Curiosity Cabinets: The Journey, Physical or Metaphoric, in Classic Works of Children's Literature
Third Floor
The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.
– The Phantom Tollbooth, p.115.
The journey, physical or metaphoric, is a prominent theme in children’s literature that lends insight into the historical educational process. In the 17th century, reading materials for children focused mainly on religious, moral, and educational instruction, with "the journey" serving as a profound metaphor for the soul's progress and life’s moral challenges. In the 18th-century, the journey often wed physical adventure with moral development to encourage rational thinking in education. In the 19th century, the “Golden Age of Children’s Publishing," authors used physical and metaphoric travel to reveal imagination as a tool for self-discovery – and one that moved away from strict social norms. And, in the 20th century, the journey became an even more powerful means to explore the rich and growing complexity of coming-of-age, individuality, and transition from innocence to experience.
In this curation we feature acclaimed, award-winning children's books published over the centuries that showcase the journey – illustrating how the educational process ultimately embraces continuous, dynamic personal growth through lived experiences, life’s hardships, and our adaptability as human beings.
Also drawing from specialized children’s book collections, we present titles relevant to cross disciplinary teaching: the Harvey Darton Collection, named after the English book collector and historian of children's literature Frederick Joseph Harvey Darton who acquired English children's pre1850 books;; the Annie E. Moore Collection, focusing on the history of children’s book illustrations that trace how art for children evolved; additional children’s books published from the 1920s through the 1960s, widely used in schools; and the former Columbia University School of Library Science collection, used in teaching school librarianship before they were gifted to Teachers College.
For more in-depth analysis, be sure to read the blog post by Processing Archivist Victoria Santamorena, A Journey Through Children's Books: Notes on Collecting and Curricula.
Acknowledgements
This exhibit is curated and designed by Jennifer Govan, Library Director and Senior Library Director, and Kate Scott, Library Associate for Art and Design, with assistance from Victoria Santamorena, Processing Archivist. It builds upon the accompanying Offit Gallery exhibition, The Journey in Art: Selections from the Historical Art Collections of Teachers College, Columbia University, also made possible with thanks to the continuing generosity of Myers Foundations.
Inventory of Books Displayed
Originally Published in the 17th Century
1.
Bunyan, John, and Charles Sears Baldwin. John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. Longmans, Green, and co., 1905. Closed Stacks CURR ; PR3330.A2 B3.
Follows the protagonist, Christian, on a harrowing, physical, and spiritual journey from the "City of Destruction" to the "Celestial City," facing various obstacles like the Slough of Despond and Vanity Fair. Explored the Christian struggle against temptation, doubt, and sin. Originally published in 1678.
2.
Janeway, James, et al. A Token for Children : Being an Exact Account of the Conversion, Holy and Exemplary Lives and Joyful Deaths of Several Young Children ... C. Bingham, 1804. Closed Stacks CURR ; BR1714 .J3 1804.
Written by a Puritan minister, this book takes readers on a very different kind of journey: the journey of young souls toward salvation. It details the lives and "holy deaths" of pious children. Attempts to teach children about piety, repentance, and how to properly face the afterlife. Originally published in 1671.
3.
Comenius, Johann Amos, and Johannes Kühnel. Orbis Sensualium Pictus. J. Klinkhardt, 1910. Closed Stacks Research ; LT101 .C6 1910; e-book.
Known as the first picture book dedicated to children, this was an illustrated Latin textbook. It explores the journey of education and the discovery of the visible (and invisible) world. Originally published in 1658.
Bunyan, John, et al. A Book for Boys and Girls, or, Country Rhymes for Children. E. Stock, 1890. Closed Stacks JUV ; PR3329 .D1 1890.
Comprises 74 poems that explore earthly, physical imagery (such as birds, bees, and the sun) to point the reader toward spiritual truths. Originally published in 1686.
4.
