McGuffey's Second Eclectic Reader

by William Holmes McGuffey and Wm. H. McGuffey

Book Overview

A traditional reader including stories, poems, and new word drills This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0442235623
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: American Book Company
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.5" x 5.3" x 0.5"

Customer Reviews

Stands the test of time

My grandparents learned to read from these primers nearly a century ago. I learned from them, and so far three of my nieces have as well.

Excellent book

I have used this book for homeschooling and my son really enjoys reading out loud from it. Sometimes he will beg to read the next one. At the end of each short story is listed a series of spelling words and questions. Sometimes I have him spell them outloud and sometimes I have him put them on paper. Due to this his ability to spell has increased greatly. The book is written with God all the way through it as our forefathers intended. Therefore, there are wonderful morals and examples on how to conduct oneself in life as well as moral lessons. The book is excellent and it is a great shame that the 3% in 1962 became the majority and removed God from the schools taking away books like this. Just from reading this book I can see an attitude change in my son that shows maturity that most children his age can not even touch. He handles situations with his friends better and with everyday life in our household. Including work and doing what he is told. I'm not saying that this improvement is strickly due to the book itself but the stories have given good doorways into great conversations with him that have allowed him to view and examine himself. This is a bonus to the improved vocabulary and his reading skills that are well beyond his years, according to today's standards in the USA.

150 years of parents can't be wrong!

At the end of my daughter's kindergarten class (she was 5) I was told by her school that she would probably start reading in first grade. Half way through first grade, I was told she was a little slow and not picking up things as fast as she could. At this point, I stepped in and taught my daughter to read using "Noah Websters' Blue Backed Speller" and "McGuffey's Readers." "McGuffey's Readers" are a delight. I read the books cover to cover and loved every single story contained therein. These two literary tools [the Readers and the BB Speller] were how America learned to read for 150 years. And after *wasting* 18 months listening to reading "specialists" in public schools, *I* taught my daughter to read in under 6 weeks. She is now a sophomore in college (honor student!) and remains a prolific reader. I *highly* recommend McGuffey's Readers for any parent who wants to teach their child to read. It is a book you will keep forever, and it is something to be handed down to your children and their children and on and on. Speaking as an architectural historian, these wonderful books also provide a fascinating keyhole peak into an earlier time!

Not just reading lessons!

The McGuffey's Revised Second and Third Eclectic Readers combine a number of lessons into one. They can be used for reading comprehension or as copybooks for improving handwriting skills. The numerous poems can be used to improve memory skills. Furthermore, many of the lessons are focused on nature subjects such as birds, insects, farm animals, etc., and will supplement a natural history text for teaching early scientific observation. Most importantly, all the lessons are moral and help to preserve childhood innocence, something that is sorely needed in today's world. Filled with beautiful illustrations, these hardcover textbooks are an outstanding value.