Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

FAVOURITE BOOKS.

CHILDREN'S FANCIES.

an interesting vote. (feow otjs ovrs coehesposdekt.) SYDNEY, November 5. One of the most interesting features of the "Book Week" which has just concluded in Victoria was a. vote of children in all parts of the State organised bv the Melbourne "Herald" to ascertain the opinions of the modern boy and girl as to their favourite books. There were nearly 200 entries, and if the' results are a true guide it shows that the one-time impregnable positions of some of the favourites of the latter da'ys of last century have at length been undermined. Australia and New Zealand, in the opinion of prominent book sellers here, are probably, per cent, of their populations, the greatest • readqijs ,in |he ~\vprld, and the r'esult of tfi'is - competition showed-that the discrimination of choice and the variety of books tliat are read commences' early in life. Honourable mention was accorded no fewer than 465 separate books, ranging from the New Testament,- which received two votes, to Tiger Tim's Annual, which boasted a solitary admirer. Authors past and present figured equally in tharegard of competitors, and a . pleasing feature was the recognition of the Australian author.

The twelve books placed by popular consent at the headoorf r the list, are as follows:

Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll). •97 votes. Seven Little Australians (Ethel Turner), 85 votes. Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe), 75 votes. ; Little Women (L. Alcott), 61 votes. Little Black Princess (Mrs iEneas Gunn), 55 votes. • Tom Brown's Schooldays (Thomas Hughes), 51 votes. Hans - Andersen's Fairy Tales 48 ■'votes.

Treasure Island (R. L. Stevenson), 47 votes. Grimm's Fairy. Tales, 47, votes. Swiss Family Robinson (J. D. Wpss), 43 votes'. The Water Babies (Charles Kings- , ley), 39 votes. Uncle Tom's Cabin (Mrs H. Beecher "Stowe), 36 votes.

The prize was' awarded to the list of books most nearly approximately the aggregate result.. This was .the list submitted by.L. E., Smith, of Maffra, .Did was as follows:—Andersen's Tales, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Little Black, Princess, .Tom Brown's Schooldays, ■ Alice in. Wonderland, Robinson Crusoe, Don© Quixote, Swiss Family .Robinson, Seven Little Australians, Wiiks, The Water B ( abies, and Little Women. The decline of old favoppites is shown • by the fact that even the Three. Musketeers could only raise a solitary vote. The Count of Monte Cristo would remain in'. his loathy dungeon had, nqt .two youthful Victorians felt the fascination of this masterpiece. : And one can picture theindignation of. the sententious Dr. Watson had he, bcea' tbld that a time would come when the superlative and only Sherlock Holmes would find but a solitary voice to sing his praises.

Voting on some other mighty ones fallen. from modern grace resulted as follows:

Westward Ho (19), Jungle Books (17), Tom Sawyer" (12); Pilgrim's Progress (20), Gulliver's Travels (15), ( Lorna Doone (3), Twenty' Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (5), John Halifax, Gentleman (7). Authors, themselves, however, ' have no reason. to complain. Between • 300 and 400 found representation. Australian Writers . were .wpll to. the. fore,. One. juyishile, presumably of.'intensely patriotic tendency, plumped straight out for the Biilabong series of Mary Grant Bruce., And. Charles Dickens' plaid westcoat must have burst with satisfaction could he have cast his 'eyes, oyer the. lists'of a public far removed from hpyocrisy of unthinking hero worship. ' ' -

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19241114.2.124

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18230, 14 November 1924, Page 18

Word count
Tapeke kupu
543

FAVOURITE BOOKS. Press, Volume LX, Issue 18230, 14 November 1924, Page 18

FAVOURITE BOOKS. Press, Volume LX, Issue 18230, 14 November 1924, Page 18

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert