Hello Everyone

As I mentioned last time, one of the books I first remember reading is The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley.

I will tell you a little about this story now.

Many years ago people in England had to have their chimneys swept clean of all the soot from their fires. Some of these houses belonged to really rich people. They were very big houses that had been enlarged many times by different generations of the family.

One result of this was that were very few straight chimneys. Most of the chimneys evolved into twisting tunnels with fireplaces in various floors and rooms all connected. It would have been impossible to use a straight brush and so, being very rich, these people send very small poor children up then chimneys to scurry about cleaning the airway.

I don’t think we can imagine how dark and foul it must have been. The children of course, had to be small to fit round all the corners so they were not very well fed. It was a hard cruel life.

Charles Kingsley was a very good man who hated to hear of this kind of thing. He wrote a fairy story of a magical adventure for a little sweep and this is it. It is a story of good and bad, and how it is possible for a person to redeem themselves if they really want to.

I hope if you get the opportunity you will read this book, it is very old fashioned in language but is still readable and enjoyable. 

Nikki  

GLOSSARY

Sweep –swept-swept: to clean or clear away with a brush or broom.

Soot: Black powder that is produced when a fuel such as coal, wood, or oil is burned. Soot often collects in chimneys.

Foul: very dirty or disgusting.

Redeem: to save or to make up for.

 

                                            Nikki

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MORE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Water-Babies

 http://stagingweb1.britishcouncil.org/cms/kids-stories-short.htm