Little Frankie and His Cousin

"Little Frankie and His Cousin" by Madeline Leslie is a children's story published in the mid-19th century. This book belongs to the genre of juvenile fiction, aiming to impart moral lessons through the experiences of young characters. The story revolves around the themes of obedience, honesty, and personal growth, as two cousins navigate the challenges of childhood together. In this tale, four-year-old Frankie welcomes his six-year-old cousin Nelly into his home while her parents travel abroad. The narrative highlights the contrasting personalities of the two children, with Nelly exhibiting selfishness and an unwillingness to obey, which causes friction in their interactions. As Frankie encourages Nelly to play and learn from others, her journey includes moments of mischief, particularly when she succumbs to bad habits and lies. Throughout the story, their adventures serve as vehicles for teaching important lessons about honesty, the consequences of bad behavior, and ultimately, the joy of learning to be kind and generous. Through various incidents, including Nelly's struggles with her cousin's guidance, both characters face challenges that lead to growth and understanding, highlighting the transformative power of love and responsibility. (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.