1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The book introduces Peter Rabbit, who is far more adventurous than his siblings: Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail. Before going to the baker’s, their mother warns them to avoid Mr. McGregor’s garden, because their father had an “accident” there and ended up in a pie. However, after she leaves, the naughty Peter immediately squeezes under the garden gate to gorge on Mr. McGregor’s vegetables, while the others obediently go up the lane to pick blackberries. Mr. McGregor soon spots Peter near the cucumber frame and chases him all over the garden. After finally locating the gate, Peter returns home frightened but a little wiser. Mrs. Rabbit gives Peter chamomile tea, but, for his good siblings, she produces a supper of bread and milk and blackberries.
This tale combines humor and adventure while also featuring a moral lesson, and the text is accompanied by beautiful watercolors which are suitable to introduce children to the very real dangers lurking in the adult world and the notion that actions often have consequences.
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie Bucket lives on the outskirts of town with his poverty-stricken family. Each day on his way to school, Charlie passes the best and biggest chocolate factory in the world, run by the secretive Willy Wonka. One day, Wonka announces that he has hidden golden tickets in five Wonka chocolate bars, with the prize of a tour of the factory and a lifetime supply of Wonka products for each child who finds a ticket. Charlie finds money at the snowbank and buys himself two Wonka chocolate bars; the second contains the last golden ticket.
The inside of the chocolate factory is magical, and the workers are revealed to be the tiny cacao-loving Oompa-Loompas. As the tour progresses, four of the children, too self-centered to follow the rules, suffer bizarre and often painful consequences. At last, Wonka tells Charlie that, because of his respectful behavior, he is being given the chocolate factory.
This story is an absolute moral imperative that is filled with colorful adventures that would definitely be common sense and imagination good children are rewarded and bad children are punished.
3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
The story centers on Alice, a young girl who falls asleep in a meadow and dreams that she follows the White Rabbit down a rabbit hole. She encounters a Caterpillar, the Duchess and the Cheshire Cat, and she attends a strange endless tea party with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. Alice plays a game of croquet with a flamingo and a hedgehog while the Queen calls for the execution. Later, at the Queen’s behest, the Gryphon takes Alice to meet the sobbing Mock Turtle, who describes his education in such subjects as Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Alice is then called as a witness in the trial of the Knave of Hearts, who is accused of having stolen the Queen’s tarts. However, when the Queen demands that Alice be beheaded, Alice realizes that the characters are only a pack of cards, and she then awakens from her dream.
The tale highlights bizarre adventures with thoroughly illogical and very strange creatures of a childhood world and makes adults feel like children again by escaping everyday life and tumbling into a whimsical world of nonsense where normal rules do not apply.
4. Charlotte’s Web
An eight-year-old Fern Arable is devastated when she hears that her father is going to kill the pig’s new litter. Hence, she persuades him that the piglet has a right to life and promises to look after it, she saves the animal and names him, Wilbur. When Wilbur becomes too large, Fern is forced to sell him to her uncle, Homer Zuckerman but then discovers that he will soon be slaughtered for Christmas dinner. The hairy barn spider who lives in the rafters above his sty decides to help him. With the assistance of a sneaky rat named Templeton and some of the other animals in the barn, she writes a message on her web: “Some Pig.” More strange messages appear on the web, sparking people from miles around to visit these manifestations and the pig that inspired them. Charlotte accompanies Wilbur to the county fair, where she spins her last note: “Humble.” Wilbur wins a special prize, and his survival is ensured.
However, Charlotte is unwell. After laying hundreds of eggs, she is too weak to return to the Zuckerman’s farm. Wilbur then leaves the dying Charlotte behind and keeps a watchful eye on the eggs. Although most leave after hatching, three stay behind in the barn, and they and subsequent generations of Charlotte’s offspring comfort Wilbur for many years to come.
The novel contains an important lesson about responsibility and love while also being humorous and charming. The story of life and death is full of warmth and those silly characters are just about perfect!
5. A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg Murry who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O’Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces. The plot begins with the arrival of Mrs. Whatsit at the Murry house on a dark and stormy evening. She reassures her of the existence of a tesseract–a sort of “wrinkle” in space and time. The three children learn from Mrs. Whatsit that the universe is threatened by a great evil called the Dark Thing which takes the form of a giant cloud, engulfing the stars around it. Several planets have already succumbed to this evil force, including Camazotz, the planet on which Mr. Murry is imprisoned.
Charles Wallace tries to fight IT with his intelligence but is overpowered by evil and becomes a robot-like creature. Unable to withstand IT’s power; they escape only at the last minute when Mr. Murry appears and seizes Meg and Calvin. Therefore, Meg must discover this weapon for herself. When standing in the presence of IT, Meg realizes what this is: her ability to love. Thus, by concentrating on her love for Charles Wallace, she is able to restore him to his true identity. Meg releases Charles from IT’s clutches and tessers with him through time and space. The family joyously reunites, and Mrs. W visits the happy scene en route to further travels.
The tale is an inclusive but imperfect take on a classic story of hope, and love and shows a connection between kids’ healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in society which is very crucial for children to understand a “heroic” action journey
Cr: Britannica.com
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