The Good Ship Rover
The Good Ship Rover is a heartwarming story about a brave little tugboat named Rover who sets out on a daring mission to save the day. When a powerful storm threatens to destroy the harbor, Rover must brave the raging seas and battle the fierce winds to save the day. Along the way, Rover meets a variety of characters, including a friendly whale, a brave seagull, and a mysterious mermaid. With the help of his new friends, Rover must find a way to save the harbor and prove that even the smallest of vessels can make a big difference. With its inspiring message of courage and determination, The Good Ship Rover is sure to delight readers of all ages.
By Robina F. Hardy · First published 1888 · Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 4 chapters · 7,420 words
First lines
A gallant ship, some three feet in length, with full equipment of white sails and sturdy masts, rigging, pennon, and figurehead; but it had never seen the sea -- never! It had "cast anchor" nearly a year before my story begins in the Leslies' nursery -- a very pleasant, airy room, with nice pictures on the wall and a good many toys scattered about, but certainly not the very least resembling the sea. In fact, I don't think Mrs. Leslie would have liked if it had resembled it; for she was very much afraid of the children being near a lake or a pond even, on account of the dangers of damp feet and catching cold -- two evils which always haunted her mind more or less. She was rather a delicate creature, often ailing, -- which, perhaps, was the reason of these nervous fancies; and most of the children resembled their mother in this, that there was sure to be something the matter with one or other of them most days of the week. The doctor was seldom long out of the house. Fortunately, Dr. Hammond lived just next door, so he was easily sent for; and Walter Hammond, the doctor's eldest boy, was Harry Leslie's dearest and most intimate friend. The two boys were about eight years old, went to the same school, spent most of their play-hours together, and intended both to go to the sea together when they were old enough. For Harry Leslie, though he had never once seen the sea any more than his ship had done, had heard and read a great deal about sailor life and adventures, and had inspired Walter with the same admiration for these as he himself felt. Besides, his uncle Jack, Mr. Leslie's brother, who had made the ship for his little nephew, had often told him stories about the sea which he treasured in his heart all the more, perhaps, because he was so often mured up by his nursery walls, or even in his little iron bed, on account of colds, coughs, measles, chicken-pox, etc.
What this Textopian page supports
The Good Ship Rover is listed on Textopian as a short story by Robina F. Hardy, dated 1888 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Robina F. Hardy
- Date: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction
- Length: 7,420 words
- Structure: 4 chapters, 93 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Good Ship Rover by Robina F. Hardy
- 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 The Good Ship Rover?
- How does this short story by Robina F. Hardy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
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- Alices Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Genres
- Adventure — The title of the book implies a journey, and the plot follows the adventures of the crew of the Good Ship Rover.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of fantasy, such as talking animals and magical creatures.
- Children's Literature — The book is written for a young audience and contains themes of friendship and exploration.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in a historical period and contains references to real-life events and people.
Tags
Children's stories · Conduct of life · Juvenile fiction · boy · children · could · day · even · first · go · going · good
Contents
- HIGH AND DRY
- THE SEA! THE SEA!
- "BLANKET BAY."
- FAIRLY AFLOAT