuck to opposite page; scholl label (Nanaimo,
B.C.) stuck on inside front cover; abt. a Good copy
of this fairly scarce early Canadian reader. $22.50
22. The Royal Readers, No. 1. Nova Scotia School
Series. A & W Mackinlay, Halifax. 16 mo., 94 pp. including
4 pp. of beautiful script. 1902 printing. Part I lessons are
wholly in words of one syllable; Part II lessons introduce
two-syllable words. Spelling and Pronouciation are included.
Many fine illustrations from old engravings. Sewn limp cloth binding
in Brown and Black. A Near Fine copy. $45.00
End of Readers, Mostly Primary