I have enjoyed collecting as well as reading and taking the time to view the beautiful illustrations in vintage basic Readers/Primers for over 20 years. My now vast collection started many years ago when I was in a second hand or gently used book store. I was enthusiastically going through all the wonderful books on the shelves and I happened to view a Vintage Reader titled Girls and Boys At School by Harr Wagner Publishing Company, San Francisco Copy Right 1956. I quickly purchased this book! When I had the chance to inspect the book, I found that it reminded me of the many readers I had during my school days. This set me on the path to find my long forgotten childhood school books . Many years later I have been extremely lucky to find quite a few of my old school primers in various states of condition.

Collecting old primers seems to be an extremely popular past time for many today! Most of us seem to be drawn to these vintage school text books. With the turn of each and every page very fond nostalgic memories of school days & simpler times comes flooding back! What a relaxing and fun time to sit, read and enjoy the delightful stories and view the naive yet memorable illustrations presented in these school primers . These cherished vintage books are also lovely items to share and pass down to our children and grand children. These primers offer a simple reading and learning approach that children of today still enjoy and can benefit from.

• Some Hints I can pass along when shopping for your books are as follows: I recommend your friendly flea market, used books stores, garage sales, second hand stores, library book sales as well as many of the vast and varied shops and points of reference that are available on-line today. There were numerous Primers/Readers issued to the school system that are so very highly collectible in today's market. The Dick &, Jane Readers are very sought after and treasured among serious collectors. These characters came alive in 1930 in Scott-Foresman's Elson-Gray Basic Readers. These primers were wonderfully illustrated with many bright and cheerful Illustrations which used the simple process of association and repetitiveness. Learning to read became a fun and straightforward process. Many of us identify with the characters in these basic readers, be it Dick & Jane with Sally, Spot, Puff, etc., Alice & Jerry from Row Peterson & Company Golden Anniversary Books first published in 1957, or John & Jean from The New Cathedral Basic Readers by W.J. Gage & Company. The books are easily identified with their colourful covers and large lettering. The spine of the book generally identifies the book as to publisher, title and level. The back of the book generally offers a vocabulary list with a paragraph that explains the relevance as well as number of the vocabulary words that have been introduced.
  
  I have also been able to find antique readers while on the hunt . They are not as easily found and the condition of many is fair to very poor but every once in a while a real gem is found! Some titles to look for would be The Elson Gray Reader Featuring Baby Ray Book 1. C. 1927 and the The Ontario Readers Primer, Copyright 1933 by The Minister of Education for Ontario.
  
  Here are some very simple tips to follow when starting a collection of school primers. When on the hunt look for books that present with all the pages present and clean. I try to count each and every page to ensure all pages are present. It is hard to find readers without the school stamps and/or some scribbling by the previous owner here and there and usually throughout. Do look for books with a good tight binding and clean covers. The text should be clear and readable . This will ensure you are on your way to a good investment as well as hours and hours of enjoyment. Also note all the original primers are now out of print. There have been other editions that have been printed by various authors and very recently I spotted some at a local antique market. These books are clearly new and easy to spot. Note some of the authors do include Elson-Gray, as well as William S. Gray. These books are noted to have been published by Scott, Foresman and Company.
  
  When hunting for your old Primer/Readers you will come across many that have been very well loved and well used. May I also suggest that books that are not in the very best condition are still wonderful if they have pages that are clean and clear. A great idea is to frame these vintage pages into old vintage frames from that time era and to display them in your home, cottage or even workplace. I have many on the walls of my kitchen, porch and laundry room. They are so charming and do add to your decor. I have had many comment from visitors stating that they remembered the characters, or even the specific page from their school days!!! It is also a beautiful way to preserve these charming pieces from our past!
  
  Collecting vintage Primers/Readers is a great hobby! Many other companies and types of basic Readers/Primers are also readily found and would make welcome additions to any collection. When starting a new collection it is still fairly easy to find books at fair prices and they seem to be easy to locate. A few that I have enjoyed collecting include Fun in Story Easy Growth in Reading, John C. Winston Co, The Toy Box Thomas Nelson & Sons Canada.The March Family Canadian Basic Reader , John C. Winston Co , Tom and Susan Scott Foresman and Company, Come Along Reading for Meaning Thomas Nelson & Sons Canada Skippy and Others by Mary MacIntyre by The MacMillan Company of Canada 1943.
  
  Many Thanks for reading this article. We wish you the very best of luck with your book collection and hunt! There are still so many wonderful Readers/Primers still waiting to be found. The thrill of the hunt is equal to the joy you will receive when you find your old friends. We invite one and all to stop in and visit our on-line shop! We have many readers in stock that will make a wonderful addition to any collection.