The Prince and the Pauper
a tale for young people of all ages
Readers rate it 3.6 (153 on Hardcover)
Released May 1, 2002 · National Geographic Books
Content report card
The Prince and the Pauper parent’s guide: what’s inside
Sexual content
LGBTQ+ themes
Substance use
What it offers
A note for parents
This classic satirical novel uses the switched-identity premise to explore social injustice and hypocrisy in Tudor England with humor and heart. The prince encounters the harsh realities of poverty and cruelty in the slums, and both boys learn compassion and humility through their experiences. While there are some period-typical depictions of hardship and violence, and occasional archaic language, the overall tone is comedic and the message celebrates kindness and justice. It's an excellent introduction to classic literature with meaningful themes about empathy and social responsibility.
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From the publisher
Two boys exchange their clothes and their lives in Mark Twain's classic satiric comedy. They are the same age. They look alike. In fact, there is but one difference between them: Tom Canty is a child of the London slums; Edward Tudor is heir to the throne of England. Just how insubstantial this difference really is bec... Two boys exchange their clothes and their lives in Mark Twain's classic satiric comedy. They are the same age. They look alike. In fact, there is but one difference between them: Tom Canty is a child of the London slums; Edward Tudor is heir to the throne of England. Just how insubstantial this difference really is becomes clear when a chance encounter leads to an exchange of roles…with the pauper caught up in the pomp and folly of the royal court, and the prince wandering, horror-stricken, through the lower depths of sixteenth-century English society. Out of the theme of switched identities, Mark Twain has fashioned both a scathing attack upon social hypocrisy and injustice and an irresistible comedy imbued with the sense of high-spirited play that belongs to his most creative period. With an Afterword by Everett Emerson
Shelved under
- Fiction
- British
- classics
- Middle grade
- Tudor
- English Royals
- funny
- Young Adult
- Historical Fiction
- Comics
- Literature
- History
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ISBN 9780451528353 · National Geographic Books