Alone in London

By Hesba Stretton

Book Overview

"Alone in London" by Sarah Smith explores themes of friendship and resilience within the confines of a London hospital. This juvenile fiction title delves into the experiences of children navigating illness and the challenges of being separated from loved ones. Set against the backdrop of a bustling city, the narrative offers a poignant look at the bonds formed in unexpected places.

Addressing subjects of childhood and hospitals, this book resonates with its portrayal of human connection during difficult times. As a work of juvenile fiction, "Alone in London" presents a timeless story, suitable for anyone interested in exploring themes of disability and social themes through the lens of children's literature. A meticulously prepared print republication, ensuring the original text's enduring quality is preserved.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1023492636
• ISBN13: 9781023492638
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 84 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Power of Love

Alone in London follows the lives of two people, and a third is intertwined with them. Mr. Oliver is an old man whose hasty words years ago had driven away his only surviving child. His health and faculties are deteriorating, but when he finds a precious little girl abandoned outside his shop, he is more than willing to take her in. When he finds the note in her pocket identifying her as his granddaughter, he is anxious to do what he can for her, and is delighted at the thought of being reconciled with his daughter. Tony is an orphan who has been living wherever he can, and was captivated by Dolly, Mr. Oliver's granddaughter, when he saw her outside the shop. Even though he had nothing of his own, he volunteered to take care of her if Mr. Oliver should refuse to take her. Mr. Oliver gave him a place to sleep under a counter in his tiny shop, and Tony came every day to see little Dolly. He noticed that Mr. Oliver's eyesight and memory was failing, and he began to help him get his shop going in the morning, and remind him of necessary things. He especially liked to hear Mr. Oliver tell of his Master, the Lord Jesus. Tony had never heard of such a wonderful employer, and wondered if he could work for him sometime. When Mr. Oliver's sister came to visit, she was appalled that her grandniece was associating with a barefoot beggar, and sent Tony away, and he was alone in London again. We follow his fortunes, and see the workings of his heart, all in the care of the Lord Jesus Christ. The reader will be touched by the poignancy of the love these characters share for each other, and inspired by the simple devotion of Mr. Oliver to his Master. Hesba Stretton has written of similar situations and conditions to those of Charles Dickens, but while his works are dark and depressing, hers are serious, yet bright with hope. When Mr. Oliver takes his dying Dolly to the charity children's hospital, and is told there is no room for her, he cries, "Dear Lord, there's room for only seventy-five of Thy little lambs that are pining and wasting away in every dark street and alley like mine. Whatever can Thy people be thinking about? They've got their own dear little children, who are ill sometimes, spite of all their care. They can send for the doctor, and do all that's possible, never looking at the money it costs. But when they are well again they never think of the poor little ones who are sick and dying, with nobody to help them or care for them as I care for this little one. Oh, Lord, Lord! Let my little love live! Yet Thou knows what is best, and Thou'lt do what is best. Thou loves her more than I do." A book for young and old, this will touch the reader's heart, and may change his life.

Life Changing

I am so glad this book has been reprinted so that many more people can have the joy of reading it.I read this book when I was a child. It belonged to my immigrant grandmother. I never forgot the experience, although the details of the book escaped my memory. I remembered that it touched my heart in an eternal way. As an adult, I was given the book as a gift from my brother, who found an out-of-print copy. As soon as I saw the color of the cover of the book, I knew instantly that it was THAT book! I opened up the book and read a short paragraph that brought tears to my eyes and answers to the question of why this book had such a life changing impact on my life. The book was a divinely positioned gift given to me, not just once in my life, but twice.I highly recommend the book to any child or adult who needs to hear a timeless story of love.