Public-domain status generally means that a source text is no longer protected by copyright in the relevant jurisdiction or has been released for public use. Rights status can vary by country and edition.
Reader tools
View all tools →
Choose, compare, and track a book from this collection
Independent digital catalogue
PUIEQ Historical Children’s Library – 97 Public-Domain Children’s Books
This catalogue gathers 97 public-domain children's texts from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Rather than a simple list, it's organized around questions you might bring: What was school like for young readers then? Which adventures involved mystery or travel? How did moral tales use fantasy? The four categories—Young Readers, School Stories, Children's Adventures, Fairy and Moral Tales—overlap where a book fits several subjects. Each record links to the full text on Project Gutenberg and includes an editorial note to support a first reading. Start with the 'Three Practical Reading Paths' below to find a book that matches your curiosity.
97 public-domain works97 represented authorsSource-attributed catalogue records
Children’s — Editor’s Selection
A concise group of works selected to introduce the subjects, source types and historical questions represented in this catalogue.
Newly Catalogued by PUIEQ
Recently added catalogue records, listed with author information, thematic placement and links to the available work pages.
Mystery Wings A Mystery Story fo...
In Childre...
The Twin Ventriloquists; or, Nim...
In Childre...
The Mystery of the Fires — Backg...
In Childre...
The Mystery at Dark Cedars — A R...
In Childre...
Rilla of the Lighthouse — Readin...
In Childre...
The Perambulations of a Bee and ...
In Childre...
The Motor Boys in Mexico; Or, Th...
In Childre...
Camping on the St. Lawrence; Or,...
In Childre...
Catalogue questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How the collection is organized, presented and corrected.
Catalogue records organize the author, title, edition and source information available for each work. Source links are provided where they are available.
Works are grouped according to their main subjects, historical setting, source type and their relationship to other records in the collection.
The catalogue provides organization and editorial context. Original source texts retain their own wording, edition details and rights status.
Use the contact page to report an attribution, metadata, category or source-link issue. Include the title and the specific detail that may require correction.
Editorial responsibility
PUIEQ Catalogue
Catalogue information
This catalogue is organized using source attribution, bibliographic metadata, subject-based categories, and supplementary contextual notes. Submitted corrections may be used to update catalogue records.
Catalogue explorer
Explore this collection
Browse existing collections, books and author records through several catalogue routes.
Browse collections
Collections and books
Camping on the St. Lawrence; Or,... Authors: Tomlinson, Everett T. (Ev... In Childre...Featured The Phantom Town Mystery — Readi... Authors: Norton, Carol, 1876- In Childre...Featured The Radio Detectives in the Jung... Authors: Verrill, A. Hyatt (Alpheu... In Childre...Featured The Missing Formula Madge Sterli... Authors: Wirt, Mildred A. (Mildred... In Childre...