
DEER GODCHILD - BY MARGUERITE BERNARD AND EDITH SERRELL
PUBLISHED FOR THE FATHERLESS CHILDREN OF FRANCE - 1919
DEDICATED - TO OUR FRIEND - LOUISE HURLBUT MASON
INTRODUCTION
A twelve‑year‑old New Yorker discovers a heartfelt appeal to help the fatherless children of war‑torn France. Determined to make a difference despite his modest means, he becomes a “deer godfather,” raising money by selling newspapers, delivering odd jobs, and writing lively letters to his French charge, André. His earnest reports capture the daily grind of a small town boy balancing school, family, and a mission that feels far larger than his own world.
Through the lively correspondence, listeners hear the optimism of a youth who turns every interaction into an opportunity to support a distant child. The letters blend humor, youthful slang, and sincere concern, revealing both the challenges of fundraising and the simple joys of friendship across continents. As the young benefactor’s efforts grow, his story offers a touching glimpse into post‑war compassion and the power of a single determined heart.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (80K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Aug 6, 2004
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best remembered for the World War I-era book Deer Godchild, this little-known writer helped tell a warm, humane story about children, friendship, and generosity across the Atlantic.
View all booksBest known as the co-author of Deer Godchild, she helped tell a warm, unusual World War I story about a New York boy supporting an orphaned child in France. Very little biographical information seems to survive, which gives her work an added sense of period mystery.
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