The Fighting Starkleys; or, The Test of Courage

"The Fighting Starkleys; or, The Test of Courage" by Theodore Goodridge Roberts is a story set in the early 1900s that follows the Starkley family, and especially Peter Starkley, as they deal with the difficulties and changes caused by war. Focused on the ideas of bravery, family and testing yourself, the adventure looks into the lives of a country town during wartime. At the beginning, we meet the Starkley family living in Beaver Dam, a farming area. Peter, with his brother Dick and sister Flora, lives a normal life with dreams for what's to come. But, when war starts, Peter struggles with what joining the military means and how it will affect his family. The first parts of the story show the connections and hopes of the Starkley children while also suggesting the personal costs that will shape what happens to them, especially as major historical moments occur.