The Children's Longfellow Told in Prose

"The Children's Longfellow" by Doris Hayman is a collection of stories that transform the famous poems of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow into easy-to-understand tales for kids. These stories, like "Hiawatha" and "Evangeline," are all about big ideas like being brave, loving others, and celebrating different cultures. The book begins by talking about how important Longfellow was as a poet, sharing his interest in nature's wonders as well as feelings of love and loss. One of the first tales, "The Building of the Ship," tells of a skilled shipbuilder and his helper creating a beautiful, sturdy ship. It mixes themes of love, dreams, and the pride of making something great, especially as the main character is set to marry the builder's daughter amidst their hard work. The book's writing style aims to bring poetry to life with simple language that keeps young readers interested.