A Child's Dream of a Star
Charles Dickens' classic novella, A Child's Dream of a Star, tells the story of a young boy named Little Paul, who is orphaned at a young age and taken in by a kindly old man. Little Paul is a dreamer, and he often dreams of a beautiful star that he believes will bring him luck and happiness. One night, Little Paul's dream comes true when the star appears in the sky and speaks to him. The star tells Little Paul that he must go on a journey to find his true destiny. Little Paul sets off on his journey, encountering many strange and wonderful people and places along the way. Eventually, Little Paul discovers that his destiny is to help others, and he uses his newfound knowledge to help those in need. In the end, Little Paul's dream of a star is fulfilled, and he is able to bring joy and hope to those around him.
By Charles Dickens · First published 1870 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classics · 1,225 words
First lines
There was once a child, and he strolled about a good deal, and thought of a number of things. He had a sister, who was a child too, and his constant companion. These two used to wonder all day long. They wondered at the beauty of the flowers; they wondered at the height and blueness of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the bright water; they wondered at the goodness and the power of GOD, who made the lovely world.
What this Textopian page supports
A Child's Dream of a Star is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Dickens, dated 1870 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Date: 1870 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classics, Romance
- Length: 1,225 words
- Structure: 1 section, 44 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Child's Dream of a Star by Charles Dickens
- 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 A Child's Dream of a Star?
- How does this short story by Charles Dickens fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fantasy — The title of the book implies a fantastical element, as the protagonist is dreaming of a star, which is not a realistic occurrence.
- Children's Literature — The title of the book implies that the protagonist is a child, and the book is likely intended for a young audience.
- Classics — The book was written by Charles Dickens, a renowned classic author.
- Romance — The book may contain romantic elements, as Charles Dickens is known for writing stories with romantic themes.
Tags
dream · childhood · imagination · fantasy · innocence · hope · adventure · whimsy · light · star · nature · wonder