F-J Classic Children's Literature

Frankenstein, Gulliver's Travels, Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Ivanhoe

Apr 16, 2009

Adventure and misadventure, fantasy and fairy tale, monsters and mystery...growing up isn't easy, but some story from this guide suits the sympathies of any child.

It is often said that children have active imaginations, and nothing appeals to the imagination more than reading fiction.

Continuing from A-E Classic Children’s Literature, ranging from the ordinary to the extreme this diverse collection of novels and stories offers something for all literary tastes.

F – Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley

Scientist Victor Frankenstein creates a “monster.” The misunderstood and frightening looking creation becomes a social outcast. Becoming tormented by his experiences, the monster comes to feel both rage and remorse.

Often considered the first science fiction novel, Frankenstein was influential in shaping the horror story genre.

Both a satire and a parody, Gulliver’s Travels follows the adventures and experiences of Lemuel Gulliver as he voyages between various extreme settlements. His journey to Lilliput is perhaps the most famed of his destinations. The population of the land is miniature in comparison to most humans.

Jonathan Swift intended his observations about the court of Lilliput as a reflection on the court of Britain’s then king, George I (1660-1727).

H – Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) by Mark Twain relays stories about the rascal redheaded child Tom Sawyer, who gets himself into mischief as he grows up on the Mississippi River in a fictional Missouri town.

Following from the classic novel which introduced Tom Sawyer, the supporting character of Tom’s friend Huck Finn became the protagonist of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). This “Great American Novel” is darker in tone than its predecessor, and it focuses both on the effects of poverty and prejudice.

Set in twelfth century England, it features the medieval struggle between the Normans and the Saxons at the time of the Crusades, the absence of King Richard, the regency of Prince John, and the activities of Robin Hood. Wilfred of Ivanhoe clashes with his father and heritage, as he fights to preserve honor.

This work of historical fiction is credited with increasing the Victorian-era fascination with the ideals and values knightly valor and dignity.

This is a collection of fable stories about the character of Mowgli, a human boy raised by the animals of the jungle. Each story conveys lessons about moral law, and some critics have regarded the stories as allegorical reflections on politics and society.

The stories are thought to have been partly inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s childhood residence in India, although the stories were actually written while Kipling was living in Vermont.

Kidnapped, Little Women, Robin Hood, Oliver Twist, and Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson

Continuing with K-O Classic Children’s Literature, the pages of the following novels are filled with adventure, bravery, and caring. From foundling children to the effects of deprivation and war, these works have become diverse stories suited to a variety of children and an individual child’s active fantasy.

The copyright of the article F-J Classic Children's Literature in Children’s Books is owned by M.L. Costa. Permission to republish F-J Classic Children's Literature in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.