Up the Street and Down

Title: Up the Street and Down
Genre: Children’s
Author: Emmett A. Betts (uncredited)
Illustrators: Clara Ernst and Dorothy Grider
Publisher: American Book Company, New York, New York.
Series: “The Language Arts Series, Primer—Betts Basic Readers”
Year: 1948
Pages: 160
Format: Hardcover with decorated linen cover.
Provenance: “Discard” written in red crayon on inside front cover.
Sections: Kim and Wendy; Up the Hill; Down the Street; Around School; In the Park.
Opening Sentence: “‘Look here, Kim!’ said Mother.”
Random Passage: “Polly saw the kitten go down the hill. Down... down... down the hill.” (from A Doll for Polly)
Notes: Filled with large type, cheery illustrations and simple (or simplistic) text, Up the Street and Down is typical of basic elementary school reading textbooks from the mid-20th century. Like the more famous “Dick and Jane” volumes, this one follows a group of kids doing basic, everyday activities, although there are a few short stories involving anthropomorphized animals (Old Mrs. Duck and Two New Hats).