Ten years after finishing

, his fourth book for children, Nathaniel Hawthorne returned to writing for children with

Unlike the histories that had been the focus in his previous books for children,

instead focused on classical myth. Hawthorne had considered rewriting classical myth for children for years, beginning as early as 1838. When he finally undertook the project with

, he became the first writer in English to retell classical myths for children. Most if not all popular versions of these classical myths today emerge from Hawthorne’s pioneering renderings in

and

(Hawthorne’s sixth book for children). In adapting the stories for children, Hawthorne used…

2715 words

Citation: Laffrado, Laura. "A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 August 2011; last revised 08 October 2018. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6909, accessed 24 November 2024.]

• View recommended reading for this article