Harry Fenimore's Principles

"Harry Fenimore's Principles" by Isabel Thompson Hopkins is a late 19th-century story about a boy named Hal Fenimore, whose ideas about friendship and right and wrong are tested when he plays chess with Tom Haggarty. Hal's love for winning, especially when it's easy, makes him think about what it means to be kind and fair. We also meet Creepy, a lonely child living in an almshouse, just wanting to be accepted. The book contrasts the beauty of the countryside and the roughness of city life, showing how different kids face different problems and how their friendships might help them grow.