''Little Folks'' was a monthly United States children's magazine for young readers
[Kelly, R. Gordon, ''Children's Periodicals of the United States'', pages 282 - 285, Greenwood Press, 1984] from three to twelve years-old. It was founded by publisher Samuel E. Cassino, and was published between November 1897 and 1926 – originally in Boston, but was later relocated to
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
.
Editors
Ella Farman
Eliza Anna Farman Pratt (1837–1907) (pen names, Ella Farman and Dorothea Alice Shepherd) was an American writer of children's literature, best known for editing ''Wide Awake'' magazine for 16 years, starting in 1875.
Early life
Farman was born ...
Pratt was co-editor from 1897 until shortly before her death in 1907. From 1897 until 1909
Charles Stuart Pratt was co-editor, and then editor, of ''Little Folks'', until illness prevented him from working. Until at least 1912 the ''Little Folks'' Contents page stated "Edited from foundation to May, 1909, by Charles S. and Ella Farman Pratt." The Pratts had previously edited the children’s magazine
''Wide Awake'' from 1875 to 1891.
The final editor was Margheritta Osborn Osborne, daughter of publisher Samuel E. Cassino. She had edited ''Everyday Housekeeping'' from 1908 to 1910.
Format
''Little Folks'' averaged 46 one-column pages, with advertising sections at the front and back of each issue. No advertising appeared amongst the stories. Every volume began in November, and all successive issues of a volume continued numbering pages where the last issue ended its numbering. For example, if the May issue ended with page 238, the June issue began with page 239.
[Seven ''Little Folks'' issues, March 1911 through June 1912] For many years the magazine subscription price was one dollar a year, but over time the price increased to two dollars a year.
Content
The magazine was well-illustrated with drawings and photographs. Each issue contained short stories, articles, poems, and serialized stories. Readers' letters about their charitable endeavors were printed on a page originally called ''Lend-a-Hand Society'', and then changed to ''Little Folks Helping Hand Society''. A feature entitled ''Play Department'' gave instructions for making simple paper or cardboard toys and crafts.
A regular feature was a two-page picture story for the youngest readers. Each story contained dozens of small illustrations that were used in place of a printed word.
Starting in 1920 ''Little Folks'' was subtitled ''Something to Do for Boys and Girls''. New features were added including instructions for items to make, book reviews, nature study and animal stories.
Other ''Little Folks'' periodicals
''Little Folks'' was a British magazine for the young published by Cassell, and based in London, England. It was published from 1871 to 1933.
Edward Eggleston
Edward Eggleston (December 10, 1837 – September 3, 1902) was an American historian and novelist.
Biography
Eggleston was born in Vevay, Indiana, to Joseph Cary Eggleston and Mary Jane Craig. The author George Cary Eggleston was his brother. ...
published an eight-page Sunday School paper entitled ''Little Folks'', which was distributed monthly, and was published from 1869 to 1877.
[Pflieer, Pat, ''American Children's Periodicals, 1789-1872'' (Kindle Edition), location 9745 to 9763, Merrycoz Books, 2016]
References
External links
Online issues of ''Little Folks'', 1900 – 1919
{{Portal, Children's literature
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Children's magazines published in the United States
Defunct magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1897
Magazines disestablished in 1926
Magazines published in Massachusetts