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A Boy Called Dickens
by
Deborah Hopkinson (Goodreads Author),
John Hendrix
For years Dickens kept the story of his own childhood a secret. Yet it is a story worth telling. For it helps us remember how much we all might lose when a child's dreams don't come true . . . As a child, Dickens was forced to live on his own and work long hours in a rat-infested blacking factory. Readers will be drawn into the winding streets of London, where they will le...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
January 10th 2012
by Schwartz & Wade
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"A Boy Called Dickens" by Deborah Hopkinson is such a wonderful and at times heart wrenching story about Charles Dickens as a boy. This book is about a time that Charles Dickens kept private from everyone. It is a time where he finds characters for his books through his hard times and labor. You will find everyone from Scrooge to David Copperfield mentioned in this book. I love this quote from the book, " For it helps us remember how much we all might lose when a child's dreams don't come true."...more
The illustrations are well done and help drive the story by depicting old London and the difficult childhood Dickens’ endured. Many people may be unaware of the financial struggles Dickens’ family faced when he was a boy, since the novelist kept this part of his life a secret for many years. While Hopkinson explains in her endnotes that the book is based on actual incidents and pieces that Dickens wrote about his own life, she does emphasize that it is a work of fiction. Readers will enjoy the o...more
A Boy Called Dickens is a children’s picture book detailing the life of young Charles Dickens. Dickens has a hard life with his father going to Debtor’s prison while he was a boy. He was then forced to work in a shoe blacking factory in order to make money to support his family, who were also living in jail with his father. The worst thing to Dickens is the fact that he is unable to read his beloved books and attend school. He makes the most of his adversity and uses his imagination to create wo...more
We meet the 12-year-old Dickens on a cold, gray winter day in London. He is hungry and his school books are pawned. Instead of school, he must work long hours at a blacking factory. His friend, Fagin, begs the young boy to entertain him with stories to pass the long work hours. Later, Dickens makes his way home through the dreary London streets where vendors sell potatoes and chestnuts to the poor.
The boy returns home alone to a tiny room, with a cot and shelf and loaf of bread. His father is i...more
The boy returns home alone to a tiny room, with a cot and shelf and loaf of bread. His father is i...more
A Boy Called Dickens is a fantastic biographic picture book for 3rd graders. This story tells the tale of Charles Dickens' childhood of poverty, labor, and struggle. Young Charles simply wants to go to school; to read; to write. However, he must struggle through a difficult childhood because of a very troubling family situation. How did Charles become this great author?
I enjoyed this book because it told a great story. The great aspect of it is that the story itself is about a boy who LOVES to r...more
I enjoyed this book because it told a great story. The great aspect of it is that the story itself is about a boy who LOVES to r...more
Feb 24, 2012
The Library Lady
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
kids-nonfiction
How can I give a bad review to a book about Dickens written by someone who admits to sharing my Christmas Eve tradition of staying up to read A Christmas Carol?
I am not sure that we NEED a book like this any more than we need those awful abridgements of classics like Dickens. A classic is a classic because it is so good that it has been loved by generations who still find meaning in its words. But as such books go, this is a good one that will bring kids of the 21st century a little closer to th...more
I am not sure that we NEED a book like this any more than we need those awful abridgements of classics like Dickens. A classic is a classic because it is so good that it has been loved by generations who still find meaning in its words. But as such books go, this is a good one that will bring kids of the 21st century a little closer to th...more
Why were all the people drawn in amusement park caricature style? This felt inconsistent with both the backgrounds (very good depictions of 19th c. London) and the story. Also disappointing was how the story suddenly shifted from childhood to 'and then he was 40'. But it was a fun story including basic details available from the historical record. The author's note at the end was informative and interesting, and honest. Like some other historical fiction, this bites off a less-known slice of lif...more
I have been fascinated with Charles Dickens since I read Great Expectations in my freshman year, so I would probably like just about anything written about him. This 'story' tells about the period in Dickens' life when his father was in debtors prison and Charles worked ten hours a day in a blacking factory. Author Deborah Hopkinson's narrative is simple yet eloquent and is laced with subtle allusions to the things and people that inspired Dickens' writing. Full-page illustrations portray these...more
It probably wasn't lost on the publisher that February 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens birth. However, Deborah Hopkinson's A Boy Called Dickens does not read like an opportunistic, dry-as-sawdust, requisite children'sbiography. Instead, it is a lovingly crafted picture book biography that I think a wide range of readers can enjoy on many different levels. Young pre-readers can find intriguing details in the sometimes Where's Waldo-esque illustrations. Middle grade readers can...more
Hopkinson brings us into dismal "Old London" where we discover the boy, Dickens, huddled in a doorway soon to see his family in debtors' prison. She gives even these grimy times a magical feel with her narration which acknowledges and spurs on the reader's curiosity. Hendrix' illustrations also create the idea that even within sooty London, there's magic to be found in the characters and scenes that eventually find their way into Dickens' tales. One caution--this is not an entirely factual pictu...more
Well-told, lively story about the part of Dickens' youth when his family was in debtor's prison and he worked 12 hours a day in an inking factory.
