The Story of a Bad Boy facts for kids
Title page for The Story of a Bad Boy, 1870
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| Author | Thomas Bailey Aldrich |
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| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Published | 1870 |
The Story of a Bad Boy is a classic book from 1870. It was written by an American author named Thomas Bailey Aldrich. This novel tells a story that is partly about Aldrich's own childhood. He grew up in a town called Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The book is famous for starting a new type of story called the "bad boy" genre. But the author himself said his character was "not such a very bad, but a pretty bad boy."
Contents
Adventures of Tom Bailey
The story follows a boy named Tom Bailey. He is born in a made-up town called Rivermouth, New Hampshire. When Tom is very young, about 18 months old, his family moves to New Orleans.
Life in Rivermouth
Later, Tom's father wants him to get his education in the North. So, Tom is sent back to Rivermouth. He goes to live with his grandfather, Captain Nutter. Captain Nutter lives with his sister and an Irish servant.
Tom quickly makes new friends in Rivermouth. He joins a secret boys' club called the Centipedes. This club gets into all sorts of fun adventures and mischief.
Pranks and Fun
One time, the boys play a big prank. They find an old carriage and push it into a bonfire. This happens during the Fourth of July celebrations. It causes quite a stir!
In the winter, the boys have more fun. Several of them build a strong snow fort. It's on a place called Slatter's Hill. This leads to an exciting snowball fight against other boys.
Boating and New Friends
Tom and three friends decide to buy a boat together. They pool their money and name their boat Dolphin. They sneak away to an island for a secret adventure.
Tom also becomes good friends with a man called Sailor Ben. Tom first met Ben on the ship that brought him from New Orleans. It turns out Sailor Ben is the long-lost husband of Captain Nutter's Irish servant. Ben decides to live in Rivermouth. He makes his home in a cabin that looks like a boat.
Sailor Ben helps the boys with another big prank. They fire off some old cannons at the pier. This causes a lot of confusion among the people in town.
A New Beginning
Later in the story, Tom's father faces a problem. His banking job doesn't work out. Because of this, Tom gets an offer from his uncle. He is invited to work in a "counting-house" in New York. A counting-house was a place where business accounts were handled. This means Tom starts a new chapter in his life.
