by Nathaniel Nathaniel Hawthorne
First published 2018
In these three interconnected stories, Hawthorne weaves tales of wonder and moral discovery. A brother and sister create a child from snow who comes mysteriously to life, only to face the inevitable approach of spring's warmth. Ernest grows up gazing at the Great Stone Face carved into a mountainside, waiting for the prophesied great man who will resemble the noble features. Young Daffydowndilly runs away from school to escape his stern teacher, embarking on a journey that teaches him unexpected lessons about authority and character. Each story explores the tension between innocence and experience, between the magical possibilities children see in the world and the harder truths that await them. Hawthorne captures the bittersweet moment when childhood wonder meets adult reality, showing how transformation often comes through loss and understanding.
Genres: fiction, classics, classic-literature, american-fiction, american, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, magical-realism
Period: 19th-Century
108 pages · Paperback · Sagwan Press