Although my own sons were well acquainted with Dickens' A Christmas Carol by the time they were six, thanks to Patrick Stewart's amazing narration of the story, none of them were inspired to tackle anything else by him until they had to in high school. So I'm not sure whom the audience is. I have an entire shelf of Dickens gathering dust in my library...more
Although my own sons were well acquainted with Dickens' A Christmas Carol by the time they were six, thanks to Patrick Stewart's amazing narration of the story, none of them were inspired to tackle anything else by him until they had to in high school. So I'm not sure whom the audience is. I have an entire shelf of Dickens gathering dust in my library...more
I went back and forth between four stars and five, but it's definitely a keeper, especially for a classroom tool with reading/writing connections. A Boy Called Dickens relates a slice of Dickens' life when he worked in a factory while the rest of his family was in debtors' prison and tells how he was able to pass the excruciatingly boring hours by telling stories to the other boys. It's not a picture book for young children. It will actually take sixth grade and older to begin to see some of the...more
I was so happy to find this book for a young godson who is the great-grandson of a Georgia Dickens scholar. Deborah Hopkinson does a marvelous job of re-creating the inner life of 12-year-old Charles Dickens, who suffers the harsh humiliation of a factory job while his family lives in debtor's prison. It's an encouraging story though as this horrible time in Dickens life, Hopkinson leads the reader to believe, becomes a force in his work, which was to postively transform children's lives in Engl...more
Audience: This book would be good for boys since the main character is a boy. It would be good for third or fourth graders because it has a more complex story with more mature issues.
Appeal: This book is inspiring for kids and can help them to look into how children in other areas can have very different lives.
Application: I would use this book to get the students to think about people who are less fortunate and how other countries have different issues than we do. We could have a discussion a...more
Appeal: This book is inspiring for kids and can help them to look into how children in other areas can have very different lives.
Application: I would use this book to get the students to think about people who are less fortunate and how other countries have different issues than we do. We could have a discussion a...more
I so enjoyed Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek. When I read A Boy Called Dickens, I was very happy to see Deborah Hopkinson use the same narrative style and John Hendrix as illustrator. The story, admittedly fiction since not much was written about Dickens' childhood (per author note), is a great story as a stand alone, but also as encouragement for writing. Dickens did not give up and found many ideas for his books in his own childhood. A treat for 1st and 2nd grade to take a peek at a time period ve...more
Fictionalized version (see author's note) of the childhood of Charles Dickens. By focusing on just a brief period of his life, the author brings pre-Victorian London and the young Dickens' world to an understandable level for children. The conversational tone of the text invites readers in to meet the young man who will grow up to become the famous author.
Illustrations are well-done, with a sooty, grimy look and feel. Close examination reveals details that extend the text and engage the reader (...more
Illustrations are well-done, with a sooty, grimy look and feel. Close examination reveals details that extend the text and engage the reader (...more
This book is well illustrated and explains in a not-quite-so-horrible way Dickens life as a young boy. Its a good jumping off place for learning more about him for older children and just enough info for younger children. Dickens parents have always made me want to pay more attention to my own children and listen to their dreams and let them explore as often as I can what they want to learn and do. They also make me want to say un-Christian things, but that's a different topic.
A combination of second person, present tense narrative and charming pen and acrylic illustration cast the reader as a witness to Dickens' young life. Illustrations, which range from ethereal, aerial views of London to scratchy, fragile vignettes, expertly portray bleakness and beauty through color. The ink drawings evoke Mercer Mayer's illustrations of Fitzgerald's Great Brain. Although this is a work of fiction, the author's note hints at research, although no sources are cited.
