In 1751 we find New York waking up to the appreciation of children’s books.  There J. Waddell and James Parker were apparently the pioneers in bringing to public notice the fact that they had for sale little novel-books in addition to horn-books and primers; and moreover the “Weekly Post-Boy” advertised that these booksellers had “Pretty Books for little Masters and Misses” (clearly a Newbery imitation), “with Blank Flourished Christmas pieces for Scholars.”

But as yet even Franklin had hardly been convinced that the old way of imparting knowledge was not superior to the then modern combination of amusement and instruction; therefore, although with his partner, David Hall, he without doubt sold such children’s books as were available, for his daughter Sally, aged seven, he had other views.  At his request his wife, in December, 1751, wrote the following letter to William Strahan: 

     MADAM,—­I am ordered by my Master to write for him Books
     for Sally Franklin.  I am in Hopes She will be abel to write for
     herself by the Spring.

8 Sets of the Perceptor best Edit. 8 Doz. of Croxall’s Fables. 3 Doz. of Bishop Kenns Manual for Winchester School. 1 Doz.  Familiar Forms, Latin and Eng.  Ainsworth’s Dictionaries, 4 best Edit. 2 Doz.  Select Tales and Fables. 2 Doz.  Costalio’s Test.  Cole’s Dictionarys Latin and Eng. 6 a half doz. 3 Doz. of Clarke’s Cordery. 1 Boyle’s Pliny 2 vols. 8vo. 6 Sets of Nature displayed in 7 vols. 12mo.  One good Quarto Bibel with Cudes bound in calfe. 1 Penrilla. 1 Art of making Common Salt.  By Browning.

     My Dafter gives her duty to Mr. Stroyhan and his Lady, and her
     compliments to Master Billy and all his brothers and Sisters....

     Your humbel Servant
       DEBORAH FRANKLIN

Little Sally Franklin could not have needed eight dozen copies of Aesop’s Fables, nor four Ainsworth’s Dictionaries, so it is probable that Deborah Franklin’s far from ready pen put down the book order for the spring, and that Sally herself was only to be supplied with the “Perceptor,” the “Fables,” and the “one good Quarto Bibel.”

As far as it is now possible to judge, the people of the towns soon learned the value of Newbery’s little nursery tales, and after seventeen hundred and fifty-five, when most of his books were written and published, they rapidly gained a place on the family book-shelves in America.

By seventeen hundred and sixty Hugh Gaine, printer, publisher, patent medicine seller, and employment agent for New York, was importing practically all the Englishman’s juvenile publications then for sale.  At the “Bible and Crown,” where Gaine printed the “Weekly Mercury,” could be bought, wholesale and retail, such books as, “Poems for Children Three Feet High,” “Tommy Trapwit,” “Trip’s Book of Pictures,” “The New Year’s Gift,” “The Christmas Box,” etc.