Bunyan, John, and Charles Sears Baldwin. John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. Longmans, Green, and co., 1905. Closed Stacks CURR ; PR3330.A2 B3.
Follows the protagonist, Christian, on a harrowing, physical, and spiritual journey from the "City of Destruction" to the "Celestial City," facing various obstacles like the Slough of Despond and Vanity Fair. Explored the Christian struggle against temptation, doubt, and sin. Originally published in 1678.
Originally Published in the 18th Century
5.
Aikin, Lucy, and Thomas Day. Sandford and Merton in Words of One Syllable. McLoughlin Bros., 1883. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.A272 Sa 1883.
A pedagogical journey in which a wealthy, spoiled boy and a poor, practical farmer's boy are educated together. A journey of character building that explores enlightenment philosophy (heavily influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau) by contrasting the corrupting nature of wealth with the virtue of manual labor and nature. Originally published from 1783-1789.
6.
Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels into the Kingdoms of Lilliput and Brobdingnag : Recording His Many Strange Adventures in These Remote Countries : Embellished with Neat Engravings on Wood. Published by Nafis & Cornish, 1843. Closed Stacks CURR ; DA631 .G7815 185.
A physical journey across fantastical lands, including Lilliput and Brobdingnag, in which the author uses satire as a tool to critique human nature, politics, and Enlightenment ideals. Eagerly adopted by younger readers for its imaginative adventure elements. Originally published in 1726.
7.
Defoe, Daniel, and Edward L. Thorndike. Robinson Crusoe. D. Appleton-Century Co., 1936. Closed Stacks CURR ; PZ7.D36 Ro14 1936.
Originally published 1719, this book is about an English sailor who is shipwrecked on a tropical island where he survives for 28 years. EL Thorndike was a Teachers College faculty member an educational psychologist who studied word frequency and its application to teaching.
8.
Goldsmith, Oliver, and Giles Jones. The History of Goody Two Shoes : With the Adventures of Her Brother Tommy. J. Lumsden & Son, 1818. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ6.G65 H67 1818.
A journey from poverty to prosperity, as the orphan protagonist overcomes adversity through kindness, education, and hard work. Originally published by John Newbery in 1765.
9.
The Masquerade : Containing a Variety of Merry Characters of All Sorts, Properly Dressed for the Occasion : Calculated to Amuse and Instruct All the Good Boys and Girls in the Kingdom. [J. Marshall and Co.] Printed and sold at no. 4, Aldermary Church-Yard, Bow-Lane, 1785. Closed Stacks JU ; BJ1631. M37 1780.
10.
Kendall, Edward Augustus. Keeper’s Travels in Search of His Master. Second edition., Printed for E. Newbery, 1799. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ6.K46 Ke 1799.
11.
Berquin, and John Bewick. The Looking-Glass for the Mind; or, Intellectual Mirror : Being an Elegant Collection of the Most Delightful Little Stories, and Interesting Tales. Eighth edition., Printed by J. Crowder for E. Newbury, 1800. Closed Stacks JUV ; PQ1957.B455 A8 1800.
Originally Published in the 19th Century
12.
Stevenson, Robert Louis, and Edmund Kemper Broadus. Treasure Island. Scott, Foresman, 1919. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ3.S848 T42 1919.
Jim Hawkins learns about loyalty, betrayal, and courage as he undertakes a perilous sea voyage and cross-country trek to find buried pirate loot. Originally published 1883.
13.
Carroll, Lewis, and John Tenniel. Through the Looking Glass. [publisher not identified], 1872. Closed Stacks JUV ; PR4611 .T5 1872.
The sequel to Alice in Wonderland in which young Alice steps through the mirror above her drawing-room fireplace into a bizarre, reversed world that functions as a giant chessboard. Originally published in 1871.
14.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Macmillan, 1898. Closed Stacks ; PZ8.D666 A90 1898.
