Birthday Present by Arnold Marmor
A young boy receives a mysterious package on his birthday containing a small, intricately carved wooden box with a latch and a small keyhole. Despite his curiosity, he is unable to open the box, leading him to question its purpose and the identity of the sender. As he continues to ponder the box's secrets, he begins to experience strange occurrences around him, including unexplained noises and movements in his room at night. The boy becomes increasingly obsessed with the box, leading him to investigate further and uncover a dark family secret.
By Arnold Marmor · First published 1926 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime · 1,452 words
First lines
Diane's husband spent most of his time on Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It was a nice arrangement -- much too nice to last!
"It's tonight or never," Diane said.
What this Textopian page supports
Birthday Present is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arnold Marmor, dated 1926 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arnold Marmor
- Date: 1926 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
- Length: 1,452 words
- Structure: 1 section, 70 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Birthday Present by Arnold Marmor
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Birthday Present?
- How does this short story by Arnold Marmor fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Mystery — Arnold Marmor is primarily a mystery writer and 'Birthday Present' also revolves around mysterious events.
- Thriller — The book includes elements of suspense and high stakes that are characteristic of the thriller genre.
- Crime — The plot involves elements of crime investigation, typically associated with the crime genre.
Tags
family · relationships · birthdays · gifts · surprises · emotions · joy · sadness · loss · grief · memory · nostalgia