Captains Courageous

by Rudyard Kipling

Characters:

Hayvey Cheyne - son of a millionaire
Disko Troop - captain of fishing boat
Dan - Disko's son
Manuel, Penn, Long Jack and Old Salters

The Story:

A millionaire Californian ship-owner and businessman has a spoiled 15-year old son Harvey Cheyne. He rides a sea liner once and somebody gave him a cigar and he smokes it and became woozy and fell. Disko riding on his fishing boat then pass his way and saw him, he helped Harvey who looks somewhat unwell to him.

After then, Harvey proposes to Disko to take him to his father's office at New York in exchange of huge amount of money. But what Disko did instead, he hired Harvey as another boy in his boat and will be paid of $10.50 per month. Harvey learned lots about fishing for about four months of their fishing. And he now understands what sea life is is all about with the help of Disko and Dan, his son.

The Adventures of Robin Hood

by Howard Pyle

Characters:

Robin Hood - nobleman of Locksley
King Richard - the Lionheart King of England
King John - the bad-mannered half-brother of Richard
Little John, Friar Tuck and Allan-a-Dale.

The Story:

King Richard of England leaves together with his armies to unite a sacred campaign. Upon his absence, his half-brother King John takes his place in handling the English people but turned out to be brutal. Robin, the young earl of Locksley, was banned and chased with the Sheriff of Nottingham because of winning for the poor.

One time, Robin Hood saved a father who slays a deer in the forest to earn and feed his family from taking into custody and punishment. He run after by the king’s gamekeeper, he then went to the sheriff’s hall along with the dead deer and challenge to battle.

Heidi

by Johanna Spyri

Characters:

Heidi - a little young adorable Swiss eight-year old girl
Clara - a rich ill girl
Grandpa  and Grandma - loved Heidi very much
Mr. Sessemann - the very kind father of Clara

The Story:

Heidi lost her parents at her young age; she went to the high Swiss Alps at the village of Alm to live together with her grandparents. Her irritable Grandpa and sightless Grandma then learned to love their very fascinating granddaughter. Heidi’s Aunt Dete made her to be a companion to Clara, an ill daughter of Mr. Sessemen from far away town of Dorfli.

The two girls became good friends, Clara taught Heidi to write and to read. But Clara’s tutor, Miss Rottenmeier made life not easy for Heidi. The eight-year old girl Heidi seems to grown thin, when a doctor checked her, she was advised to go have a vacation with her grandparents at Alps.

To Have and To Hold

by Mary Johnston

Characters:

Capt. Ralph Percy - an official in Virginia.
Jocelyn Leigh - a lady-in-waiting at King’s court.
Lord Carnal - evil lord who wanted Jocelyn very much.
John Rolfe - loyal buddy of Percy.
Jeremy Sparrow - a preacher who saved Jocelyn.
Diccon - Percy’s valet.
Governor George Yeardly of Virginia.

The Story:

Captain Ralph Percy is still single, with the help and advice of his friend John Rolfe, he went to Jamestown to choose from 90 girls that come on a ship from England to be his wife. He suddenly saw the beautiful, finesse lady Jocelyn Leigh and offer her marriage and she agreed to marry him. They were blessed to marriage by preacher Jeremy Sparrow. She discloses to Percy that she was a lady-in-waiting in King’s court, she escape because of Lord Carnal that she never wants to marry. She went to Virginia and pretends as a maid using a name Patience Worth.

But Lord Carnal looks for her at Virginia and wants to bring her back to England. Capt. Percy fought against him and they both got hurt. Until the governor arrived that made stop their dueling. Jocelyn was scam and kidnapped by Lord. But Percy was there to rescue her, they ran away to keep away from arrest. The couple went through many trials and hardships, stumble upon pirates and Spaniards that got Percy wounded. But Lord Carnal still caught them, detained Percy and bring them to Jamestown.

Huckleberry Finn

by Mark Twain

Characters:

Huck Finn - on the streets boy
Tom Sawyer - very close friend of Huck
Jim, Widow Douglas
Miss Watson, Judge Thatcher and others.

The Novel:

While searching a cave, Huck Finn and friend Tom Sawyer found a $12,000. The money was divided equally to the two boys by Judge Thatcher. Knowing Huck relaxed and no home to go, the judge placed him under the care of siblings Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. While Tom decline to study. Judge Thatcher decides to bring back Huck to his cruel father. Huck did not agree, instead encourage Tom to sail down to Mississippi River to search for adventure using the boat they made. Along their journey, they met a runaway negro boy named Jim and became a friend and helper too.

The boys go through lots of adventures, there were breathtaking and others were hilarious. They encounter two mischiefs, Duke and Dauphin who used them to swindle people. They staged them as Rome and Juliet earning $87 for theater tickets but people ran them out because they couldn’t portray the role.

Adventures of Tom Sawyer

by Mark Twain

Characters:

Tom Sawyer - a typical young boy
Huckleberry Finn - Toms buddy
Beck Thatcher - Tom's sweetheart
Aunt Polly - Tom's caring aunt
Sidney and Mary - his steps siblings

The Novel:

Tom Sawyer was frequently punished by his teacher because of all his trouble and naughtiness. But he was good in playing hockey at school. He was always in trouble with boys in their neighborhood. Often he will come home with torn shirt from unexpected day out with buddy Huckleberry Finn.

One day Aunt Polly directs Tom to clean their fence. He made his work thrilling and a resentful knowledge consequently; other boys entice him with offerings just to grip the brush.

Tom had a classmate named Becky Thatcher. He fell in love with Becky but she learned that Tom loved other girls before. Tom went to Huckleberry one night and upon passing the graveyard, accidentally they saw Dr. Robinson killed by half Indian Joe accompanied by Muff Potter for payment of a dead body that was dig up. Being afraid to the killer, Tom along with Huckleberry and friend Joe Harper, they sailed to Mississippi by a handmade raft.

Tom Brown's School Days

by Thomas Hughes

Characters:

Tom Brown - a brave English man
Peter Brooke - captain of football
Dr. Arnold - leader of Rugby
Arthur - young friend of Tom
Flashman - the bully of school

The Story:

An English escort son Tom Brown, go into an English public school Rugby, in introductory for college. Tom is really a brave man, he join a football game and end with a sprain on his ankle. The head of football Peter Brooke admire him and got interested to Tom. He also experience bullying headed by Flashman. He joins an off-road racing game, being lost with friends and ends late still not reprimand by Dr. Arnold, the school head.

Tom study well and was endorse to higher levels. Tom and his roommate Earl begin to revolt again the upper-class boys because they make lower-class boys do task and chores for them. They also make a way to stop Flashman bullying them.

Cricket, Little Girl Of The Old West

by Forrestine G. Hooker

Characters:

Cricket - daughter of an army officer
Lt. Robert Austin - the army officer
Horace P. Jones - army's interpreter
Molly Brown - half-class Indian girl
Jane - cook of Cricket’s family

The Story:

Together with her parents, Cricket travels to transfer from one camp to another. Her father Lt. Robert Austin is from the 10th cavalry of the army. Cricket was a brave little girl; she never gets scared even if the camp and soldiers were attacked by the Indians.

She is naturally friendly and giving to everyone. Cricket always think of others like to her Negro playmates, she gave them candies, cookies even their cook Jane get anger of her. She also makes the other army's wife laugh and entertain with her stories.

Cricket has a special friend; she is an Indian woman who was always defended by her. She is always erroneously suspect to steal dimes and pies but then proved later that she never steals. Cricket really has a pure heart in helping others because she gave away even her father's favorite food.