A physical and metaphorical descent down a rabbit hole into a nonsensical world. The journey represents the confusing, illogical nature of the adult world as Alice navigates shifting sizes, bizarre rules, and arbitrary authority. Originally published in 1865. Related blog post.
15.
Collodi, Carlo, and Carol Della Chiesa. The Adventures of Pinocchio. Macmillan Co., 1927. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.L887 Ad 1927.
A picaresque quest across various Italian locales (such as the Land of Toys and the belly of the Dogfish) to become a real boy. A classic metaphorical journey of morality, education, and earning one's humanity through trial and error. Originally published 1883.
16.
Hogan & Thompson. The Good Child’s Library. Eighth Book, Scenes in the Lives of St. Andrew, St. James, and Saint James the Less : In Easy Verse, with Brilliant Illuminations, from Original Designs. Hogan & Thompson, 1851. Closed Stacks JUV ; BS2433 .G66 1851.
From the Annie Moore Collection.
17.
Verne, Jules. Le Tour du Monde en Quatre-Vingts Jours. W.R. Jenkins, 1898. Closed Stacks CURR ; PQ2469 .T7 1898.
Explores the physical crossing of borders, the triumph of human ingenuity, and personal transformation through exposure to new cultures via trains and steamships. Originally published in 1873.
18.
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Macmillan, 1961. Closed Stacks CURR ; PS1305 .A1 1961.
A physical journey down the Mississippi River on a raft and profound metaphorical journey of moral awakening and the rejection of racist societal norms in the antebellum American South. Originally published in 1884.
19.
Sewell, Anna, and Edward L. Thorndike. Black Beauty. D. Appleton-Century company, incorporated, 1935. Closed Stacks JU ; PZ10.3.S38 1935.
A horse is passed from various owners—some kind, some abusive -- showing a metaphorical journey of endurance, resilience, and the loss of innocence as the protagonist learns to navigate the harsh realities of Victorian society. Another classic work of study by Teachers College faculty member Edward Lee Thorndike. Originally published in 1877.
20.
Kipling, Rudyard, et al. The Jungle Book. Macmillan, 1894. Closed Stacks CURR ; PR4854 .J6 1894.
Mowgli travels between the Indian jungle and human civilization -- a journey of identity, belonging, and the struggle to balance animal instincts with human society. There are two editions on display, including a "school" one. Originally published in 1894.
Originally Published in the 19th Century
21.
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz & the Land of Oz. Random House, 1960. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.B327 W78 1960.
After a tornado hits Kansas, Dorothy dreams of a journey down the yellow brick road where she learns about for self-reliance, emotions, growth -- in the end to to discover that "there's no place like home." Originally published in 1900.
22.
Burnett, Frances Hodgson, and Reginald B. Birch. Little Lord Fauntleroy. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1886. Closed Stacks JUV; PS1214 .L5 1886.
A kind, impoverished American boy named Cedric Errol discovers he is the sole heir to a British earldom and moves to England, where he transforms his embittered, cruel grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt. Originally published in 1886.
23.
Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. Scribner, 1926. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.G76 W5 1908.
Features Toad’s chaotic physical escapes and adventures, contrasted with the quiet, reflective riverbank journeys of Mole and Rat finding their place in the world. Originally published in 1908.
24.
Nesbit, E., and John S. Goodall. Five Children and It. Random House, 1948. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.B61 Fe15 1948.
A series of magical, wish-granted daily adventures that trace five siblings' psychological growth and understanding of consequences. Originally published in 1902.
25.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. International limited edition., Warne, 1993. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3 .P47Tap40.
Recounts a young rabbit’s naughty and dangerous trek into Mr. McGregor’s garden and his traumatic escape back home. Originally published in 1902.
26.
Brock, Emma L. The Runaway Sardine. A.A. Knopf, 1929. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.B759 1929.
Bill is a sardine who escapes his tin in Brittany to seek the open sea, only to choose comfort over freedom. Originally published in 1929. Originally published in 1929.
27.
