McGuffey's Readers · Fourth Reader · revised edition

McGuffey's Fourth Eclectic Reader, Revised Edition

Ninety stories, poems and short essays, from "Perseverance" to "A Mother's Gift," with optional lessons on reading aloud, for children about 9 to 11. Every lesson has a guide you can follow step by step, with the right page of the book beside it.

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How to use it

  • One lesson a day. Most lessons take 25 to 30 minutes. A few long stories and poems are easier over two days; the guides say so.
  • Words at the end. In this reader the new words and their meanings come after each lesson, under Definitions. Look at them before reading, then learn a few to spell.
  • Read aloud, every day. These lessons were written to be read aloud with expression. Read poems to your child first, then have your child read them, usually twice.
  • Talk, then tell back. Ask a few questions (many come from the book's own Exercises), then close the book and let your child tell the lesson in their own words. Older or more confident children can write it as a paragraph.
  • Copy and learn. A short passage to copy neatly and a handful of words to spell give each day a quiet, written finish. Keep everything in one notebook.
  • About the authors. The book prints short notes about many authors. The guides repeat only what those notes say; some dates reflect when the book was printed.

Part 1 Reading aloud well

Optional lessons from the front of the book: punctuation marks, clear sounds, accent and inflection. Lessons 1–4.

  1. 1Punctuation marks optionalLesson Intro 1✓
  2. 2Articulation: the elementary sounds optionalLesson Intro 2✓
  3. 3Exercises in articulation and sentences for practice optionalLesson Intro 3✓
  4. 4Accent and inflection optionalLesson Intro 4✓

Part 2 Perseverance, fairy tales and kindness

Trying again, the magic mill, popping corn, Jennie's smiles, a monkey, meddlesome Matty, a good son, Eddie's to-morrow and Henry Bond's will. Lessons 5–16.

  1. 5Perseverance, by Charlotte ElizabethLesson I✓
  2. 6Try, Try Again, by T. H. PalmerLesson II✓
  3. 7Why the Sea is Salt, part 1, by Mary HowittLesson III✓
  4. 8Why the Sea is Salt, part 2, by Mary HowittLesson IV✓
  5. 9Popping CornLesson V✓
  6. 10SmilesLesson VI✓
  7. 11Lazy NedLesson VII✓
  8. 12The MonkeyLesson VIII✓
  9. 13Meddlesome MattyLesson IX✓
  10. 14The Good SonLesson X✓
  11. 15To-morrow, by Mrs. M. B. JohnsonLesson XI✓
  12. 16Where there is a Will there is a WayLesson XII✓

Part 3 Courage, the sea and the frost

Piccola's Christmas, Fred's true manliness, the brown thrush, ships and sailors, two sides of a story, the frost's pranks, the saved whip-cord, the lion and the talking strawberries. Lessons 17–28.

  1. 17Piccola, by Celia ThaxterLesson XIII✓
  2. 18True Manliness, part 1, by Mrs. M. O. JohnsonLesson XIV✓
  3. 19True Manliness, part 2, by Mrs. M. O. JohnsonLesson XV✓
  4. 20The Brown Thrush, by Lucy LarcomLesson XVI✓
  5. 21A Ship in a StormLesson XVII✓
  6. 22The Sailor's Consolation, by Charles DibdinLesson XVIII✓
  7. 23Two Ways of Telling a Story, by Henry K. OliverLesson XIX✓
  8. 24Freaks of the Frost, by Hannah Flagg GouldLesson XX✓
  9. 25Waste not, Want notLesson XXI✓
  10. 26Jeannette and Jo, by Mary Mapes DodgeLesson XXII✓
  11. 27The LionLesson XXIII✓
  12. 28Strawberries, by J. T. TrowbridgeLesson XXIV✓

Part 4 Riches, eagles and good neighbors

Harry's riches, Frisk the dog, the grass and the eagle, an Alpine song, Scrapewell's excuses, the noblest revenge, and Margery's wondering walk. Lessons 29–39.

  1. 29Harry's RichesLesson XXV✓
  2. 30In Time's Swing, by Lucy LarcomLesson XXVI✓
  3. 31Harry and his Dog, by Mary Russell MitfordLesson XXVII✓
  4. 32The Voice of the Grass, by Sarah RobertsLesson XXVIII✓
  5. 33The EagleLesson XXIX✓
  6. 34The Old Eagle Tree, by Dr. John ToddLesson XXX✓
  7. 35Alpine Song, by W. W. StoryLesson XXXI✓
  8. 36Circumstances Alter CasesLesson XXXII✓
  9. 37The Noblest RevengeLesson XXXIII✓
  10. 38Evening HymnLesson XXXIV✓
  11. 39How Margery Wondered, by Lucy LarcomLesson XXXV✓

Part 5 Work, wonder and the world

The child's world, Susie's composition, idle George and busy Charles, coffee, the nettle, a tempest, the horse and a story of true emulation. Lessons 40–52.

