Excerpt from The Blodgett Readers by Grades, Vol. 4 Until the pupil reaches the grade of a fourth reader he is mainly concerned with the technicalities of learning to read. His attention has been concentrated on the printed symbols and the intricacies of their combinations. At this point, however, he is prepared to enjoy, without the hindrances that have hitherto blocked his way, the full use of his new powers, and he may fairly expect entertainment as well as instruction. These, the legitimate rewards of his efforts, should now be put within his grasp. He should be introduced to the masters of fiction and have at least a glimpse of the delights which Scott and Dickens, Hawthorne and Stevenson, will open to him. He should also build a foundation for the future study of history, mythology, science, and poetry, and he should make acquaintance, at least, with the literary storehouses to which he will find constant allusion as his knowledge of books increases, - Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, German folklore, The Arabian Nights, the Norse and Greek myths, and other rich treasuries. While it is true that to read simply for amusement weakens the mental fiber, it is also true that to read only what is improving makes one an intellectual prig. The present volume endeavors to satisfy the child's natural and wholesome craving for a story, without sacrificing his literary taste, and it opens to him a wide range of reading from which he will derive the keenest intellectual pleasure. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.