Leaf, Munro, and Robert Lawson. The Story of Ferdinand. The Viking Press, 1936. Closed Stacks JUV; PZ7.L463 St 1936.
Ferdinand, a bull, is mistakenly taken to the bullfights in Madrid, but his peaceful refusal to fight marks a quiet, psychological journey. Originally published in 1936.
28.
Brink, Carol Ryrie. Caddie Woodlawn. Macmillan, 1935. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.B78 Cad 1935.
A tomboy’s internal transformation on the Wisconsin frontier as she learns to embrace her own version of growing up. Originally published in 1935.
29.
Milne, A. A., and Ernest H. Shepard. Winnie-the-Pooh. E.P. Dutton & Company, 1928. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.M64 Wi 1926.
Excursions into the Hundred Acre Wood that serve as gentle, psychological explorations of childhood, friendship, and logic. Originally published in 1926. See related blog post.
30.
Lofting, Hugh. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. Lippincott, 1950. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.L827 Vo 1950.
Tommy Stubbins accompanies the eccentric doctor on a high-seas voyage to Spidermonkey Island, learning natural history and responsibility. Originally published in 1922.
31.
Mukerji, Dhan Gopal, and Boris Artzybasheff. Gay-Neck : The Story of a Pigeon. John Newbery edition., E.P. Dutton, 1928. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.M954 G2 1928.
A carrier pigeon flies from India to the battlefields of World War I, undergoing a a spiritual journey toward overcoming fear and trauma. Originally published in 1927.
32.
Seredy, Kate. The Good Master. Viking, 1963. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S457 Go 1963.
Kate is sent from Budapest to her uncle’s ranch on the Hungarian plains, where farm life tames her wild spirit. Originally published in 1935.
33.
Bianco, Margery Williams, and William Nicholson. The Velveteen Rabbit, or, How Toys Become Real. Doubleday, Doran, 1926. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.9.B578 V4 1922.
A toy stuffed rabbit undergoes a bittersweet emotional journey of becoming "Real" through the power of a child's love. Originally published in 1922.
34.
Atwater, Richard, et al. Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Little, Brown and Co., 1938. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.A89 Mi 1938.
A humble house painter transforms his life and takes a performing troupe of penguins on a cross-country theatrical tour. Originally published in 1938.
35.
Daugherty, James. Daniel Boone. Viking Press, 1939. Closed Stacks CURR ; F454 .B733 1939.
A historical chronicle detailing the rugged exploration, trailblazing, and settlement of the American wilderness. Originally published in 1939.
36.
Travers, P. L., and Mary Shepard. Mary Poppins. G. Howe, Ltd., 1934. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.T689 Mar 1934.
The wind changes, bringing a magical nanny to Cherry Tree Lane to fundamentally alter the emotional landscape of the Banks family. Originally published in 1934.
37.
Brunhoff, Jean de. The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant. Random House, 1933. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.B828428 St 1933.
A young elephant flees the jungle for a human city, undergoes a rapid socialization process, and returns to bring civilization to his homeland.
38.
Coatsworth, Elizabeth, and Lynd Ward. The Cat Who Went to Heaven. Macmillan Co., 1930. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.C629 Cat 1931.
A poor Japanese artist's spiritual and ethical journey as he risks his reputation to include a cat in a sacred painting of Buddha. This book is illustrated by Lynd Ward, an alumnus of Teachers College, Columbia University. Originally published in 1930.
39.
Meigs, Cornelia. Invincible Louisa : The Story of the Author of Little Women. Little, Brown, 1948. Closed Stacks JUV ; PS1018 .M4 1933.
A biographical account of Louisa May Alcott’s perseverance and artistic journey through poverty to literary success. Originally published in 1933.
40.
Sawyer, Ruth, and Valenti Angelo. Roller Skates. Viking, 1936. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S269 Ro 1936.
Ten-year-old Lucinda explores New York City on roller skates during a liberating year of independent discovery and emotional maturity. Originally published in 1936.
