John Newbery, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book (1744)

John Newbery, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book (1744)

Quote

A Little Pretty Pocket-Book Intended for the Instruction and Amusement of Little Master Tommy, and Pretty Miss Polly. With Two Letters from Jack the Giant-Killer; as also a Ball and Pincushion; The Use of which will infallibly make Tommy a good Boy, and Polly a good Girl. To which is added, A Little Song-Book, being a New Attempt to teach Children the Use of the English Alphabet, by Way of Diversion. (A Little Pretty Pocket-Book)

Here we've got the title page of Newbery's A Little Pretty-Pocket Book.

Thematic Analysis

If you really want to impress people at a party, drop this info on them: Newbery's Little Pretty Pocket-Book is widely considered to be the first modern children's book. BOOM. Knowledge bomb. You might recognize Newbery's name from the Newbery Medal, an award given to the best of the best in American children's literature.

Like a lot of early children's lit, there's a huge emphasis here on didacticism, teaching children not only their ABCs, but also how to be "good" boys and girls. Tall order, if we do say so ourselves.

Stylistic Analysis

How's this for a long-winded title page? But the tone makes it clear that Newbery was targeting young readers. Jack the Giant-Killer? Image how exciting that would be for a 6-year-old.