The Seven Ages of Childhood

audiobook

The Seven Ages of Childhood

by Carolyn Wells

EN·~16 minutes·7 chapters

Chapters

7 total
1

I First the Infant in Its Mother's Arms

2:25
2

II

2:34
3

III

2:21
4

IV

2:15
5

V

2:54
6

VI

2:04
7

VII

2:16

Description

A lyrical meditation on the earliest chapters of life, this work invites listeners into the intimate world of an infant’s first breaths and the tender, bewildering moments that follow. Written in flowing verse, it captures the paradox of a newborn’s quiet wonder—eyes that see without understanding, cries that echo pure emotion, and the gentle safety of a mother’s embrace. The language is both tender and playful, turning everyday observations into vivid, almost musical sketches that celebrate the mystery of being.

The narrative then shifts to the toddling child, a tiny explorer whose curiosity turns simple objects into towering pyramids and ordinary sounds into roaring beasts. Through rhythmic descriptions of clumsy climbs, sand‑filled discoveries, and endless “why” questions, the piece paints a picture of boundless imagination and the joyous chaos of early learning. Listeners will feel the pulse of childhood curiosity, the warmth of family moments, and the poetic charm that makes even the smallest actions feel monumental.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~16 minutes (16K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Release date

2014-03-31

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Carolyn Wells

Carolyn Wells

1862–1942

A remarkably versatile American writer, she moved easily from mystery novels to children’s stories, poetry, and playful humor. In her lifetime she was widely read, and her knack for lively, clever storytelling made her a standout literary voice of the early 20th century.

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