The Little Colonel

Johnston, Annie F. (Annie Fellows), 1863-1931Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 104K words
Chapters: 11

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 Little Colonel by Annie F. JohnstonAuthor: Johnston, Annie F. (Annie Fellows), 1863-1931,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Dec 1, 2005

Editor's review

The Little Colonel is a children's book by Annie Fellows Johnston, belonging to the category of juvenile literature. The story centers on a girl known as "the Little Colonel" and is set against a strong Southern background with family emotional threads; its style is gentle and aimed at young readers. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, its notable value lies in presenting the narrative charm and values of early twentieth-century English-language children's literature: family relationships, generational reconciliation, regional culture, and character formation in childhood are all important windows into the children's reading of that era. It is moderate in length and relatively accessible in language, making it suitable as an introductory read in original English children's literature and for researchers examining the themes and character design of early American juvenile fiction. Readers may note how adult and child characters interact and how the work conveys character education through everyday events.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Teen readers with a good foundation in English who want to try an original English children's novel
Lovers and researchers of children's literature interested in early American juvenile reading
Parents or teachers looking for public-domain English reading for children
Readers who enjoy gentle family themes and a leisurely pace

Not a good fit for

Teen readers seeking strong plots, fast pacing, or fantasy adventure
Children who are just starting English reading and need graded readers or annotated support
Readers who want a Chinese translation or a modern illustrated edition

Reading tips

Can be read parent-child or teacher-student together: an adult reads a chapter aloud first, then the child retells the plot to lower the comprehension barrier.
While reading, note the Little Colonel's interactions with elders; discuss generational relationships and character formation to extend the text's educational topics.
Record new words by category—characters, places, everyday objects—to build vocabulary and help map the story's background.
After finishing, compare with other children's novels of the same period and reflect on the themes and values of early juvenile reading.

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 original English children's novel, it is better suited to teens who already have some foundation in English reading, or to children reading with adult accompaniment. The specific age depends on the child's English level and should not be judged by Chinese age alone.

Does the book have illustrations?

Project Gutenberg provides public-domain electronic texts, usually text-based, and does not guarantee the original illustrations. If you want pictures, you need to find an illustrated edition separately.

Why is it called "the Little Colonel"?

"The Little Colonel" is the name given to the girl in the story and is related to her family background and character formation. The specific origin needs to be understood in light of the character relationships while reading; this book description does not elaborate, so it is best to start from the opening chapters.

Comments

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About the author

Johnston, Annie F. (Annie Fellows), 1863-1931 Author

Annie Fellows Johnston (1863–1931) was an American writer of children's literature, with 38 of her works held in this collection. Public information about her is limited, and details of her life are difficult to verify, yet her surviving books show that she excelled at centering stories on children and young people, weaving warm, adventure-tinged tales of growing up. The Little Colonel series follows a Southern boy, while Two Little Knights of Kentucky and The Gate of the Giant Scissors blend family values, regional settings, and fantastical imagination in a friendly, bright tone that emphasizes children's courage and kindness. Holiday-themed works such as Miss Santa Claus of the Pullman continue in the same vein. Writing for young readers in lucid, engaging plots, she had a modest influence on early twentieth-century American children's books, and her work is still reprinted and read today.