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EIGHT FICTIONS TO GET CHILDREN INTERESTED IN REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY

A lot of parents will have discovered that it's not always easy to get children interested in the early days of the Republics. 'Consuls'and 'Citizen-Generals' aren't always as fun to play as as 'Kings' and 'Knights,' and many's the boy and girl who's found the bright jewels and amazing dresses of the old regime more appealing than the simpler aesthetics that followed.

In today's 'Literary Digest of the People's Friend,' we suggest eight great entertainments that will hook a bright child on history. Some are projector-plays, some are novels, there's even a game- but it will all help your son or daughter understand what was set in motion on 26 Messidor.


1) 'ANNA AND THE HARP' (Louise Audry, 166)
You'll roll your eyes, but the 'Anna' books have remained in print for over sixty years for a reason. Hundreds of millions of children have been transported to 'The Little Street in Toulon,' inhabited by fishmongers and washerwomen and one bright young girl with a brother in the old Navy. They have felt her family's excitement when the Revolution comes, and her fear when the British arrive to snuff it out. There are enough iconic 'Anna' stories to fill this list alone, but the fourth might be the best starting point for a reader who doesn't know much of the background history. It's more of an adventure than the first three books, and by journeying outside France the reader doesn't have to keep up with as many intricacies of politics.

In this one, in year 3, Anna must fulfill a perilous mission from Citizen Gouges- disguise herself as an Englishwoman, and journey to Ireland with a secret message for her old teacher and rival General Bonaparte. This book has cameos from a whole host of historical figures, an assassination at a masked ball, and a villain who generations of readers have alternately despised or sighed over. Trust us- it's as good as you remember!


2) 'DOCTOR OMEGA: THE PLOTTERS' (Denis Spooner, 171)

The enigmatic and seemingly alien Doctor Omega, Arnould Galupin's mot loved creation, has visited the Revolution several times in his various adaptations - as well as various sci-fi analogues - but one of the earliest is one of the best. Spooner, the son of refugees during Britain's War of the Two Kings, crafted a blackly comic romp set in the early days of the Revolution, where Omega and his time-travelling comrades are mistaken for monarchist agents. A comedy of errors sees them having to clear their name while simultaneously saving Robespierre from the real plotter in his midst.

It isn't entirely historically accurate, but it's a fun story and that's often the best way to introduce kids to history. It also admits the struggle to purge France of monarchists as a messy, often slapdash affair but necessary in the end - it's neither starry-eyed nor the revisionism that infests our colleges.


3) RED, WHITE AND BLUE TRILOGY (Thierry Pratchett, 217-219)

Although best known for his fantasy series, Thierry Pratchett’s children’s trilogy is an engrossing historical fiction that needs no magic to come alive. Red, the first book in the series named for the tricolour, introduces us to Jacques, a cunning orphan on the streets of Revolutionary Paris. Pratchett has fun with the well-known setting and history as it’s revealed that Jacques inadvertently set off the series of events leading to the revolution. Historical cameos abound as everyone from the fictional Père Duchesne to the actual Georges Danton meet Jacques in unexpected circumstances.

Pratchett’s writing is aimed at older children with many darker and moving moments. Most notable is his sympathetic portrayal of Marie Antoinette before her execution – a source many authors have explored before. But also detailed is the struggle of the poor of Paris and how the revolution didn't always improve their plight. The books pay great tribute to the history of Paris and Blue, the last book in the series, gives the same treatment to London in a plot involving Charles Dickens.

A female lead is welcome in White. And although the romance between Lis and Jacques seems a bit too obvious at first, Pratchett's warm prose makes it funny and charming all the same. It's classic Thierry Pratchett, what else do we need to say?

4) THUNDER OVER NOTTINGHAM (Geoffery Trease, 196)

A favourite amongst Radical Parents and the children of said Parents this was one of Trease's later works, having made much of his success on the various Bow Against the Barons trilogy and Cue for Treason series as well as other radical books for children. Thunder Over London is his attempt to deal with Revolutionary era Britain in particular the actions of the Pentrich Revolution. Following a young lad called William Sullivan as he accidental joins the Pentrich Revolution it follows him as the Revolutionaries plan on establishing a Nottinghamshire Republic, along the way Sullivan becomes friends with French spies, Jeremiah Brandreth, Ned Ludd, George Africanus and even in a humorous scene has to look after a young Samuel Morley. Sullivan also has to be constantly on the look out for the forces of reaction lead by Lord Byron who is magnificently hammy as the villain of the book.