41.
Shannon, Monica. Dobry. Viking Press, 1935. Closed Stack JUV ; PS3569.H295 1934.
A Bulgarian peasant boy’s inner journey to realize his dream of becoming a sculptor, despite his mother's desire for him to farm. Originally published in 1934.
42.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again. Houghton Mifflin, 1938. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.T52 Ho2 1938.
Bilbo Baggins is swept out of his comfortable hole on a classic external quest to reclaim treasure, discovering unexpected courage and resourcefulness along the way. Originally published in 1937.
43.
De Angeli, Marguerite. The Door in the Wall. Doubleday & Co., 1949. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.D35 Do4 1949.
Robin, a crippled boy in medieval England, takes a physical journey to a castle while learning to overcome his physical limitations to save a kingdom. Originally published in 1949.
44.
Brown, Margaret Wise, and Leonard Weisgard. The Little Island. Doubleday & company, inc., 1946. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.B8163 Ln.
A small island in the ocean learns from a visiting kitten how it is connected to the whole world, charting an existential realization. Originally published in 1946.
45.
Estes, Eleanor, and Louis Slobodkin. The Hundred Dresses. Harcourt, Brace, 1944. Closed Stacks JUV; PZ7.E749 Hu 1944.
Maddie goes on a painful moral journey of guilt and self-realization after participating in the teasing of a poor classmate. Originally published in 1944.
46.
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de, and Katherine Woods. The Little Prince. Harcourt Brace & World, 1943. Closed Stacks JUV ; PQ2637.A274 P413 1943.
An interstellar journey from Asteroid B-612 to Earth that serves as a profound allegory on loneliness, love, and the absurdities of the adult world. Originally published in 1943.
47.
Gannett, Ruth Stiles, and Ruth Chrisman Gannett. My Father’s Dragon. Random House, 1948. Closed Stacks CURR; PZ7.G15 My 1948.
Elmer Elevator travels to Wild Island on a highly organized, whimsical rescue mission to save a captive baby dragon. Originally published in 1948.
48.
Estes, Eleanor, and Louis Slobodkin. Rufus M. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1943. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.E749 Ru 1943.
A young boy navigates the everyday trials and emotional adjustments of a family trying to make ends meet during WWI. Originally published in 1943.
49.
Gates, Doris, and Paul Lantz. Blue Willow. Viking Press, 1940. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.G216 Bl 1940.
Janey, the daughter of a migrant worker in California, treasures a blue willow plate that symbolizes her deep longing for a permanent home. Originally published in 1940.
50.
Holling, Holling Clancy. Seabird. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1948. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.H725 Se 1948.
An ivory-carved bird accompanies four generations of sailors across the globe, charting the evolution of seafaring technology. Originally published in 1948.
51.
Lenski, Lois. Strawberry Girl. J. B. Lippincott company, 1945. Closed Stacks JUV PZ7.L54 St 1945.
Birdie Boyer’s family struggles to establish a strawberry farm in Florida, navigating harsh weather and a bitter feud with neighboring families. Originally published in 1945.
52.
Holling, Holling Clancy. Paddle-to-the-Sea. Houghton Mifflin, 1941. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.H725 Pad 1941.
A small toy canoe carved by an Indigenous boy travels through the Great Lakes all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally published in 1941.
53.
Henry, Marguerite, and Wesley Dennis. King of the Wind. Rand McNally, 1948. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.H43 Ki 1948.
The long, arduous physical journey of the Sham stallion and his mute stable boy from Morocco to France and England. Originally published in 1948.
54.
Lawson, Robert. Rabbit Hill. The Viking Press, 1944. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.L39 Rab 1944.
The local wildlife experiences an anxious psychological journey waiting to see if the "New Folks" moving into the big house will be kind or cruel. Originally published in 1944.
55.
Vining, Elizabeth Gray, and Robert Lawson. Adam of the Road. The Viking Press, 1942. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.V746 Ad 1942.
