Willie Gray's long-awaited seaside holiday begins with excitement, nerves, and a lesson in trust as he travels with his parents, little sister Lucy, and nurse. From the bustle of packing to his first train ride, he discovers the thrill of movement, the discomfort of fear, and the importance of kindness, self-control, and consideration for others. At the shore, his wonder only deepens: he sees the sea for the first time, gathers shells for Lucy, and dreams eagerly of the spades and sand waiting for him the next day. But holiday pleasures soon become moral lessons. Willie's pride and impatience lead him into disobedience on the sand, and an incoming wave leaves him soaked, ashamed, and ready to repent. Mrs. Gray gently teaches him about obedience, humility, and Christlike meekness, and Willie learns to apologize, accept correction, and find peace in doing right. Through donkey rides, tide pools, rain-soaked days, and a stormy walk by the sea, the Gray family's holiday becomes a vivid, tender story of childhood wonder shaped by faith, patience, gratitude, and growing wisdom. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.

À propos de l'auteur

Giberne, Agnes

Agnes Giberne was a prolific English writer whose long career bridged the worlds of Victorian children’s literature, popular science, and Christian moral writing. Born in 1845 and living into the twentieth century, she wrote at a time when books for the young were expected to educate as well as entertain, and she embraced that mission with unusual energy and versatility. Over the course of her life she produced a wide range of stories, schoolroom reading, and explanatory works that helped make science and the natural world feel vivid, orderly, and accessible to ordinary readers, especially children. Her writing often combines clear observation, gentle instruction, and a strong sense of wonder, reflecting a belief that curiosity and character should develop together. Many of her stories are shaped by themes of family life, seaside adventures, moral responsibility, and the pleasures of learning through attention to everyday experience, themes that still feel familiar in an age that values both literacy and scientific curiosity. Giberne’s lasting significance lies in her ability to make knowledge inviting without losing warmth or imagination, and in doing so she helped define a kind of children’s literature that was both useful and delightful. Today, readers interested in classic children’s fiction, the history of educational writing, or stories that blend adventure with discovery are likely to find her work especially rewarding.