Schoolboy Collection

Textbooks of yesteryear: the spirit of the 1950s classroom

There is something reassuring about textbooks from the past: short, structured lessons, beautifully laid-out pages, descriptive engravings, and a patient progression that never skips a step. The "Collection de l'Écolier" brings this spirit back to life in three volumes composed in the style of 1950s classroom books, featuring authentic vintage engravings and maps.

Three volumes, three uses

The first reading book is based on the syllabic method, which taught generations of schoolchildren to read: starting with letters, then syllables, then words, without guessing or skipping steps. The all-subjects volume covers the curriculum from primary school grades CE1 to CM2—reading, grammar, history, geography, and science—in the great tradition of the "certificat d'études." Finally, the arithmetic book restores the focus on mental math and concrete, old-fashioned word problems, the kind involving apples, trains, and meters of fabric.

Who is this collection for?

For parents who want a return to the fundamentals to supplement school, for families homeschooling their children, and for grandparents who wish to pass on the schooling of their childhood—it is a gift that is often just as much a pleasure to give as it is to receive.

How to use them at home?

As bedtime reading, for short weekend sessions, or as support during the holidays: these books are self-contained and require no preparation. They pair perfectly with our other educational books for primary school. And to find out who makes these works and why, head over to our about page.