Facsimile of an illustration page "The Procession of the Worlds" from an 8 volume edition of the Encyclopedia

The Children's Encyclopedia was a printed encyclopedia originally in eight volumes (later expanded to ten volumes), originated by Arthur Mee, and published by the Educational Book Company Ltd. of London, England. It was published from 1908 through to the early 1960s, and was found in many family homes throughout the British Empire. 1913 advertisement for Encyclopædia Britannica. ... Greater London and the Regions of England. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... 1908 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s - 1960s - 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... A database query syntax error has occurred. ...

The format of the encyclopedia was unusual, in that it could be used as a conventional reference library, or read from start to finish, developing its various topics as it progressed. It could also be dipped into at random to provide entertainment and reading matter whenever required. As well as factual articles, it contained many classic stories, nursery rhymes, songs, bible stories and poems. A nursery rhyme is a traditional song or poem taught to young children, originally in the nursery. ... This page is about musical songs. ... Bible stories, Judeo-Christian parables retelling some portions of the Bible, have long had a place in family religious worship, spiritual instruction, literature, and the cultural underpinnings of many Christian and Jewish societies. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ...

The encyclopedia was organised into the following sections:

• Earth and its neighbours
• Men and women
• Stories
• Animal life
• History
• Familiar things
• Wonder
• Art
• Ourselves
• Plant life
• Countries
• Picture atlas
• Poetry and nursery rhymes
• Powers
• Literature
• Ideas
• The Bible
• Things to make and do
• School lessons

These sections appeared in strict rotation, although in later volumes some of the sections reach their final instalments before others.

The tenth volume (eighth volume in early editions) contained a traditional index so that the encyclopedia could be used as a standard reference work.

The tone of the encyclopedia was thoroughly didactic, written with an often far from neutral point of view. Articles reflected the often strong and occasionally controversial views of its editors and contributors, including religious views, eugenics, and blatant sexism and occasional offhand racism. Offsetting this was a moderate and liberal standpoint in many areas. Shortcut: WP:NPOV Wikipedia policy is that all articles should be written from a neutral point of view. ... The word eugenics (from the Greek εὐγενής, for well-born) was coined in 1883 by Sir Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, to refer to the study and use of selective breeding (of animals or humans) to improve a species over generations, specifically in regards to hereditary features. ...

While The Children's Encyclopedia was never sold in the United States, it was re-edited for the US market and retitled The Book of Knowledge. A new company, Grolier, was founded to publish and distribute the book. The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ...

The encyclopedia was sold door-to-door, and many families bought it wishing to better themselves and their children. It was also used extensively by schools and for teacher training. As such the book is widely recognised as being very influential for several generations of British and Commonwealth children, and has become the subject of study by social historians, as it gives a great insight into the social values of the society that created it, and which in turn was influenced by it.

The encyclopedia began as a serialised article in The Children's Newspaper, which was edited by Mee, and the series was first published in March, 1908. In 1910 publishing was taken over by The Educational Book Company, and released as an eight volume set. There were twelve editions of the eight volume set, which was then expanded to the ten volume set in 1923. A further 14 editions in this form were published, ending in 1946. A post-war edition was published in the 1950s and 60s. 1908 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1923 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1946 was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb. ...