Os compêndios didáticos nos relatórios de província da Paraíba: fontes para a leitura escolar no Império

This article aims to analyze the educational textbooks and its indication, from its significance in the context of the official discourse of the empire, through laws, regulations and reports. We also discuss the circulation, indication and content of some textbooks, whose existence was recorded in these legal documents. We used the reports from the provincial presidents of Paraiba, for the period 1837, the year of the first speech published until 1886, Law no 20, dated May 6, 1837, and Resolution no 36, June 26, 1886. This survey of bibliographical and documentary is included on theoretical and methodological approach of Michel Foucault, in view of the order of discourse. Thus, the books mentioned and analyzed in this work reveal their use regulated by the state, printing them the image of the Church and the Empire, releasing what was to be read and should be read as a policy proposal of the Empire. From the official discourse of the Imperial State, we find that the school of First Letters should teach the children through the educational content and representations of reading, readers and students.  Key words: Empire, school textbooks, Province of Paraiba.