Popular Tales

"Popular Tales" by Madame Guizot is a selection of stories from the 1800's, weaving together exciting stories with messages about how to live a good life. Aimed at youthful audiences as well as full-grown adults, the stories offer a diverse set of people and events that teach complex life lessons, showing different types of relationships, and how to get better as a person. In the first story, "Scaramouche," the book opens at a busy town fair, filled with colorful characters, and highlighting Matthieu la Bouteille, a man known for his bright red nose, along with his son Gervais, who has a much more serious attitude about life. Capturing the action surrounding a show that stars a donkey named Martin along with a smart parrot, the opening prepares the reader for funny yet eye-opening moments. The rest of the story is a glimpse into the very different lives of Gervais and his cousin Michael, suggesting important topics of family life and goals as their lives mix together at this fair. Because of its funny nature and detailed imagery, the story quickly brings readers into a world of entertainment that carries deeper lessons about being good and how you act as a person.