Bringing a sense of humour, wit and comprehensive research (Colleague Trease is infamous for having spent years researching books and throwing away drafts that had slight inaccuracies) Trease brings to life one of the important but rarely talked about events of Revolutionary era Britain. Even despite it's sad ending this book still manages to be a fun and rollicking adventures that all children can love.

5) Caledonia Obscura and other stories (Mal McManus, 221)

One of the myriad of Young Adult fictions being released in the early 20's, Caledonia Obscura was also a surprise hit with older readers, nostalgic for the 200 setting and the depiction of Edinburgh as the cauldron of youthful rebellion in the increasingly stale Scottish Republic. CO (as its fans call it) chronicle the adventures of Morris Rubinstein, the son of refugees from Tsarist Russia, who makes his living dealing in "rare books" documents that have been proscribed by the "Council of Elders" who reside in Edinburgh Castle. Said books turn out to be counter-revolutionary Occult tracts, containing the true secret history of the Scottish revolution and the magical means with which to fight them.

Rubinstein adventures involve him escaping from the Elders and their Committee of Conformity, usually aided by the underground Gothic Movement in the Cowgate and the Old Socialists who occasionally send aid from the Red Highlands.

McManus knows his city and is able to bring to life the heady times of the youth movement in Scotland. By crafting his stories in the fantastical style of First Citizen Lovecraft he is able to introduce a lot of social criticism of the old (and new) Scotland behind tales of otherwordly daemons and corrupted bureaucracy.
 
EIGHT FICTIONS TO GET CHILDREN INTERESTED IN REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY

A lot of parents will have discovered that it's not always easy to get children interested in the early days of the Republics. 'Consuls'and 'Citizen-Generals' aren't always as fun to play as as 'Kings' and 'Knights,' and many's the boy and girl who's found the bright jewels and amazing dresses of the old regime more appealing than the simpler aesthetics that followed.

In today's 'Literary Digest of the People's Friend,' we suggest eight great entertainments that will hook a bright child on history. Some are projector-plays, some are novels, there's even a game- but it will all help your son or daughter understand what was set in motion on 26 Messidor.


1) 'ANNA AND THE HARP' (Louise Audry, 166)
You'll roll your eyes, but the 'Anna' books have remained in print for over sixty years for a reason. Hundreds of millions of children have been transported to 'The Little Street in Toulon,' inhabited by fishmongers and washerwomen and one bright young girl with a brother in the old Navy. They have felt her family's excitement when the Revolution comes, and her fear when the British arrive to snuff it out. There are enough iconic 'Anna' stories to fill this list alone, but the fourth might be the best starting point for a reader who doesn't know much of the background history. It's more of an adventure than the first three books, and by journeying outside France the reader doesn't have to keep up with as many intricacies of politics.

In this one, in year 3, Anna must fulfill a perilous mission from Citizen Gouges- disguise herself as an Englishwoman, and journey to Ireland with a secret message for her old teacher and rival General Bonaparte. This book has cameos from a whole host of historical figures, an assassination at a masked ball, and a villain who generations of readers have alternately despised or sighed over. Trust us- it's as good as you remember!


2) 'DOCTOR OMEGA: THE PLOTTERS' (Denis Spooner, 171)

The enigmatic and seemingly alien Doctor Omega, Arnould Galupin's mot loved creation, has visited the Revolution several times in his various adaptations - as well as various sci-fi analogues - but one of the earliest is one of the best. Spooner, the son of refugees during Britain's War of the Two Kings, crafted a blackly comic romp set in the early days of the Revolution, where Omega and his time-travelling comrades are mistaken for monarchist agents. A comedy of errors sees them having to clear their name while simultaneously saving Robespierre from the real plotter in his midst.

It isn't entirely historically accurate, but it's a fun story and that's often the best way to introduce kids to history. It also admits the struggle to purge France of monarchists as a messy, often slapdash affair but necessary in the end - it's neither starry-eyed nor the revisionism that infests our colleges.


