Content levels
Trigger warnings
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
Puck of Pook's Hill and Rewards and Fairies are classic children's books which speak powerfully to adult readers. Una and Dan, performing a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream one Midsummer's Eve, accidentally summon Puck to a fairy ring near their Sussex home. Through Puck the children are witnesses to tales of English history, subtly called forth by Kipling's brilliant and fluid adventure writing. Kipling's historical imagination extends to a wide variety of stories, many of which blend the ghostly and the familiar, and often anticipate his later writing in their themes: a sense of loss and breakdown, but also healing. First published in magazines between 1906 and 1910, the stories were accompanied by some of Kipling's most famous poems, including 'If--' and 'The Way through the Woods'. This edition includes an introduction which dispels the myth that these stories are simply a nostalgic view of English history, discusses their relationship to other historical fiction, and relates them to Kipling's earlier and later writings.
Is Rewards and fairies appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
Classic early 20th-century children's stories featuring historical tales with ghostly and supernatural elements. Some stories deal with themes of loss and death, but are handled sensitively and focus on healing and understanding England's past.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include death.
Who'll love this
Kids who love history and magical adventures will enjoy meeting Puck and hearing tales from England's past through ghostly visitors and mysterious encounters.