Jessie's Parrot

Joanna H. Mathews (Joanna Hooe Mathews)Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.6

Word count: 216K words
Chapters: 22

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.Jessie's Parrot by Joanna H. MathewsAuthor: Mathews, Joanna H. (Joanna Hooe), 1849-1901,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Nov 7, 2013

Editor's review

This is a juvenile novel by Joanna H. Mathews, a nineteenth-century American writer of children's literature, and belongs to the category of children's fiction. Centered on a little girl named Jessie and her parrot, the story unfolds in a gentle tone through small incidents of daily life, bearing a strong flavor of family and moral education. The language is relatively plain and the plot uncomplicated, making it a suitable introductory read for English learners approaching nineteenth-century children's literature, and allowing readers to sense the moral concerns and narrative charm of children's books of that era. As a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg, it preserves the original text without modernization, and some wording and sentence patterns bear the marks of their time. Readers may note the character-education intent behind the characters' words and deeds, and how children's literature of the period handled themes such as responsibility and kindness.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who want to improve their reading through easy original English texts
Readers interested in nineteenth-century children's literature and family stories
Parents or teachers seeking public-domain English reading material for children

Not a good fit for

Adult fiction readers who prefer complex plots and strong conflict
Young readers who expect the pacing and expression of modern children's literature

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to gauge the language difficulty, then decide between intensive and extensive reading to avoid giving up midway.
Mark vocabulary and sentence patterns peculiar to the nineteenth century, look them up in batches, and make vocabulary cards.
When reading with children, retell the plot after each chapter and discuss the characters' choices and the moral themes.

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 English level is this book suitable for?

The language is generally plain and the plot linear, suitable for intermediate learners with basic English reading ability. Nineteenth-century wording and sentence patterns occasionally show their age but generally do not hinder comprehension, and the book can be finished with a dictionary at hand.

Is the story suitable for young children?

The book itself is aimed at young readers, with themes of family life and moral education, and its content is gentle. However, the narrative pacing and expression are rather classical, which may feel slow to modern young children; it is better suited to reading with an adult or under adult guidance.

Does this edition have notes or adaptations?

This is a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg, retaining the original English text without simplification or rewriting, and without modern notes or introductions. Readers who need help understanding it can use a dictionary or companion guides.

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

Joanna H. Mathews (Joanna Hooe Mathews) Author · American · 1849–1901

Joanna H. Mathews (full name Joanna Hooe Mathews, 1849–1901) was an American writer of children's literature. Born in New York and educated at Miss Ryshard's School, she published her first work, Guy Hamilton, in 1866. She went on to write mainly stories for young girls and became known for the "Bessie" series, including Bessie at the Seaside, Bessie in Town, and Bessie and Her Friends. Nine of her works are held in this collection, among them Uncle Rutherford's Nieces, Jessie's Parrot, Bessie Bradford's Prize, Belle Powers' Locket, Lily Norris' Enemy, and Nellie's Housekeeping, most of which center on family, friendship, and growing up. Public information about her life and writing career is limited, so this introduction focuses on the themes and style of her works.