Queen Hildegarde

Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe, 1850-1943Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 263K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Queen Hildegarde by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards. Author: Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe, 1850-1943. Language: English. Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres. Release Date: Aug 8, 2005

Editor's review

Queen Hildegarde by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards is a young adult literary work and a classic coming-of-age story for girls in the public domain. Through the experiences of its protagonist Hildegarde, the book shows how a girl gradually learns independence and consideration for others amid family upheaval and an unfamiliar environment. Written in clear, natural prose with unhurried pacing, it carries the warmth and moral concern characteristic of nineteenth-century children's literature while also offering touches of humor. For today's readers it is both a window into the tastes of Anglo-American young adult reading of the period and a chance to rediscover the appeal of a narrative in which everyday small events drive character growth. It is best savored slowly in a quiet reading setting, especially suited to readers interested in classic coming-of-age novels and the history of children's literature. As an English-language public domain book, it may require some English proficiency; reading with annotations or an introductory edition is recommended to better understand the historical context and language conventions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who enjoy classic coming-of-age stories for young readers and have a basic vocabulary
Readers studying late nineteenth-century children's literature and girls' narratives
Parents or teachers seeking gentle, positive English reading material for children
Collectors interested in public domain books and early ebook resources

Not a good fit for

Readers of modern genre fiction expecting fast pacing and strong conflict
English beginners, for whom the original language and historical context may pose reading difficulties
Readers seeking the author's biography or in-depth academic scholarship on the work

Reading tips

Read the first two chapters to become familiar with the characters and narrative pacing, then decide whether to read closely or extensively
Take brief notes on period-specific vocabulary or cultural background for easy cross-reference
Read alongside other coming-of-age novels for girls from the same period to appreciate differences in narrative approach
For parent-child reading, select passages about everyday conflicts to discuss the characters' choices and emotional shifts

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with average English proficiency?

This is an English-language public domain book written in the expressive conventions of nineteenth-century literature, and its vocabulary and sentence structures pose some difficulty for beginners. Intermediate English reading ability is recommended, or reading with an annotated or introductory edition; you may also try one chapter first to judge whether it suits you.

Is this book part of a series or a standalone story?

According to available information, this is a young adult literary work by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards centered on the protagonist Hildegarde. The materials do not indicate that it is a multi-volume series, so it can be read as a standalone story without concern about continuity.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

This edition was released by Project Gutenberg and is a free ebook. Project Gutenberg was one of the earliest projects to offer free ebooks, founded by Michael Hart in 1971. This edition is convenient to read on electronic devices but typically does not include modern annotations or an introduction.

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About the author

Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe, 1850-1943 Author

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards (1850–1943) was an American writer of children's literature and biography. Public information is limited, and few details of her life are recorded here, yet her work offers a clear sense of her range. She wrote children's stories such as Captain January and Toto's Merry Winter, told in a bright, warm style suited to young readers, and also produced biographical writing, including Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, which traces a life and its era. The collection holds 45 of her works, spanning children's fiction and biography, with historical portraits such as Abigail Adams and Her Times, showing a writer who combined popular narrative with careful attention to historical sources.