Narrative

6. Before further describing some of the many works of literature for children designed to instruct, it should be noted that the great increase in the publication of literature for children in the early-nineteenth century had as much to do with widespread appeal. Sarah Catherine Martin’s The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and her Dog (London: Harris, 1805), for example, was massively popular, and likely did much to stimulate children’s reading and the expansion of children’s publishing (the edition shown here is from York). Notably, Harris, who took over Newbery’s family publishing business, carried on the work of popular children’s publishing with such works.