“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
Charles Dickens (Our Mutual Friend)

A young boy sees his world falling apart when his father is sent to prison for debts. Now, he has to leave school and start working in a factory, labelling pots. His love for creating stories is the only beacon in absolute darkness.

“The most important thing in life is to stop saying, ‘I wish’ and start saying, ‘I will’. Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.”
Charles Dickens (David Copperfield)

He becomes a clerk at a law firm but that isn’t enough. He adores Theatre and writing and soon, he begins reporting for newspapers. But Life with its twists and turns and colourful characters, with its joys and sorrows, is calling.

He went on to create The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Little Dorrit, Our Mutual Friend, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol. He became the voice of the poor, the neglected, the unwanted. He became the saviour of children…

…and he inspired the world to celebrate Christmas in all its glory. Christmas of the past, the present and the future.

His name? Charles Dickens

“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope -into a better shape...”
Charles Dickens (Great Expectations)

Many thanks to Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ ( )

I enjoyed this book, but the series is feeling formulaic. What makes it worse is at the end of the story there is a mini biography and time line with real picture. I like this part, but I wish it was used to expand on the information in the story, instead of just retell it. ( )