Release date is 2026-04-13

Northcliffe boys by Charlotte Grace O'Brien is a didactic Christian children’s story from the Victorian era. It centers on a working-class boy’s industry, faith, and good character as he navigates hardship, showing how honesty, perseverance, and kindness shape a life.

George Horbrook, a cheerful and dutiful lad, becomes a mason’s boy to support his large family after his father John is injured and bedridden. Tested by mockery, anger, and the temptation to steal paint, George resists, returns good for evil, and even shares his spare paint with his tormentor Jem Larkins, helping to reform him. Meanwhile John goes to a London hospital, where he reads Scripture to fellow patients and, during a fog-shrouded night, discovers a dying accident victim is his long-lost prodigal son Tom; Tom briefly recognizes his father before passing away. John recovers enough to work as a shoemaker, and with the help of fair-minded patrons and George’s growing reputation, the family secures one of Mrs. Clay’s new cottages. George wins a drawing prize, advances in his trade, and eventually becomes a master mason who supports his parents, while Jem becomes steady and grateful—fulfilling the tale’s themes of temperance, charity, and steadfast duty. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: London: Religious Tract Society, 1880