  1. 40The Child's WorldLesson XXXVI✓
  2. 41Susie's CompositionLesson XXXVII✓
  3. 42The Summer Shower, by T. B. ReadLesson XXXVIII✓
  4. 43Consequences of Idleness, by AbbottLesson XXXIX✓
  5. 44Advantages of Industry, by AbbottLesson XL✓
  6. 45The Fountain, by James Russell LowellLesson XLI✓
  7. 46CoffeeLesson XLII✓
  8. 47The Winter King, by Hannah Flagg GouldLesson XLIII✓
  9. 48The Nettle, by Dr. WalshLesson XLIV✓
  10. 49The Tempest, by James T. FieldsLesson XLV✓
  11. 50The Creator, with verses by John KebleLesson XLVI✓
  12. 51The Horse, by BingleyLesson XLVII✓
  13. 52EmulationLesson XLVIII✓

Part 6 Honesty, Crusoe and good-will

The sandpiper, Andrew's right way, Susan and the Golden Rule, Robinson Crusoe, knowledge and good-will, a Chinese story, friendship and the giraffe. Lessons 53–64.

  1. 53The Sandpiper, by Celia ThaxterLesson XLIX✓
  2. 54The Right Way, adapted from Frank R. StocktonLesson L✓
  3. 55The Golden Rule, by Emma C. EmburyLesson LI✓
  4. 56The Snow Man, by Marian DouglasLesson LII✓
  5. 57Robinson Crusoe's House, by Daniel DeFoeLesson LIII✓
  6. 58Robinson Crusoe's Dress, by Daniel DeFoeLesson LIV✓
  7. 59Somebody's DarlingLesson LV✓
  8. 60Knowledge is PowerLesson LVI✓
  9. 61Good-will, by J. T. TrowbridgeLesson LVII✓
  10. 62A Chinese Story, by C. P. CranchLesson LVIII✓
  11. 63The Way to be HappyLesson LIX✓
  12. 64The GiraffeLesson LX✓

Part 7 Lost and found

A lost child, the seven children, the pet fawn, Annie's dream, Tom Brown at Rugby, the Hesperus, birds, the rainbow and the old oaken bucket. Lessons 65–76.

  1. 65The Lost Child, by AbbottLesson LXI✓
  2. 66Which?, by Mrs. E. L. BeersLesson LXII✓
  3. 67The Pet Fawn, by Miss S. F. CooperLesson LXIII✓
  4. 68Annie's DreamLesson LXIV✓
  5. 69My Ghost, by Mrs. S. M. B. PiattLesson LXV✓
  6. 70The ElephantLesson LXVI✓
  7. 71Dare to do Right, part 1, by Thomas HughesLesson LXVII✓
  8. 72Dare to do Right, part 2, by Thomas HughesLesson LXVIII✓
  9. 73The Wreck of the Hesperus, by LongfellowLesson LXIX✓
  10. 74Anecdotes of Birds, by HallLesson LXX✓
  11. 75The Rainbow Pilgrimage, by Grace GreenwoodLesson LXXI✓
  12. 76The Old Oaken Bucket, by Samuel WoodworthLesson LXXII✓

Part 8 Truth, wisdom and work

The Sermon on the Mount, the young witness, Solomon and the ants, a boys' theater, Alfred the Great, farm life, Hugh Idle and Mr. Toil, and burning the fallow. Lessons 77–85.

  1. 77The Sermon on the MountLesson LXXIII✓
  2. 78The Young Witness, by S. H. HammondLesson LXXIV✓
  3. 79King Solomon and the Ants, by WhittierLesson LXXV✓
  4. 80Rivermouth Theater, by T. B. AldrichLesson LXXVI✓
  5. 81Alfred the GreatLesson LXXVII✓
  6. 82Living on a FarmLesson LXXVIII✓
  7. 83Hugh Idle and Mr. Toil, part 1, by HawthorneLesson LXXIX✓
  8. 84Hugh Idle and Mr. Toil, part 2, by HawthorneLesson LXXX✓
  9. 85Burning the Fallow, by Mrs. Susanna MoodieLesson LXXXI✓

Part 9 History, seasons and home

Soldiers and a siege, the four seasons, Brandywine Ford, the best capital, the Inchcape Rock, and two last poems about mothers. Lessons 86–94.

  1. 86The Dying SoldiersLesson LXXXII✓
  2. 87The Attack on Nymegen, by MotleyLesson LXXXIII✓
  3. 88The Seasons, by H. G. Adams, Lowell, Thomas Hood and C. T. BrooksLesson LXXXIV✓
  4. 89Brandywine Ford, part 1, by Bayard TaylorLesson LXXXV✓
  5. 90Brandywine Ford, part 2, by Bayard TaylorLesson LXXXVI✓
  6. 91The Best Capital, by Louisa M. AlcottLesson LXXXVII✓
  7. 92The Inchcape Rock, by SoutheyLesson LXXXVIII✓
  8. 93My Mother's GraveLesson LXXXIX✓
  9. 94A Mother's Gift—The Bible, by W. FergussonLesson XC✓

The book itself

Lesson numbers match the book's Roman numerals: Lesson 3 is the book's Lesson III. The guides are written for this site; the book is in the public domain.

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