The Child of the Moat: A Story for Girls. 1557 A.D.

Stoughton Holborn, I. B. (Ian Bernard), 1872-1935Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.5
Word count
604K words
Chapters
61

Tags

English Originals Historical FictionChildren's Literature Historical AdventureBritish HistoryCastle LifeGirlhoodFaith and LoyaltyGrowing UpMedieval SettingYouth Reading

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.The Child of the Moat: A Story for Girls. 1557 A.D. by I. B. Stoughton HolbornAuthor: Stoughton Holborn, I. B. (Ian Bernard), 1872-1935,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Oct 15, 2016

Editor's review

This is a historical story set in 1557 for young female readers, belonging to the category of juvenile literature. The title's "Child of the Moat" suggests a confined space and a mystery of origins that may exist in the work, while the specific plot must be based on the original text. Its reading value lies first in the atmosphere of the era: mid-sixteenth-century England was in the context of religious and royal power changes, and such stories often use a child's situation to let young readers perceive how the historical environment affects ordinary people's choices and fates. Second, as an old-era "story for girls," it also provides today's readers with a sample for observing the tastes and values of girls' reading in former times: what was encouraged, what was avoided, and what qualities were given to the heroine are all worth discussing against the present. The language is English, and the length and difficulty are suitable for middle school students and above with a certain English reading ability. If used for classroom or parent-child reading, it is recommended to pair it with a basic introduction to sixteenth-century English history to help understand the era's logic behind the characters' behavior.

Who it's for

A good fit for

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Reading tips

  1. First learn the overview of religious and royal power changes in England around 1557, then read the story; the characters' motives will be easier to understand.
  2. Compare the heroine's words and actions with contemporary girls' reading, record the differences in values, and use them as discussion material.
  3. The original English can be read chapter by chapter; when encountering old-style expressions, skip them first and look back after finishing a chapter, avoiding frequent dictionary lookup that interrupts the rhythm.

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.

Contents

  1. 1
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  35. 35
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  42. 42
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  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
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  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61

FAQ

What age group is this book suitable for? Judging from the subject and language, it is more suitable for middle school students and above with a certain English reading ability. Younger children can also try it if a parent accompanies them and explains the historical background, but they will need extra vocabulary and period knowledge.
What does "Child of the Moat" in the title refer to? The title suggests that the story is related to the space of the moat and the origins of a certain child; the specific reference must be based on the original plot. It can be understood as a suspense-setting title, and while reading, pay attention to the narrative role the moat plays in the story.
Is this real history or a fictional story? This is a fictional story set against a historical period, classified as juvenile literature, not historical documentary. It uses the environment of 1557 to develop characters and plot; readers should not treat it as historical material, but can use it to feel the atmosphere of the era.
Is the original English difficult to read? As an old-era juvenile reader, the language as a whole is not very difficult, but there will be old-style expressions and historical vocabulary. Readers with middle school English level can proceed chapter by chapter; when encountering obscure passages, skip them first—maintaining reading continuity is more important than verifying every word.

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About the author

Stoughton Holborn, I. B. (Ian Bernard), 1872-1935 Author · British · 1872–1935

I. B. Stoughton Holborn (Ian Bernard, 1872–1935) was a British art historian and lecturer whose biographical details are limited in publicly available sources; he is known chiefly for popular writings on art and architectural history. One work by him is held in this collection, The Child of the Moat: A Story for Girls. 1557 A.D. Judging from its title and subtitle, it is a historical story for young female readers set in 1557, unfolding its plot through the fortunes of children by a moat. The work reflects his approach of writing for general readers with an emphasis on narrative readability, consistent with his role as a popularizer of art history. As biographical and bibliographical materials are scarce, the full scope of his writing remains insufficiently documented, and the surviving work offers only one side of his popular writing.