Little Lord Fauntleroy

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Summary

Little Lord Fauntleroy Frances Hodgson Burnett - In a shabby New York City side street in the mid-1880s, young Cedric Errol lives with his mother (known to him as "Dearest") in genteel poverty after the death of his father, Captain Cedric Errol. One day, they are visited by an English lawyer named Havisham with a message from young Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, an unruly millionaire who despises the United States and was very disappointed when his youngest son married an American woman. With the deaths of his father's elder brothers, Cedric has now inherited the title Lord Fauntleroy and is the heir to the earldom and a vast estate. Cedric's grandfather wants him to live in England and be educated as an English aristocrat. He offers his son's widow a house and guaranteed income, but he refuses to have anything to do with her, even after she declines his money.

However, the Earl is impressed by the appearance and intelligence of his American grandson and is charmed by his innocent nature. Cedric believes his grandfather to be an honorable man and benefactor, and the Earl cannot disappoint him. The Earl therefore becomes a benefactor to his tenants, to their delight, though he takes care to let them know that their benefactor is the child, Lord Fauntleroy.

Meanwhile, back in New York, a homeless bootblack named Dick Tipton tells Cedric's old friend Mr. Hobbs, a New York City grocer, that a few years prior, after the death of his parents, Dick's older brother Benjamin married an awful woman who got rid of their only child together after he was born and then left. Benjamin moved to California to open a cattle ranch while Dick ended up in the streets. At the same time, a neglected pretender to Cedric's inheritance appears in England, the pretender's mother claiming that he is the offspring of the Earl's eldest son, Bevis. The claim is investigated by Dick and Benjamin, who come to England and recognize the woman as Benjamin's former wife. She flees, and the Tipton brothers and the pretender, Benjamin's son, do not see her again. Afterward, Benjamin goes back to his cattle ranch in California where he happily raises his son by himself. The Earl is reconciled to his American daughter-in-law, realizing that she is far superior to the impostor.

The Earl planned to teach his grandson how to be an aristocrat. Instead, Cedric teaches his grandfather that an aristocrat should practice compassion towards those dependent on him. The Earl becomes the man Cedric always innocently believed him to be. Cedric is happily reunited with his mother, and Mr. Hobbs, who decides to stay to help look after Cedric.

Available since: 08/19/2021.

Print length: 204 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Doctor in Rags

Louise Vernon

Hutterites are known for their natural medicines and living in Bruderhofs. Michael Bruhn, his sister Gudryn, and their widowed mother live in a castle in Moravia. When a doctor wearing ragged clothing heals Gudryn, Michael thinks he, too, must be a Hutterite. Later, Michael learns that this doctor in rags is the famous physican Paracelsus. Michael is impressed and begins to plan when he can also be a doctor. Then tragedy strikes. For 9-to-14-year-olds.

Show book

The Pharaoh's Secret

Marissa Moss

When Talibah and her younger brother, Adom, accompany their father, an academic, to his homeland of modern Egypt on his research assignment, they become involved in a mystery surrounding an ancient, lost pharaoh—a rare queen ruler. Someone has tried to wipe her from the record, to make it appear as if she never existed! She needs Talibah to help her and her high priest, Senenmut, reclaim their rightful place in history. Exotic locales, mysterious strangers, and a sinister archaeologist round out an adventure that is full of riddles, old tales, and, most surprisingly of all, a link to Talibah’s and Adom’s mother, who died mysteriously.

Show book

It's L

Oona Gaarder-Juntti

It's L! begins with an introduction to the letter, what it looks like, and where it fits in the alphabet. In the second section, fun, illustrated sentences show examples of the letter with regard to sound and placement within the words. A cute, rhyming st

Show book

Me and My Puppy

Terri Diffenderfer

After visiting the town's pet shop day after day, a boy's dream finally comes true when his mom says he can get a puppy! There are many different puppies to choose from, but this little boy knows exactly the one he wants. It wasn't the biggest or the littlest. It wasn't even the prettiest or the most handsome. But this puppy was the friendliest! And that's what the puppy's name became—Friendly! Find out what happens when Friendly decides to play with Daddy's shoes and Mommy's favorite sweater. This tender story of a love between a boy and his dog will have little ones asking for their own puppy. A positive ending encourages a lifelong love for storytime.

Show book

Jack and the Beanstalk

Naomi McMillan

Listen to the classic tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” When Jack goes to the market to sell the family cow for money, he returns home instead with five magic beans.  His mother is so angry she throws the beans out of the window.  What happens the next morning when Jack discovers a giant beanstalk and climbs to the top to find a magical castle? The adventure continues when Jack learns that the Giant living in the castle has a goose that can lay eggs of gold. A happy ending adds interest to this fairy tale and encourages a lifelong love for reading.

Show book

Cracker! - The Best Dog in Vietnam

Cynthia Kadohata

CRACKER IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY'S MOST VALUABLE WEAPONS: a German shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. The fate of entire platoons rests on her keen sense of smell. She's a Big Deal, and she likes it that way. Sometimes Cracker remembers when she was younger, and her previous owner would feed her hot dogs and let her sleep in his bed. That was nice, too.  Rick Hanski is headed to Vietnam. There, he's going to whip the world and prove to his family and his sergeant -- and everyone else who didn't think he was cut out for war -- wrong. But sometimes Rick can't help but wonder that maybe everyone else is right. Maybe he should have just stayed at home and worked in his dad's hardware store.  When Cracker is paired with Rick, she isn't so sure about this new owner. He's going to have to prove himself to her before she's going to prove herself to him. They need to be friends before they can be a team, and they have to be a team if they want to get home alive.  Told in part through the uncanny point of view of a German shepherd, Cracker! is an action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a dog and her handler. It's an utterly unique powerhouse of a book by the Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira.

Show book