Kiddie the Scout

Robert LeightonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.7

Word count: 329K words
Chapters: 33

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. Kiddie the Scout by Robert Leighton. Author: Leighton, Robert, 1859-1934. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Dec 19, 2007

Editor's review

Robert Leighton was a British writer active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, known for adventure and school stories for boys. Kiddie the Scout belongs to his tradition of adventure fiction for young readers, built around boy-scout-style experiences in the field and emphasizing courage, resourcefulness, and comradeship. The prose is brisk and the plot moves directly, making it a good introductory text for understanding late Victorian to Edwardian boys' reading. Because it was written long ago, its depictions of outdoor survival and boyish behavior carry the marks of its era; readers may note differences between its values and contemporary sensibilities. For those studying the history of boys' literature or doing extensive English reading, the book is a moderate length with clear narrative and makes useful material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Young readers who enjoy classic boys' adventure stories
Learners seeking extensive English reading and narrative vocabulary
Readers studying late nineteenth-century boys' literature and scout culture
Collectors of public-domain boys' books

Not a good fit for

Adult fiction readers who prefer fast-paced contemporary narratives with strong conflict
Readers sensitive to the era's attitudes in early boys' books
Beginners who need annotated editions or teaching guides to read comfortably

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to gauge the language, then decide whether to read intensively or extensively.
Mark unfamiliar period terms and look them up after finishing a chapter to avoid interrupting the plot.
Read alongside historical material on the scout movement to understand the book's context.
Use it as daily fixed-length extensive reading, and summarize the plot afterward to reinforce understanding.

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 beginner English learners?

It can serve as extensive reading material for intermediate to advanced learners. The text is an early twentieth-century English boys' novel with clear narrative but period vocabulary; beginners may need a dictionary. Try one chapter first to assess the difficulty before deciding whether to read it all.

Is the story directly connected to the scout movement?

The word "Scout" in the title points to boy-scout-style outdoor and scouting experiences, but the exact plot should be checked against the original text. It can be read as an example of the era's boys' adventure literature; reading it with historical background on the scout movement will make it clearer.

Is this a public-domain book? Can I use it freely?

The book is released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook resource and can generally be read and distributed freely. For specific uses, follow Project Gutenberg's terms of use, and check local copyright rules if you plan to republish it.

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About the author

Robert Leighton Author · Scottish · 1859–1934

Robert Leighton (1859–1934) was a Scottish journalist, editor and writer of boys' fiction, and once edited the magazine Young Folks. Much of his work draws on Norse and Scottish history: Olaf the Glorious tells a Viking-age adventure, The Thirsty Sword deals with the Norse invasion of Scotland, and The Pilots of Pomona is set in the Orkney Islands. These boys' adventure novels are noted for their historical atmosphere and narrative tension. Leighton later became an authority on dog breeding and wrote Dogs and All about Them. Seven of his works are held here, covering historical adventure and animal subjects; public information on the rest of his life is limited.