Kids’ Storytelling that Never Ages: 6 Must-Read Books Published Before the 1920s

We’ve got stories for kids of all ages dealing with all aspects of life – family, friends, and growing up. Take your kids on a journey to the past and rediscover these stories. Perfect opportunity to have them experience the life lessons that these reads instill – more relevant today than ever! 

Looking for books to read with your kids? These 6 stories to read with children evoke the magic of a simpler time. Take a look at these classic digital reads that are a must for the whole family.

• Listed on Robert McCrum’s ‘100 Best Novels Written in English‘ list published in The Guardian – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

• Fans of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women will enjoy this captivating series of stories – Aunt Jane’s Nieces by L. Frank Baum

• A children’s classic from the author of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty  –  Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault 

See the full list of metadata by downloading below.

Wealthy elderly lady Jane Merrick is trying to decide how best to divide up her estate in her will. Childless, she invites her three nieces Louise Merrick, Elizabeth de Graf and Patsy Doyle to come and stay with her, so she can decide if any of them are worthy of her wealth.  

Follow the mishap and adventure that ensues as the girls learn to get along with each other, and their difficult Aunt Jane, while adjusting to a new way of life.  

When Huckleberry Finn runs away from his abusive father with his companion, the runaway slave Jim, he begins a long expedition down the Mississippi River on a raft. On this journey Huck encounters a variety of characters. As a result of these experiences, Huck overcomes conventional racial prejudices and learns to respect and love Jim. The book is dotted throughout with idyllic descriptions of the river and the surrounding forests, and Huck’s good nature and unconscious humour shines through the pages.  

Through adventure after adventure runs a thread of human cruelty, which shows itself both in the acts of individuals and in their unthinking acceptance of such institutions as slavery. The natural goodness of Huck is continually contrasted with the effects of a corrupt society. 

Follow the loveable Molly as she leaves home and starts college.  

She has a lot to learn about college life, but she makes many new friends that will help her, as well as help to keep her homesickness at bay. Fans of Enid Blyton’s ‘Malory Towers’ and ‘St. Clare’s’ novels will also enjoy the Molly Brown series. 

Would you be happy if all your wishes could come true? 

Most people would assume the answer is “yes” but the five siblings of this story find out that it is not that simple. 

The adventure begins with a new carpet that has a glowing egg inside it and when it falls into an open fire it hatches a golden phoenix – the most famous of all mythical birds. The phoenix tells them that the carpet is enchanted, and it has the ability to grant the children three wishes every day. 

With the arrogant but wise bird by their side they go on amazing journeys. But not everything is as it seems, and the siblings learn that you have to be careful what you wish for. 

Published at the turn of the century ‘Patty Fairfield’ is the first in the hugely popular series of Patty Fairfield books  

In this first book of the series, we are introduced to fourteen-year-old Patty, who lives alone with her father following her mother’s death. In order to learn how to best keep house for herself and her father, Patty is sent to stay with four different relatives to see how they live and to learn from them. A quaint and charming start to the series, which fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Susan Coolidge will enjoy. 

When a miller died, his inheritance was split among his three sons. The oldest got the mill, the middle one got a donkey and the youngest got a cat. The poor boy thought the fate was unfair to him as he could not do that much with the cat he received. But the cat was not an ordinary one. If the boy was willing to get a pair of boots for the cat, then it was going to make its master rich. “How?” you ask?  Well by lying to the king that its master is actually Lord Marquis of Carabas.  

For more information about these titles, or our full English catalogue contact Nadia on – nadia.lamond@sagaegmont.com or simply book a meeting.