Tom Slade's Double Dare

Fitzhugh, Percy Keese, 1876-1950Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.3

Word count: 201K words
Chapters: 21

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.Tom Slade's Double Dare by Percy Keese FitzhughAuthor: Fitzhugh, Percy Keese, 1876-1950,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Oct 20, 2006

Editor's review

This is a boys' adventure novel by Percy Keese Fitzhugh, part of the Tom Slade series, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain eBook. The work continues the typical style of early twentieth-century American boys' fiction: set against scout-style outdoor life, its plot revolves around courage, friendship, and responsibility, and the title's "double dare" suggests that the protagonist faces two interrelated tests. For Chinese readers, its value lies more in the documentary and cultural dimension—it offers a window into the narrative formulas, values, and language habits of English-language boys' fiction a century ago, and can also serve as light English extensive reading. The electronic edition is easy to obtain and suits reading in spare moments. Note that the book was published long ago, and some ideas and expressions bear the mark of their time; readers should keep a critical eye.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in early twentieth-century British and American boys' adventure fiction
Intermediate English learners who want to practice extensive reading with public-domain English originals
Readers studying the history of children's literature or the background of scout culture

Not a good fit for

Adult readers seeking complex characterization and literary depth
Young readers who prefer the pace and themes of contemporary young-adult fiction
Beginners with weak English who need annotated support

Reading tips

First read through the chapter titles to grasp the plot structure of the "double dare," then read chapter by chapter.
Keep a notebook to record recurring period expressions and scout-related vocabulary for vocabulary building.
Read alongside other Tom Slade books in the series to observe the protagonist's growth.
If reading only for pleasure, do not get stuck on rare words; prioritize coherent understanding of the plot.

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 learning English?

It suits intermediate readers who want extensive reading. The language is generally plain, but it contains many colloquialisms and scout terms from a century ago, which may be hard for beginners. Focus on understanding the plot, guess rare words from context, and do not look up every word.

What does the "double dare" refer to?

Judging from the title and the series style, it refers to the protagonist facing two interrelated tests in succession, usually involving choices of courage and responsibility. The specific plot requires reading the original to confirm; no speculation is offered here.

Is the electronic edition different from the paper book?

Project Gutenberg provides electronic texts of public-domain works, prepared from existing editions; the main text is usually consistent with the corresponding paper book, but the layout, cover, and appendices may differ, and modern publishers' introductions and notes are not included.

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About the author

Fitzhugh, Percy Keese, 1876-1950 Author

Percy Keese Fitzhugh (1876–1950) was an American author of children's literature, best known for his two boys' series featuring Roy Blakeley and Tom Slade. The collection here includes twenty-six of his works, among them Roy Blakeley: His Story, Roy Blakeley's Bee-line Hike, Roy Blakeley's Motor Caravan, Tom Slade on Mystery Trail, Tom Slade, Motorcycle Dispatch Bearer, Tom Slade at Temple Camp, Tom Slade on the River, and Roy Blakeley's Adventures in Camp. These books are generally classified as inspirational coming-of-age stories. Set around boys' experiences in camping, hiking, cycling, and outdoor adventure, they portray friendship, courage, and responsibility in a light, humorous tone and stress honesty, mutual help, and self-reliance. Public information about his life is limited, but the series show his skill in creating lively, upright boy characters whose stories stay close to young readers' lives, giving him a representative place in early American juvenile fiction.