Treasures Lost and Found: Prose and Poetry for the Young

A literary treasure hunt leads to Mary Elizabeth Burt, whose anthologies celebrate poetry, patriotism, and the enduring power of ‘home culture.’

Like a shared literary treasure hunt, children discover stories—and values—together, echoing Mary E. Burt's belief in "home culture." Public Domain

All true readers know the delights and adventure of the clue-based treasure hunt. A friend recommends an unfamiliar book, or we come across mention of a title or author in some online article, and off we go.

Sometimes these events happily collide. An article featuring a 21st-century dad vigorously defending Eleanor Porter’s “Pollyanna” for its goodness and optimism led me to read the book—and to come down squarely on the father’s side. Later, a friend who loves children’s classics practically ordered me to read Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables,” which I began reluctantly and finished with high enthusiasm, if for no other reason than the beauty of the prose. “Anne of Avonlea” is now on my reading list.