Picture-Books in Winter

Robert Louis Stevenson · 1885

Catalog grade guidance: K–5 — Short children’s lyric; good for early memorization and reading aloud.

22 content lines · 110 words · Est. recitation about 1 min 9 sec (approx.)

Public-domain text for reading and recitation practice. Source: Project Gutenberg #136.Estimated time uses ~120 words/minute plus short pauses—not a contest rule.

Picture-Books in Winter

  Summer fading, winter comes--
  Frosty mornings, tingling thumbs,
  Window robins, winter rooks,
  And the picture story-books.

  Water now is turned to stone
  Nurse and I can walk upon;
  Still we find the flowing brooks
  In the picture story-books.

  All the pretty things put by,
  Wait upon the children's eye,
  Sheep and shepherds, trees and crooks,
  In the picture story-books.

  We may see how all things are
  Seas and cities, near and far,
  And the flying fairies' looks,
  In the picture story-books.

  How am I to sing your praise,
  Happy chimney-corner days,
  Sitting safe in nursery nooks,
  Reading picture story-books?


                                             V