Charles Dickens
and the Street Children of London
Americans view Charles Dickens as one of literature’s greatest storytellers. But while I was teaching in London for a few months, I learned that the British also view him as their greatest social reformer—reform inspired by the stories he wrote.
Intrigued, I immersed myself in research at the venerable British Library and took a deep dive into his novels. I’d read them before, but now I viewed them differently. I quickly realized that poor people of all ages are present everywhere in his stories, and because Dickens was such a vivid writer and master storyteller, we quickly grow attached to them. Oliver Twist, Tiny Tim, Little Dorrit—we CARE about them and wish we could help them.
In my book you’ll learn that Dickens’ family fell on hard times, forcing him to work long hours in a cold, rat-infested factory, barely escaping living on the streets with other beggar children. These experiences shaped both his compassion for the less fortunate and his determination to improve their lives.
He educated himself through relentless reading, then started writing. Readers discovered his stories and then his novels, including Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and others—each guaranteed to touch the hearts of the upper classes to the plight of the poor. Gradually child labor was restricted, housing and health care improved, and poor children were taught to read and write. So powerful was Dickens’ writing that it inspired social change around the world—and continues to even today.
Reviews
“A compelling and highly readable book.”
-- School Library Journal, starred review
“Making no assumptions about her readers’ prior knowledge of Dickens, his novels, or the period, Warren writes in a clear, direct, vivid manner that brings it all to life.”
-- Booklist, starred review
“An eye-opening gem and a fascinating book. Readers will find it both astonishing and captivating. Wonderfully researched.”
-- American Library Association
Honors & Recognition
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Reviewed in the New York Times
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School Library Journal Best Books
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Bank Street College of Education: Best Books
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An NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
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American Society of Journalists & Authors, Outstanding Children’s Book Award
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Society of Midland Authors, Chicago: first runner up, Best Children’s Book
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Invited presentation at Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC, on the 200th Anniversary of Dickens’ birth
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Keynote speaker for Dallas-Ft. Worth library system’s Dickens Festival