A minstrel’s son travels the highways of 13th-century England searching for his lost dog and father. Originally published in 1942.
56.
Sperry, Armstrong. Call It Courage. The Macmillan Company, 1941. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.1.S75 Cal 1941.
Mafatu, a Polynesian boy terrified of the sea, sails out alone into the Pacific to conquer his fear and prove his bravery. Originally published in 1940.
57.
De Jong, Meindert, and Maurice Sendak. Shadrach. Harper, 1953. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ10.3.D372 Sh 1953.
A young Dutch boy navigates an intense emotional journey of anticipation, ownership, and deep love for a little black rabbit. Originally published in 1953.
58.
Dalgliesh, Alice, and Leonard Weisgard. The Courage of Sarah Noble. Scribner, 1954. Closed Stacks Juvenile ; PZ7.D153 Co 1954.
An eight-year-old girl journeys into the 1700s Connecticut wilderness with her father, learning to keep her courage up among strangers. Alice Dagliesh was a Teachers College alumna. Originally published in 1954.
59.
George, Jean C. My Side of the Mountain. E.P. Dutton, 1962. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.G2933 My 1962.
Sam Gribley leaves New York City to live off the land independently in the Catskill Mountains, tracking a year of radical self-reliance. Originally published in 1959.
60.
Dalgliesh, Alice, and Helen Sewell. The Bears on Hemlock Mountain. Scribner, 1952. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.D153 Be 1952.
Jonathan’s tense evening trek over a dark mountain to fetch a iron pot, confronting his fears of hidden wildlife. The author, Alice Dagliesh, is a Teachers College alumna. Originally published in 1952.
61.
De Jong, Meindert. The Wheel on the School. Harper, 1954. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.D3675 Wg 1954.
Six school children in a Dutch village embark on a collaborative quest to bring storks back to their town, transforming the community. Originally published in 1954.
62.
Jarrell, Randall, and Maurice Sendak. The Animal Family. Pantheon Books, 1965. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.J295 An 1965.
A lonely hunter builds a lyrical, unconventional family with a mermaid, a bear, a lynx, and a boy, tracing an emotional journey toward belonging. Originally published in 1965.
63.
Keith, Harold. Rifles for Watie. Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1957. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7 .K4Ri 1957.
A young Union soldier acts as a spy inside a Cherokee rebel regiment, shifting his entire perspective on war and enemy humanity. Originally published in 1957.
64.
Krumgold, Joseph, and Symeon Shimin. Onion John. Crowell, 1959. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.K946 On 1959.
A young boy’s emotional struggle to separate his own identity from the expectations of his traditional father and an eccentric local hermit. Originally published in 1959.
65.
Lewis, C. S., and Pauline Baynes. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Macmillan, 1962. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.L58474 Vo 1952.
Book 3 of the Chronicles of Narnia in which four siblings step through a wardrobe into a mystical, frozen land, embarking on an allegorical quest to defeat evil and grow into rulers. In Book 3, Lucy and Edmund, accompanied by their peevish cousin Eustace, sail to the land of Narnia where Eustace is temporarily transformed into a green dragon because of his selfish behavior and skepticism. Originally published in 1952.
66.
Norton, Mary. The Borrowers. [First American edition]., Harcourt, Brace, 1953. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ8.N82 Bm 1953.
Tiny people living under the floorboards are forced to flee their secure home and journey into the dangerous wild world.
Originally published in 1952.
67.
Pearce, Philippa. Tom’s Midnight Garden. J.B. Lippincott, 1958. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.P3145 To 1958b.
Sent away to a dull apartment, Tom takes nightly, fantastical psychological journeys into a magical Victorian garden that explores the nature of time. Originally published in 1958.
68.
White, E. B., and Garth Williams. Charlotte’s Web. First edition., Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1952. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.W58277 Ch 1952.