Enter the world of Charles Dickens’ childhood in this picture book. The fog and cold of London will enfold you, along with the smoking chimneys and the dankness of the Thames. Twelve-year-old Dickens worked in Warren’s blacking factory, wrapping bottles of blacking for sale. He entertained the boy next to him with his stories when they could get away with it. Dickens worked ten hour days and when work is finally completed, he headed home to his tiny attic room where he lived alone. His family wa...more
May 15, 2012
Marguarite Markley
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
high-school-picture-books
Had a teacher read this picture book to me prior to assigning A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, I think I would have been more encouraged to finish those novels. However, as a high school teenager, I had no frame of reference to read those novels and be able to envision Old London. With this as a supplement, I would have had a better understanding of WHY Dickens created his characters and wrote his stories. I like this book and the artwork is great.
Sweet enough, and fun... but I didn't much like the illustrations. That seems to be my picture book review theme lately- but I just don't like illustrations that are cartoony. And though the buildings here are quite atmospheric and interesting, the people are cartoony and goofy and silly and don't add to my enjoyment of the story. The story is interesting enough, with fun little quotes worked into the narrative. But the illustrations stopped me cold.
Nov 14, 2012
Melissa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
history,
biography,
non-fiction,
nfpb2012,
graphite,
pen-and-ink,
acrylics,
elem,
teens
An interesting blend of fact and fancy that provides context for Dickens' adult life and work. Hopkinson is careful to describe in an endnote what parts of her story are historical record and which are her own imaginings. I enjoyed the more realistic, graphite cityscapes and settings more than the cartoony, pen-and-ink characters, but the period details of their clothes (and their dirt) are well-done.
A fictional account of Charles Dickens life. This book could be used with a variety of readers (younger readers and older readers) as a way to introduce Charles Dickens or see what life was like for some children living in the 1800s. Perseverance is another aspect of this story, since he never gave up on his dream of telling stories. Pictures tie in well with the story and shows a historical period.
I downloaded this well written children's biography from the library on my I-pad. The authors colorful descriptions made me feel like I was walking the streets of London at the turn of the century. This short history of Dicken's childhood inspires me to read his famous tales like Oliver Twist and The Christmas Carol. I could see myself using this for a writing mini-lesson for sure!
Feb 07, 2012
Sandy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all ages,great way to intro Dickens titles for older readers.
Surprisingly engaging and identifiable for today's kids: poverty, family issues. Great insight to Old London setting and social practices. The illustrations include shifting perspective and rich, amusing, informative details. A testament to the power of story, and a clear focus on the early years of Dickens. Interesting second person voice used, helpful as mentor text.
I love, love, love Hopkinson's narrative voice in this one - the yarn spinner voiceover-like tone is absolutely perfect. She does a superb job setting the scene in the first few pages. Hendrix's illustrations are, as usual, fantastic. This one may turn off some of those readers who don't like fictionalization involving real historical figures...
A treat for Dickens lovers, and for any child that loves a good story. Young Dickens is a hearty character to get behind and the city of London is wonderfully set, just like in a Dickens novel. John Hendrix's illustrations are particularly good, and the combination of text and image is a wonderful marriage.
This is a fictional account of the boyhood life of Charles Dickens, which was by no means an easy life. The author reveals, in a note at the end of the book, that most of the story is true, although some small details may not be. The illustrations add weight to the words without making the tale too dark.
I Love Dickens, I have read "Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations". I am familiar and love the Stories of "Oliver Twist" and "A Christmas Carol" This is a great Non-fiction for a 3rd-5th grade level (well, the author admits she fictionalized some dialogue but the facts are true). Nicely done!
A Boy Called Dickens is a fictionalized biography that describes the deprivation and hardships that Charles Dickens experienced as a a young boy. Dickens enthusiasts will see connections and influences on his later storytelling. The book could also promote discussions of poverty and child labor.
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I am the author of historical fiction picture books, nonfiction, and middle grade fiction. I also review books for Bookpage.com, and work full time as vice president for advancement (that means fundraising!) for Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) here in Portland.
Titanic: Voices from the Disaster was named a 2013 Sibert Honor Book and a 2013 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist. Annie and...more
More about Deborah Hopkinson...
Titanic: Voices from the Disaster was named a 2013 Sibert Honor Book and a 2013 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist. Annie and...more
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Dec 01, 2012 04:21am