The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he drowns and is transformed into a "water-baby", [2] as he is told by a caddisfly-an insect that sheds its skin-and begins his moral education. The story is thematically concerned with Christian redemption, though Kingsley also uses the book to argue that England treats its poor badly, and to question child labour, among other themes. Tom embarks on a series of ...
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The protagonist is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he drowns and is transformed into a "water-baby", [2] as he is told by a caddisfly-an insect that sheds its skin-and begins his moral education. The story is thematically concerned with Christian redemption, though Kingsley also uses the book to argue that England treats its poor badly, and to question child labour, among other themes. Tom embarks on a series of adventures and lessons, and enjoys the community of other water-babies once he proves himself a moral creature. The major spiritual leaders in his new world are the fairies Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby (a reference to the Golden Rule), Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, and Mother Carey. Weekly, Tom is allowed the company of Ellie, who became a water-baby after he did. Grimes, his old master, drowns as well, and in his final adventure, Tom travels to the end of the world to attempt to help the man where he is being punished for his misdeeds. Tom helps Grimes to find repentance, and Grimes will be given a second chance if he can successfully perform a final penance. By proving his willingness to do things he does not like, if they are the right things to do, Tom earns himself a return to human form, and becomes "a great man of science" who "can plan railways, and steam-engines, and electric telegraphs, and rifled guns, and so forth". He and Ellie are united, although the book states that they never marry (claiming that in fairy tales, no one beneath the rank of prince and princess ever marries).
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Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $2.19, like new condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Add this copy of The Water Babies to cart. $3.51, fair condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1937 by Garden City Pub.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. Cover shows heavy wear and rubbing, bumped corners. minor writing and stamps on the endpapers, pages lightly tanned and damp-stained. Over 500, 000 Internet Orders FIlled.
Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $3.99, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES.
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Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $4.48, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published by JUNIOR DELUXE EDITIONS.
Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $4.48, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published by Junior Delux Editions.
Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $4.48, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published by JUNIOR DELUXE EDITIONS.
Add this copy of The Water-Babies to cart. $4.48, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published by JUNIOR DELUXE EDITIONS.
Add this copy of The Water Babies to cart. $10.99, very good condition, Sold by Jenhams rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1999 by Parragon.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. This book is in stock now, in our UK premises. Photos of our books are available on request (the pictures you see on Alibris are NOT our own).
Add this copy of THE WATER-BABIES to cart. $11.00, good condition, Sold by red rover do over rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from luxemburg, WI, UNITED STATES, published 1954 by JUNIOR DELUX EDITIONS.
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ROBERTA MACDONALD. Good. No dust jacket. HARD COVER CONDITION GOOD. 222 p. HARDCOVER CONDITION GOOD The Water Babies" by Charles Kingsley. Illustrated by Roberta MacDonald. Book is gray in color with a yellow spine, and has bright blue illustrations on the cover. There is one full color print on the inside, as well as several black and white illustrations throughout. Hardcover. Junior Deluxe edition. Copyright 1954. Printed in the USA.
