Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
A New Story Book for Children
A New Story Book for Children

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A New Story Book for Children
Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.
FANNY FERN.
NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
1864.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A New Story Book for Children

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children is here in full — 428 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.
/ə nuː ˈstɔːri bʊk fɔːr ˈtʃɪldrən/
Line 2
FANNY FERN.
/ˈfæni fɜːrn/
Line 3
NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
Line 4
1864.
Line 5
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

Clerk's noun US /klɜːrks/

possessive form of “clerk” — an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

Congress noun US /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.”

District noun US /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.”

fanny noun US /ˈfæni/

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading “FANNY FERN.”

fern noun US /fɜːrn/

any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

From this reading “FANNY FERN.”

mason noun US /ˈmeɪsən/

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading “NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.”

mercer noun US /ˈmɜːrsər/

a dealer in textiles (especially silks)

From this reading “NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.”

philadelphia noun US /ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/

the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania

From this reading “NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

Act of verb + particle

In this reading “Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.”

All words in this reading · 39

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1864

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 1864.

7

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

accordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

ActverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

BnounUS /biː/

aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

BOOKnounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

BOSTONnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

BROTHERSnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/

plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

CHILDRENnounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

Clerk'snounUS /klɜːrks/

possessive form of “clerk” — an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

COnounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/

the legislature of the United States government

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

CourtnounUS /kɔːrt/

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

DistrictnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

EnteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

FANNYnounUS /ˈfæni/

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading FANNY FERN.

FERNnounUS /fɜːrn/

any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

From this reading FANNY FERN.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

HAMLIN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

LIPPINCOTT

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

MASONnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

MERCERnounUS /ˈmɜːrsər/

a dealer in textiles (especially silks)

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

NEWadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

OfficenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

PHILADELPHIAnounUS /ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/

the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

SouthernadjectiveUS /ˈsʌðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

StatesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

STORYnounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading A NEW STORY BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

STREETnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

YORKnounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading NEW YORK: MASON BROTHERS, 7 MERCER STREET; BOSTON: MASON & HAMLIN; PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

Chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children by Fanny Fern holds 428 sentences, grouped into 86 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children contain?

Chapter 1 holds 428 sentences of A New Story Book for Children, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children by Fanny Fern exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 428 sentences, grouped into 86 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of A New Story Book for Children?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading A New Story Book for Children

Common questions about reading A New Story Book for Children by Fanny Fern on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A New Story Book for Children?

Yes. All 2106 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #66655 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A New Story Book for Children is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #66655, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A New Story Book for Children take to read?

About 175 minutes of reading across 422 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A New Story Book for Children section by section

How to work through A New Story Book for Children section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of A New Story Book for Children to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A New Story Book for Children

Words and structures a reader meets early in A New Story Book for Children, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A New Story Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Children
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A New Story Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fanny
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A New Story Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mason
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A New Story Book for Children; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.