The Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous by Sarah Knowles Bolton is number 96 on the Hundred Best Books for Children found in The Book-Lover by Baldwin.
Sarah Knowles Bolton was an American writer who lived in the late 1800s. She wrote several series of biographical sketches. In The Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous, Bolton covers 28 men who began life without many of life’s necessities, but made good in their contributions to humanity.
From merchant to inventor to statesman to sailor, examples include:
- James Watt.
- Wolfgang Mozart.
- Samuel Johnson.
- Michael Faraday.
- Dwight L. Moody.
- Abraham Lincoln.
The characters that were selected were chosen because they were at the pivotal point of history in their time. Each story told focuses on the obstacles overcome and the contribution made.
THESE characters have been chosen from various countries and from varied professions, that the youth who read this book may see that poverty is no barrier to success. It usually develops ambition, and nerves people to action. Life at best has much of struggle, and we need to be cheered and stimulated by the careers of those who have overcome obstacles.
Free eBook
- Read online
- Various formats (EPUB, Kindle)
Suggestions
- There are 28 stories. If you read aloud one story each week you will have enough content for an entire school year with room for holidays and vacations.
- Read the story out loud. Ask for a narration (written or oral depending on the age of your child).
- What character traits stand out? What traits would your student wish to emulate?
- Older students can write a character study of one or two favorites.
- Learn more about each person listed during the week. Or if you don’t have as much time to devote to the study, pick four or five favorites.
- Bolton wrote a complementary titled called Lives of Girls Who Became Famous. You may wish to cover this title as well.
Additional Resources
Free Science Studies: James Watt & the Steam Engine
From our free science studies.
Free Music Studies: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
From our free music studies.
Free Science Studies: Michael Faraday & Electricity
From our free science studies.
Michael Faraday: Father of Electronics {Review & Activities}
Free eBook.
Free Science Studies: Henry Bessemer and Steel
From our free science studies.
Free History Studies: Horace Greeley
From our free history studies.
Free Music Studies: Edvard Grieg
For resources regarding Ole Bull.
Abraham Lincoln: A Unit Study
Contains all types of resources.
Author Notebooking Pages {Free Download}
Use this free set to create an author notebook for our 100 Best Books for Children series.
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