We had the Encyclopedia Britannica Jr. set, circa 1948. Spent many hours, before I could even read, looking through them. We still had them when I graduated high school and I think I even used them a few times for homework.
WorldBook Encyclopedia, 1947 version.
Bought new from the "dynamite man" (rep from the company that sold explosives, and strangely, all kind of household goods??) on a seismograph crew, in the wilds of West Texas, circa 1948.
Learned to read from it ... well, that Sunday "funny pages".