The golden pennies, and other stories

"The Golden Pennies, and Other Stories" by Madeline Leslie is a collection of moral tales likely written in the late 19th century. The book focuses on themes of kindness, empathy, and moral character, presenting stories that impart valuable lessons to children about compassion and selflessness. The narratives often feature young protagonists grappling with decisions that reflect their moral choices and the impact of their actions on others. Throughout the collection, each story showcases varying circumstances and characters, including a boy who learns the true value of giving with love, a clever cat named Old Tom who protects his family, and an orphan boy showing compassion towards a kitten. Other tales explore themes such as gratitude, the importance of helping one another, and standing up against selfishness. The vivid storytelling aims to instill virtues in young readers, encouraging them to reflect on their behavior and the moral implications of their choices in everyday life. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harriette Newell Woods Baker was an American author of books for children, and editor. Her career as an author began when she was about 30 years old. She devoted herself successfully to novels; but after about 15 years, she wrote popular religious literature. Her most famous book, Tim, the Scissors Grinder, sold half a million copies, and was translated into several languages. Baker published about 200 moral and religious tales under the pen name "Mrs. Madeline Leslie". She also wrote under her own name or initials, and under that of "Aunt Hattie". She wrote chiefly for the young, and was still writing in 1893 when she died.