Wilbur the pig undergoes an emotional journey from a fearful runt to a mature survivor, guided by Charlotte's sacrifice. Originally published in 1952.
69.
Sorensen, Virginia, et al. Miracles on Maple Hill. [First edition]., Harcourt, Brace, 1956. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S72 Mi 1956.
A family moves to outdoor Pennsylvania, embarking on a healing journey as their father recovers from the psychological trauma of war. Originally published in 1956.
70.
Ullman, James Ramsey. Banner in the Sky. [First edition]., Lippincott, 1954. Closed Stacks JUV; PZ7.U34 Ban 1954.
A Swiss boy’s physical and mental trial to scale the Citadel mountain, the peak that claimed his father's life. Originally published in 1954.
71.
Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Houghton Mifflin, 1958. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S7376 Wi 1971.
Kit Tyler travels from tropical Barbados to a strict Puritan colony in Connecticut, navigating a hostile culture and finding her own moral compass. Originally published in 1958.
72.
Alexander, Lloyd. The Black Cauldron. [First edition]., Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965. Closed Stacks JUV ; PS3501.L435 B5 1980.
aran leaves his home on a dangerous physical quest to destroy an evil cauldron, learning heavy lessons about sacrifice and true heroism. Originally published in 1965.
73.
Wojciechowska, Maia, and Alvin Smith. Shadow of a Bull. [First edition]., Atheneum, 1964. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.W8182 Sh 1964.
Manolo’s psychological struggle to choose his own destiny as he faces the immense societal pressure to become a bullfighter like his late father. Originally published in 1964.
74.
Treviño, Elizabeth Borton de. I, Juan de Pareja. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1965. Closed Stacks JUV; PZ7.T7327 I 1965.
The lifelong journey of an enslaved man who secretively teaches himself to paint while assisting the master artist Velázquez in the Spanish court, eventually earning his freedom. Originally published in 1965.
75.
McLean, Allan Campbell. Ribbon of Fire. [First edition]., [publisher not identified], 1962. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.M22415 Ri 1962.
A dramatic struggle for land rights on the Isle of Skye, following a youth caught in crofters' rebellions against oppressive landlords. Originally published in 1962.
76.
Juster, Norton, and Jules Feiffer. The Phantom Tollbooth. Random House, 1964. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.J98 Ph 1967.
Milo travels through a magical tollbooth to the Kingdom of Wisdom, an allegorical journey that cures his existential boredom and sparks a love of learning. Originally published in 1961.
77.
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1962. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.L5385 Wr 1962.
Meg Murry journeys through space and time via tesseract to rescue her father, discovering that her flaws can be her greatest emotional strengths. Originally published in 1962.
78.
O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. Houghton Mifflin, 1960. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.0237 .Is 1960.
An Indigenous girl is accidentally left behind on an island for eighteen years, charting an internal journey of survival, peace with nature, and resilience. Originally published in 1960.
79.
Stolz, Mary, and Louis S. Glanzman. The Noonday Friends. Harper & Row, 1965. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S875854 No 1965.
Franny navigates the exhausting everyday realities of poverty, family stress, and the delicate dynamics of school friendships in New York. Originally published in 1965.
80.
Neville, Emily, and Emil Weiss. It’s Like This, Cat. Large type edition., Harper & Row, 1963. Closed Stacks JUV; PZ7.N33 Its 1963.
A fourteen-year-old boy navigates the streets of Manhattan and the emotional distance of his relationship with his father. Originally published in 1963.
81.
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Harper & Row, 1963. Closed Stacks JUV ; PZ7.S47 Wh 1963.
Max sails away to an island of monsters in a psychological escape to process his anger, returning when he feels the pull of unconditional love. Originally published in 1963.
About the Curiosity Cabinets
The Curiosity Cabinets showcase interesting and insightful material from the historical collections to inform and enhance concomitant art exhibitions and book displays. Read more here.
Where: Third Floor Reading Room
When: Fall Semester
