The Twelve and the Genii facts for kids
Front cover of first edition
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| Author | Pauline Clarke |
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| Illustrator | Cecil Leslie |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Faber and Faber |
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Publication date
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1962 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 185 pp (first edition) |
| OCLC | 559665894 |
| LC Class | PZ8.C552 Tw PZ8.C552 Re2 |
The Twelve and the Genii is an exciting children's book by Pauline Clarke. In the United States, it was called The Return of the Twelves. It was first published in 1962. The book tells a story about a young boy. He finds some lost toy soldiers. These soldiers once belonged to the famous Brontë family. What if those toys came to life? That's what the book explores!
This book is very special! Pauline Clarke won the Carnegie Medal for it. This award is given to the best children's book by a British writer each year. Six years later, she also won a big German award. It was called the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis. This was for the German version of the book.
The first American edition came out in 1964. It was published by Coward–McCann. This version had new pictures by Bernarda Bryson.
Contents
The Story Behind the Toys
The title of the book, "The Twelve," refers to wooden toy soldiers. These aren't just any toys; they can actually come to life! "The Genii" are like their special protectors. In 1826, the famous Brontë children had four Genii. Later, Max and his sister Jane Morley join them.
These twelve toy soldiers once belonged to Branwell Brontë and his sisters. Branwell was the only boy in the family. His father gave him the soldiers in 1826. At that time, the four Brontë children were between 6 and 10 years old. They loved these soldiers. The toys were central to their games and stories. The Brontës even wrote their own books about the soldiers' adventures!
What Happens in the Book
Max is an eight-year-old boy. His family has just moved into an old farmhouse in Yorkshire, England. One day, he finds some old toy soldiers in the attic. Max is very surprised and happy to see them come to life!
These soldiers are called the Twelves, or the Young Men. Each soldier has a different personality. They are brave, smart, and very independent. They can also be quite argumentative! The soldiers choose Max as one of their "Genii." This means he is one of their special protectors. Max starts spending most of his time watching and thinking about them.
He learns from a local parson that the soldiers once belonged to the Brontë family. The Brontës wrote many stories about the soldiers' adventures. Max's older sister, Jane, soon finds out the secret. She becomes just as excited about the soldiers as Max is.
One day, the local newspaper prints a letter. An American professor is looking for the Brontë wooden soldiers. He offers a lot of money, £5,000, to anyone who finds them. Max and Jane's older brother, Philip, thinks their soldiers might be the Brontë ones. He quickly writes to the professor. But then, Philip also learns the truth about the soldiers. He deeply regrets sending that letter.
The soldiers find out they might be taken to America. So, they disappear in the night! The children are very worried for a while. But then they discover where the soldiers went. The soldiers decided to go back to their original home. This home is in Haworth, which is now a museum about the Brontës. Their journey across the countryside is full of dangers. But with the help of their Genii, they finally reach a safe place.
Main Characters
- Max Morley: An 8-year-old boy who discovers the soldiers.
- Jane Morley: Max's 11-year-old sister. She also becomes a protector of the soldiers.
- Philip Morley: Max's 14-year-old brother. He accidentally puts the soldiers in danger.
- Mr. and Mrs. Morley: Max, Jane, and Philip's parents.
- Mrs. Hodgson: Helps Mrs. Morley in the house.
- Bill: Helps Mr. Morley on the farm.
- Mr. Howson: A parson who knows a lot about the Brontës.
- Christopher Howson: Mr. Howson's son.
- Seneca D. Brewer: An American professor looking for the soldiers.
- Mr. Kettlewell: A local farmer.
- A reporter: From the local newspaper.
The Wooden Soldiers
- Butter Crashey: The oldest and wisest of the Twelves.
- Stumps: Also known as Frederick Guelph, Duke of York. Max Morley is his protector.
- Alexander Sneaky: Also known as Buonaparte. Branwell Brontë was his protector.
- The Duke of Wellington: Charlotte Brontë was his protector.
- Parry: Emily Brontë was his protector.
- Ross: Anne Brontë was his protector.
- Gravey: Jane Morley is his protector.
- Cheeky: The surgeon of the group.
- Bravey
- Crackey
- Monkey
- Tracky
Animals in the Story
- Brutus: The Morley family's cat.
- Rover: Mr. Kettlewell's dog.
- A water rat: An animal the soldiers meet on their journey.
Connections to Other Books
The oldest soldier, Butter Crashey, tells Max many stories. These stories come from a real book called The History of the Young Men. This book was written by Branwell Brontë. Parson Howson mentions this book. Mrs. Morley even finds a copy and plans to read it to Max. This book helps Philip realize that their soldiers are indeed the famous Brontë ones.
Jane Morley has just finished reading Jane Eyre. This is a famous novel by Charlotte Brontë. Jane loves the book very much. She even calls the handsome Mr. Howson "Mr. Rochester." This is the name of the hero in Jane Eyre.
