Talk:The Children's Encyclopædia

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Personal Observations[edit]

In 1956, when I was three, my mother bought a set of the Children's Encyclopaedia from a door-to-door salesman. I taught myself to read out of it and read the whole thing over the next few years. It enormously influenced my intellectual development, leading me in particular towards an interest in history which I have retained ever since. Thanks for reminding me of it. Adam 08:33, 11 Oct 2003 (UTC)

I loved reading it at a similar age too. Good article. Colonel Warden 21:52, 30 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I have a 10-volume edition that shows some evidence of having been published around 1924, refuting the claim that post-1910 versions were 8 volumes. Unless 1910 is a typo for 1930? Please confirm or deny! Lee M 03:17, 22 Mar 2004 (UTC)
The article says
"There were 12 editions of the 8-volume set, which was then expanded to the ten volume set in 1923.". This is consistent with your 1924 10-volume edition. Graham 01:50, 23 Mar 2004 (UTC)

My grandad bought this from a door to door salesman for my dad, and now I've got it. Brilliant book. I assume my edition (ten volumes) is the first postwar edition, as the history section goes from the creation of the solar system to the coronation of Elizabeth II!

There was a post 1940 10 vol. blue bound edition it has a portrait of Arthur Mee by Frank O Salisbury painted 1940 in vol 1 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Locmor (talk • contribs) 08:40, 26 June 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Earlier today, rummaging through a second hand store, I found a part of the book in magazine format dated 1928, about twenty issues - never realised it was a regularly updated work, but I knew Wikipedia would provide the answers.81.105.55.119 19:36, 16 August 2007 (UTC) (dantheman123)[reply]

I recieved a relatively good set of books from my grandfather, who taught my father and uncle to read from it. I gained my appreciation of history, math, physics, chemistry, literature, poetry, and nearly every other subject from these sets of books. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.168.240.151 (talk) 04:28, 16 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Children's Cyclopedia / The Book of Knowledge[edit]

I have come across some books called "The Book of Knowledge" , Children's cyclopedia and the copyright shows documents ranging from 1868-1912 and it was published in 1911-1912 by The Grolier Society (actually there are many publishers + copyrights shown but 1912 is the most recent). Anyway, the index is XX so this implies a twenty volume set, I think. The book is set up just as described, subject matter from men & women to how and why things work to many poems and children's stories, arts & crafts and general interesting information. I only have 6 volumes though, Index XX, XIX, XVII, XVI, XIV, XX. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.23.20.144 (talk) 21:14, 8 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]


Hello, I have a few volumes of The Book of Knowledge (found in my grandparents attic) with the latest copyright in 1911. One of them has the index, which is Vol. XXIV...I also have Volumes II, VI, VIII, IX, XIII, XIV, and XVII.

Catfeathers 04:06, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The Book of Knowledge is not the same as the Children's Encyclopedia. In Britain, the Book of Knowledge went through several editions with different editors (not Arthur Mee) and competed with the Children's Encyclopedia. The Book of Knowledge is alphabetical in format. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 20.133.0.8 (talk) 07:57, 2 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

External Link[edit]

The one external link to the Britannica doesn't work. Surely there must be a magazine article from the 1940s, '50s, or '60s which has a history of this work?12.219.83.146 (talk) 10:01, 15 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Fairy tales[edit]

My father's grandmother used to have these books (he remembers them being called 'The Book of Knowledge', which can give you some idea of the edition I guess) and he says that each volume included some fairy tales, that she would tell them. Some of those fairy tales he remembered and told me and my sister when we were younger. Twenty-something years later, I have only a very vague memory of them, and would dearly love to find the originals, so that they are not lost (for our family anyway). Unfortunately, it seems that no library near where I live carries them. Does anyone have any information about these stories? Were they original stories, or reprints of stories from elsewhere? If you can tell me anything, please contact me via email: yaelet on Gmail. Thank you! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.116.82.210 (talk) 10:51, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

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Versions[edit]

My parents have one of these encyclopaedias, the leather bound 10 volume edition. Maybe the article could do with ways of finding out which revision of these one has or maybe a link to somewhere that has this information, as this series has been heavily revised since it was first published. In the first volume in the edition owned by my parents there is a portrait of "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II" painted by Pietro Annigoni which, according to that article, said portrait was created in 1956 (though I've found other sources that say it was done in 1955), which automatically means my parents version of the books is a much later one, possibly very late 50's, early 1960s? There are no other dates present in the book, not even a copyright date. NKTP (talk) 13:05, 21 October 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Answered my own question from what I've just added to the article :) My parents have what I already knew to be a 1950s+ revision and I now believe it dates from 1957. Lack of a publication date isn't unique to the later revisions - apparently affects most if not all revisions. NKTP (talk) 15:11, 22 June 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Editions[edit]

It would be interesting to hear of other's research into the various editions of the 10 volume set which could be any time from 1922 to 1963 (presuming the only 20 volume set dates to 1964). The colour of the binding is not completely reliable, but the design on the spine might be.

The main periods seem to be: 1. golden chandelier hanging down (1920s?) usually blue or green 2. golden chandelier rising up (late 1920s?) blue, green or light blue 3. art deco pattern (1930s) red or purple 4. torch (1940s?) brown 5. horizontal lines (1950s?) red 6. plain with black design in background (1950s?) blue

I have identified my set which is red with art deco design as 1931-2 (Pluto discovered, but Battersea Power Station not built yet). I have since discovered in other volumes reference to American history up to 1935, with an article about Hitler, with a hopelessly optimistic prediction that he would be brought down by the superior power of Christianity.

I welcome other positive datings from historical information contained therein.

Elmbeard (talk) 20:18, 20 January 2017 (UTC)Elmbeard[reply]

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