Rosy

Mary Louisa MolesworthProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 225K words
Chapters: 23

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.Rosy by Mrs. MolesworthAuthor: Molesworth, Mrs., 1839-1921,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Oct 1, 2004

Editor's review

Rosy is a children's work by Mrs. Molesworth, classified under juvenile belles lettres. The author is known for family and coming-of-age themes; this work continues her delicate observation of children's psychology and everyday morals, with relatively accessible language and a plot centered on a child's experiences, making it suitable as an entry-level reader for original English children's literature. As a Project Gutenberg public-domain ebook, it is free to read and convenient for classroom excerpts. Its reading value lies in experiencing the narrative appeal and values of Victorian children's stories while building English narrative vocabulary. Note that the work bears clear marks of its era, and some ideas are distant from contemporary views of childhood; adult readers may treat it as material for the history of children's literature, while child readers are advised to read with guidance.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate English readers who want to try original English children's literature
Teachers and students of children's literature courses who need Victorian works
Parents or teachers choosing public-domain English books for children
Readers interested in Mrs. Molesworth's works

Not a good fit for

Children who prefer fast-paced modern children's fiction and lack patience for old-fashioned narration
Beginners with weak English who cannot yet read English chapter books independently
Adult readers expecting complex plots or strong dramatic conflict

Reading tips

Try the first chapter to judge whether the language difficulty suits you or your child before deciding to read the whole book.
When reading together, read aloud in sections and discuss the characters' choices and feelings as you go.
When encountering expressions with unfamiliar period background, note them first and look them up later to avoid constantly interrupting the reading.
After finishing, compare with contemporary children's stories and discuss similarities and differences in values.

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

What age is this book suitable for?

As an old-fashioned original English children's story, it is better suited to upper-primary readers who can already read English chapter books independently, or to younger children reading with a parent. The specific choice also depends on the child's English level and patience; try one chapter first to judge.

Is the English difficult?

The language overall is easier than adult literature, but the book was written long ago, and some vocabulary and sentence patterns bear period features, so it still poses some challenge for non-native young readers. Intermediate English readers can enter fairly easily; beginners are advised to use notes or read along with someone.

Does this edition have illustrations or notes?

According to available information, this edition is a public-domain ebook released by Project Gutenberg, with no indication that it includes illustrations or modern notes. If background explanation is needed while reading, look up information about the author and era yourself.

Are the ideas in the book outdated?

The work bears the value imprint of Victorian children's literature, and some ideas are distant from contemporary views of childhood. Adult readers are advised to treat it as material for literary history; when children read it, parents or teachers can appropriately guide discussion.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Mary Louisa Molesworth Author · British · 1839–1921

Mrs. Molesworth (1839–1921), born Mary Louisa Molesworth, was an English writer of children's literature in the Victorian era. She was born in Rotterdam in 1839 and died in London in 1921, and was a prolific author; this site holds 57 of her works. Her representative books include The Cuckoo Clock, The Tapestry Room: A Child's Romance, Four Ghost Stories, The Carved Lions, Grandmother Dear: A Book for Boys and Girls, Christmas-Tree Land, and The Palace in the Garden. Her works are often classed as inspirational coming-of-age stories, usually centering on children and unfolding in settings where domestic life and fantasy intertwine. Her warm, delicate style combines imagination with a sense of everyday reality, and she has been called "the Jane Austen of the nursery." Public information is limited, but the sheer number of her works shows her lasting influence on child readers of her time.