Full set of McGuffey readers in excellent condition. The McGuffey Readers were a highly influential series of graded educational textbooks used in American classrooms from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. Written by William Holmes McGuffey and his brother Alexander, the books taught literacy, grammar, and elocution while instilling moral values, patriotism, and a shared cultural identity across the expanding frontier.First published in 1836, the series eventually expanded to include a primer, a speller, and six progressive readers.