The Gate of the Giant Scissors

"The Gate of the Giant Scissors" by Annie F. Johnston is a children's novel likely written during the early 20th century. The story revolves around a young girl named Joyce, who is living in France with her wealthy cousin, Kate. Struggling with homesickness and feeling out of place among the unfamiliar surroundings and language, Joyce's journey unfolds as she discovers the mysterious gate with giant scissors that has never been opened, as well as befriends a boy named Jules who endures hardship under a cruel caretaker. At the start of the book, Joyce is introduced sitting in a pear tree, overcome with homesickness for her family back in America. Engulfed in her longing, she reflects on cherished memories and experiences that make her feel closer to home. The narrative then shifts to her curiosity about the enigmatic gate, which seems to symbolize the boundaries between her new life and her old. Additionally, we learn about Jules, the little goatherd isolated by his caretaker's harshness, establishing a parallel to Joyce's own feelings of entrapment. This connection ignites her resolve to champion for him, suggesting that the themes of friendship, bravery, and social justice play a central role as the story progresses. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Annie Fellows Johnston was an American author of children's fiction who wrote the popular The Little Colonel series, which was the basis for the 1935 Shirley Temple film The Little Colonel; many of the books were illustrated by photographer Kate Matthews. She was born and grew up in McCutchanville, Indiana, a small unincorporated town near Evansville, Indiana.