McGuffey, William H. McGuffey's newly revised first reader. The eclectic first reader for children. Cincinnati: Winthrop B. Smith, [1844].

Watkinson holdings in children's literature number ca. 1,500 volumes of books from the 18th through the 20th centuries, primarily American and English, including:

• 19th-century story and picture books
• 19th-century authors and illustrators
• representative selection of 20th-century authors.

Notable strengths include Horatio Alger and G. A. Henty.

Other holdings:

• children's song and hymn books (mainly American)
• 19th-century periodicals
• ephemera.

The Barnard Collection of school textbooks, primarily American, comprises ca. 7,000 volumes, from the 18th century to around 1880. Also in the Barnard Collection are a large number of New England primers and some non-textbook materials, such as Peter Parley books.

The ABC books collection comprises ca. 350 titles, chiefly juvenile, from the early 18th century to the late 20th century.