Tuesdays at Ten | The History of Children's Literature
Learning with Early Children's Books, Toys, and Games
Tue, Jun 9, 2026
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Join us at the library for coffee, socializing, and learning something new.
This summer, we'll celebrate our library’s 150th anniversary during Tuesdays at Ten with a dive into library and local history. We have a lineup of experts ready to share stories, old and new.
Learn what the earliest children's publishers displayed in their shops and see examples of instructional books, games, and toys from the time of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. Liz Hoiem will share examples of books and games used to teach reading and writing, geography, technology, and science, with a focus on the new kinds of knowledge that families were eager to teach through play and experimentation.
About the Presenter: Elizabeth Massa Hoiem is a teacher and scholar at the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences who writes about the history of children's literature, toys, and games in the context of play, industrialization, child labor, and colonization. In her spare time, she plays games with her two daughters and reads fantasy and adventure books.
Tuesdays at Ten | Summer 2026
Adults |
Social, Presentation, Discussion
Main Library, Robeson Pavilion Room A & B
The Library is committed to making events accessible for all. To request an Americans with Disabilities Accommodation, please complete this form, or contact us by email at info@champaign.org, by phone at 217/403-2000, or through chat. Learn more about accessibility at the library.