3) RED, WHITE AND BLUE TRILOGY (Thierry Pratchett, 217-219)

Although best known for his fantasy series, Thierry Pratchett’s children’s trilogy is an engrossing historical fiction that needs no magic to come alive. Red, the first book in the series named for the tricolour, introduces us to Jacques, a cunning orphan on the streets of Revolutionary Paris. Pratchett has fun with the well-known setting and history as it’s revealed that Jacques inadvertently set off the series of events leading to the revolution. Historical cameos abound as everyone from the fictional Père Duchesne to the actual Georges Danton meet Jacques in unexpected circumstances.

Pratchett’s writing is aimed at older children with many darker and moving moments. Most notable is his sympathetic portrayal of Marie Antoinette before her execution – a source many authors have explored before. But also detailed is the struggle of the poor of Paris and how the revolution didn't always improve their plight. The books pay great tribute to the history of Paris and Blue, the last book in the series, gives the same treatment to London in a plot involving Charles Dickens.

A female lead is welcome in White. And although the romance between Lis and Jacques seems a bit too obvious at first, Pratchett's warm prose makes it funny and charming all the same. It's classic Thierry Pratchett, what else do we need to say?

4) THUNDER OVER NOTTINGHAM (Geoffery Trease, 196)

A favourite amongst Radical Parents and the children of said Parents this was one of Trease's later works, having made much of his success on the various Bow Against the Barons trilogy and Cue for Treason series as well as other radical books for children. Thunder Over London is his attempt to deal with Revolutionary era Britain in particular the actions of the Pentrich Revolution. Following a young lad called William Sullivan as he accidental joins the Pentrich Revolution it follows him as the Revolutionaries plan on establishing a Nottinghamshire Republic, along the way Sullivan becomes friends with French spies, Jeremiah Brandreth, Ned Ludd, George Africanus and even in a humorous scene has to look after a young Samuel Morley. Sullivan also has to be constantly on the look out for the forces of reaction lead by Lord Byron who is magnificently hammy as the villain of the book.

Bringing a sense of humour, wit and comprehensive research (Colleague Trease is infamous for having spent years researching books and throwing away drafts that had slight inaccuracies) Trease brings to life one of the important but rarely talked about events of Revolutionary era Britain. Even despite it's sad ending this book still manages to be a fun and rollicking adventures that all children can love.

5) Caledonia Obscura and other stories (Mal McManus, 221)

One of the myriad of Young Adult fictions being released in the early 20's, Caledonia Obscura was also a surprise hit with older readers, nostalgic for the 200 setting and the depiction of Edinburgh as the cauldron of youthful rebellion in the increasingly stale Scottish Republic. CO (as its fans call it) chronicle the adventures of Morris Rubinstein, the son of refugees from Tsarist Russia, who makes his living dealing in "rare books" documents that have been proscribed by the "Council of Elders" who reside in Edinburgh Castle. Said books turn out to be counter-revolutionary Occult tracts, containing the true secret history of the Scottish revolution and the magical means with which to fight them.

Rubinstein adventures involve him escaping from the Elders and their Committee of Conformity, usually aided by the underground Gothic Movement in the Cowgate and the Old Socialists who occasionally send aid from the Red Highlands.

McManus knows his city and is able to bring to life the heady times of the youth movement in Scotland. By crafting his stories in the fantastical style of First Citizen Lovecraft he is able to introduce a lot of social criticism of the old (and new) Scotland behind tales of otherwordly daemons and corrupted bureaucracy.


6) COMMAND AND LIBERATE REMASTERED (Studio Bastille, 226)

The Command and Liberate franchise has been one of Western video gaming's biggest hits since the 16-bit era and this recent entry updates the original for the 128-bit era; it also drops the excessive gore and sillier steampunk & counterfactual elements of later games, getting right back to basics. You play the leader of a revolutionary militia, making use of your minimal resources and untrained volunteers to defend your border town from Austrian and, later, British soldiers; as time goes on, you will get more resources and men, but sometimes you don't and have to make do until relief finally arrives.

A generation of kids grew up in the 00's learning how to marshal resources, train their men, plot ambushes & defences, and - the bit that made the franchise over titles like Rebel Officer - to maintain morale. If you can't keep your men on side with patriotic appeals and music, if you can't treat them as well as possible, and if you can't root out troublemakers, you suffer desertions and random surrenders that will throw your whole strategy into chaos!

This remaster also brings in the ability to play as the Austrians, as became franchise standard in Command And Liberate III. Several stars also lend their talents to the FMV section, including Patrice Stewart as the sinister British commander John Pickering.
 
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