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Moral tales Digital Collection
Relatively scarce in the early years of the United States, moral tales were increasingly popular in the nineteenth century (see Introduction). Frequently based on a line of scripture of a moral precept, these works functioned to convey the ideals of virtuous conduct (obedience, forgiveness, and responsibility) through narrative means. In this sense, they are companions to conduct literature. Stories appealed to children through imaginative and emotional identification in a way, frequently representing scenes of piety and conversion. Most denominations tailored these stories to suit their own doctrinal needs.
This era witnessed a growing complication between writing and piety. The lists of titles in this collection or in the library catalogues sold by Sunday School Unions reveal that fictional tales comprise about one third of them but it was clearly the fastest growing and most frequently reprinted section of most publishers lists, especially after mid-century. Not surprisingly, fiction even when adhering to scriptural models was a controversial subject in Sunday school education. Controversy prevailed in regard to whether fiction was healthy for young children. Many religious authorities insisted that fiction should be excluded entirely, in that it tended to be sensational, prurient, or fantastic, corrupting the imaginations of the young or giving them a false sense of reality. The purveyors of evangelical children's literature were conflicted over what constituted appropriate material and that in gaining a wider audience they might lose control of their doctrine and message.
It was clear to most observers that children returned time and again to the fictional works and would seldom take out the books "of more solid religious character." Because teachers saw that it was most important to cultivate a taste for reading in their young students, they began to rely more and more on "entertaining tales with moral messages." The concern with fiction lay in the sense that not only could it lead to fantasy or sensationalism but also to kind of license with scripture itself, unorthodox or personal interpretations, and secular opinion. This was another reason that the Sunday school unions formed publication committees to oversee and regulate content.
Stephen Rachman, Department of English, Michigan State University
Thumbnail Image | Title | Publisher | Author | Call Number | Description | Available Format(s) |
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A Dialogue Between A Traveller and Yourself
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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A New Picture-Book
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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A Noble Youth; or, William Mason
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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A Pretty Picture-Book
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Advice to Young Men on their Duties and Conduct in Life
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Boston: Phillips, Sampson: 1850
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Arthur, T.S.
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unknown or unavailable
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Are You Going to the Circus?
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Begin Now
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New York: Lane and Scott, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Broken Bat
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Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Common Sights in Town & Country. Delineated & described for Young Children
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Earthly Care, a Heavenly Discipline
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Cincinnati: American Reform Tract and Book Society, 1852
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Stowe, Harriet Beecher
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unknown or unavailable
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Ellen; or, The Disinterested Girl
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1847
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Ethel's Gift: and Nellie's Miracle
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Mathews, Joanna H.; Reed, Rebecca Perley
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unknown or unavailable
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Etiquette for Little Folks
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Boston: G.W. Cottrell, 1856?
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Mackarness, Mrs. Henry S.
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unknown or unavailable
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Fanny's Return to School
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1846
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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First Flight From the Nest; or, Nellie's Six Months in Boston
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1856
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Frank Harper; or, The Country-Boy in Town
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1847
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Green Mountain Annals A Tale of Truth
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New York: Burnett & Smith, 1832
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Forbes, G.V.H.
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unknown or unavailable
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Harry Reynolds: or, the Causes of a Little Boy's Failure and Success
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New York: Sunday-School Union, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Helps Over Hard Places. Stories for Boys
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Boston: American Tract Society, 1862
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Palmer, Lynde
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unknown or unavailable
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Helps Over Hard Places. Stories for Girls
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Boston: American Tract Society, 1862
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Palmer, Lynde
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unknown or unavailable
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Kenny Carle's Uniform
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Boston: American Tract Society, 1863
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Kind Words and Kind Deeds
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New York: S. S. Union, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Little Oaths
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Elizabeth, Charlotte
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unknown or unavailable
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Little Red Cloak
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Philadelphia: Presbyterian Publication Committee, 1866
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M<sup>c</sup>Keever, Harriet Burn
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unknown or unavailable
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Little Verses for Good Children
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Mary at the Feet of Jesus
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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Maternal Love: or, Letters Addressed to a Companion of her Childhood
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New York: John S. Taylor; Boston: Weeks, Jordan & Co.; 1838
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Mother, A
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unknown or unavailable
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Misunderstood
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New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Co., 1869
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Montgomery, Florence
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unknown or unavailable
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Mr. Anderson. An Interesting Story, Designed to Inculcate Important Truth
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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My First Sunday-School
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Carlton & Porter, 1861
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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My Own Primer, or First Lessons in Spelling and Reading
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Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1857
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Carter, Rev. John P.
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unknown or unavailable
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Patty; or, Beware of Meddling
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Sunday-School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 18--?
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Elizabeth, Charlotte; Kidder, D. P.
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unknown or unavailable
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Reuben Ramsay: or, The Boy that Nobody Wanted
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New York: Carlton & Porter, 1849
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Maxwell, Mrs.
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unknown or unavailable
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Simple Rhymes for Little Children
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1835
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Better Home
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1835
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Bible The Best Book
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Elizabeth, Charlotte
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unknown or unavailable
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The Birthday Party. A Story For Little Folks
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Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1865
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Optic, Oliver
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unknown or unavailable
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The Cornucopia: A Collection of Pieces in Prose and Rhyme, for the Silver Lake Stories
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Auburn and Rochester: Alden and Beardsley; New York: J. C. Derby, 1855
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Cousin Cicely (Bradford, Sarah Elizabeth Hopkins)
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unknown or unavailable
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The Creation, or, A Morning Walk With Anna
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Philadelphia and New York: American Sunday-School Union, 1843
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Tuckey, Mary B.
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unknown or unavailable
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The Earnest Laborer: or, Myrtle Hill Plantation, Being Sketches and Incidents Drawn from the Experience of a School Teacher
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New York: Carlton & Porter; Sunday-School Union, 1864
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Fretful Girl
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1850
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Gipsies; or, Friends in Need
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Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The History of Ann Lively and Her Bible
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Life of Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In Prose and Verse
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New York: American Tract Society, 18--?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Little Coat
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Cincinnati, Ohio: American Reform Tract and Book Society, 18--?
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Judd, Rev. Sylvester
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unknown or unavailable
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The Little Keepsake: A Poetic Gift for Children
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New York: Kiggins & Kellogg, 1857?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Magic-Lantern
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New York: Carlton & Porter; Sunday-School Union, 1862
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Ranger, Robin
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unknown or unavailable
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The Pleasing Instructor
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Polite Boy
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Boston: James M. Usher, 18--?
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Uncle Madison
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unknown or unavailable
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The Silver Dollar
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Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, 1847
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Story-Book for Good Little Girls
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New York: Kiggins & Kellogg, 1850?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Twelve Months of the Year; with a Picture for Each Month. Adapted to Northern Lattitudes
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New York: American Tract Society, 1830
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Way to be Happy. A Narrative of Facts
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Philadelphia: American Sunday School Union, 1827
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Young Christian: or, A Familiar Illustration of the Principles of Christian Duty
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New York: American Tract Society, 1832?
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Abbott, Rev. Jacob
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unknown or unavailable
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The Young Lady's Guide
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New York: American Tract Society, 1870?
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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The Young Man from Home
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London: Religious Tract Society, 184-?
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James, John Angell
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unknown or unavailable
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The Young Woman's Friend, or, The Duties, Trials, Loves and Hopes of Woman
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Boston: Wentworth, Hughes & Co., 1857
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Eddy, Daniel Clarke
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unknown or unavailable
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Willy Graham; or, The Disobedient Boy
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Philadelphia: American Sunday School Union, 1844
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Author Unknown
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unknown or unavailable
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