Reproduction of the original: Jessica’s First Prayer. Jessica’s Mother by Hesba Stretton

Hesba Stretton, a prominent 19th-century English author, penned the heartwarming tale 'Jessica's First Prayer; and, Jessica's Mother'. This book follows the story of a young girl named Jessica who, through adversity and struggle, finds comfort and strength in her unwavering faith. Stretton's literary style is characterized by a blend of sentimentalism and moral teaching, making this book a popular choice for readers interested in uplifting and inspiring stories. Set in Victorian England, the book provides a glimpse into the social and religious norms of the time, while also exploring universal themes of love, faith, and resilience. Hesba Stretton, known for her Christian values and charitable work, drew inspiration from her own experiences with poverty and adversity to write 'Jessica's First Prayer'. The author's deep empathy and compassion for the less fortunate shine through in her storytelling, making her a beloved figure in Victorian literature. Stretton's dedication to highlighting the power of faith and kindness is evident in every page of this timeless classic. I highly recommend 'Jessica's First Prayer; and, Jessica's Mother' to readers seeking a touching and uplifting story that celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Hesba Stretton's poignant narrative and timeless themes of faith and hope are sure to resonate with audiences of all ages.

In nineteenth-century London, a poor girl is befriended by the owner of a coffee stall who feeds her once a week and introduces her to God and prayer.

In this sequel to "Jessica's First Prayer," Jessica, Daniel and the minister were at the church when a tragedy occurred. Daniel went home and discovered Jessica's mother crouching on his doorsill. She looked like a heap of rags and defiantly demanded Jessica. Daniel grew spiritually closer to God as he sought to know how Jesus might respond. This edition includes the five illustrations from the initial publication of Jessica's Mother in "Sunday at Home" magazine in 1867.

Jessica's First Prayer and Froggy's Little Brother are exemplars of the 'street arab' story, a genre that flourished in Victorian Britain in response to child poverty and destitution. This critical edition features the original texts of the first editions, and examines the stories through a critical lens and in their historical context.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.