For children who love a good historical caper, this story delves into the chaotic and often hilarious consequences of a well-intentioned experiment gone awry.
A parent might reach for this book when their advanced reader is ready for a sophisticated, witty historical novel that is more about character and chaos than grand events. It's for the child who appreciates humor that stems from terrible decisions and escalating panic. In early 19th-century England, two schoolboys, inspired by ancient Roman myths, decide to test if a wolf will raise a human infant. They 'borrow' one of their baby sisters, Adelaide, for the experiment, only to lose her almost immediately. The book is a frantic, hilarious caper as the boys try to recover the baby before their dreadful secret is discovered. It masterfully explores themes of guilt, anxiety, and the unforeseen consequences of intellectual arrogance, all while being genuinely funny. It is ideal for strong readers who can handle complex sentences and a shocking premise treated with comedic flair.
Protagonists endanger a baby for a 'scientific' experiment, leading to extreme guilt.
Sensitive Topics
The core of the plot is child abandonment and endangerment. This is handled as the setup for a comedic farce, and the boys' immediate and overwhelming regret is the story's driving force. The approach is entirely secular and not presented as a moral lesson in a heavy-handed way. The resolution is hopeful and chaotic: the baby is returned safely, and the boys have learned a profound, if unspoken, lesson about the limits of intellectual curiosity.
Ideal Reader
A mature, confident reader aged 10-12 with a strong vocabulary and an appreciation for sophisticated, dark humor and historical settings. This child enjoys intricate plots, witty wordplay, and stories where smart characters make catastrophic mistakes. They are likely a fan of writers like Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket and are not put off by a morally questionable premise that serves a comedic purpose.
Parent Prep
A parent should be aware of the central premise: two boys abandon a baby in the woods. It is essential to frame this as a foolish act that the characters immediately regret. Some context about 19th-century English life and language might be helpful, but the book can be read cold by a capable reader. The humor and the boys' intense guilt prevent the story from feeling like a promotion of dangerous behavior. A parent is looking for a challenging, classic, and genuinely funny book for their child who is a strong reader. The child might have expressed a desire for something historical that isn't just about a major war or event, or a parent might want a book to spark a conversation about consequences and good intentions gone wrong.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will latch onto the adventure and slapstick elements of the chase, enjoying the absurdity of the baby's journey. An older reader (10-12) will more fully appreciate the satirical wit, the nuanced characterizations of the adults, the social commentary, and the complex themes of guilt, responsibility, and the folly of intellectual pride.
What Makes It Special
Leon Garfield's distinctive, Dickensian prose is what sets this book apart. It is literary, dense, and full of brilliant wit. Unlike many historical adventures, this story is a tightly contained farce. The unique blend of high-stakes child endangerment and laugh-out-loud comedy, grounded in a vividly realized historical world, makes it a singular reading experience.
Read plot summary
Inspired by the legend of Romulus and Remus, schoolboys Harris and Bostock decide to conduct a scientific experiment: they leave Harris's baby sister, Adelaide, on a hillside to see if she will be adopted by a wolf. The plan immediately collapses when the baby is found by a series of eccentric townspeople in 19th-century Brighton. A farcical and increasingly desperate chase ensues as the guilt-ridden boys try to retrieve Adelaide from the hands of a simple-minded young man, a troupe of dramatic actors, and a lovesick general, all while trying to avoid their families discovering their terrible secret.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Harris and Bostock believe their 'great experiment' is for the good of science. When does curiosity go too far? At what point should they have realized their plan was a terrible idea?
2
The story is very funny, but what Harris and Bostock did to Adelaide was very dangerous. How does the author use language and character to make a scary situation feel like a comedy?
3
Adelaide is passed from Tizzy, to the Sorrows, to General Braxton. Which of the adults who found Adelaide do you think was the most responsible caregiver? Which was the least, and why?
4
At the end, Harris’s father says, 'There is a moral to this story... but for the life of me, I can’t tell you what it is.' What do you think the moral of the story is?
