The Gate of the Giant Scissors

"The Gate of the Giant Scissors" by Annie F. Johnston is a tale of a young girl in France finding friendship and purpose amidst homesickness. Joyce, living with her affluent cousin Kate, misses her American home terribly, and finds a curious gate with giant scissors that piques her interest. She befriends Jules, a goatherd mistreated by his guardian, and the connection between their feelings of being trapped inspires Joyce to help him. It seems to be a story about courage, the importance of friendship, and standing up for what's right, wrapped in the experiences of a child navigating a new and unfamiliar world.