When George A. Henry wrote his historical novels more than 100 years ago, he was thinking of 19th Century boys. Writing with an eye on eternal values of the Bible, he wound up with stories that have stood the test of time and are now coming back into print for 21st Century audiences. Henry’s stories are foremost among the children and youth stories being reprinted to meet a growing demand among parents eager to find high quality literature and history books based on eternal truths in Scripture. But the interest in these books is not confined to the home school or even Christian school market. In Indiana, just south of Indianapolis, a public school principal, Terry Magnuson, searched for books to hold the attention of young students. The goal has been to build vocabulary and encourage them to read ahead of their grade levels, according to Magnuson, who is a deacon at Second Reformed Presbyterian Church. Part of the answer for Magnuson has turned out to be Henrys books, coming back into print after years of collecting dust in used—book collections and libraries. Magnuson’s school has used an accelerated reader program to encourage students to gain points and read for fun and pleasure beyond classroom assignments.

What George A. Henry offers is a whole series of novels, usually with a young person joining a prominent historical figure and working his or her way into the story. The reading level is challenging in terms of vocabulary and plot. But Henrys storytelling capacity can hook young readers and give them a willingness to work their way through the challenges. They also can learn geography lessons about the location of the Apennine mountain range in Italy or history lessons about the geopolitical importance of the British victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. “The story line captivates them in their imagination.” Magnuson says. Students learn history in the process, but it’s a little like eating broccoli dressed up in a tasty sauce. You eat your vegetables and get the vitamins, but it tastes surprisingly good. “Reading has to be fun,” says Magnuson. “This is not a no-pain, no-gain program. It’s probably prevalent in coaching philosophy, and that seems to be a motivating factor with many coaches. But with reading, that won’t work. It’s got to be enjoyable. Yet there have to be books that are challenging students just to one level ahead.” Henty’s books are being republished by PrestonSpeed and are sold through various Internet sites and direct-mail catalogs. Doug Phillips sells the books through his web site and Vision Forum catalogue. He finds that the primary market for them so far is among homeschooling families. In the Henty series, he notes that homeschoolers find the wisdom of the past; vocabulary challenges; good history in a semi-fictional context; and character qualities based on the Bible. “Henty gave us a history of the world from a distinctly Christian perspective, in 70 books,” he says. “The boys that read these hooks grew up inspired. They knew it was good to give your life for a cause.” Henry’s background in British military service prepared him to become a historical novelist. He served in the army in the Crimean War and then became a war correspondent for London newspapers, spending time in Africa. Bad health forced Henty to go home to England, hut he soon turned his eyes toward the novel writing that made him famous in England and America. He started with an hour of story telling to his children in the evening. A friend listened one evening and suggested he write up the stories for young people outside his family circle. The Henty books provided some of the first history lessons for a couple of leading historians of the last century, A. J. P. Taylor and Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. “A man seldom knows just what causes him to choose his life’s career, but I do not doubt that in my case this love of Hentv was one formative influence,” Schlesinger commented. “My father exposed me to Henry at an early point, and I read book after book with enjoyment and satisfaction.” Henry is not the only 19th Century author being rediscovered by educators and parents hungry for books that are well written and reflect traditional family values. The name of Horatio Alger may be better known because of the association with the idea of the self-made businessman who pulls himself up by the bootstraps. Though his name has endured with that image, his books were out of print until recently. Richard Wheeler, also known as Little Bear, is a one-man acting show and historian, dressing up in costumes of various periods and playing the part of historical favorites such as Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett. His organization, Mantle Ministries, has been offering reprints of old Alger books, along with other adventure stories by Oliver Optic, a pen name for William Taylor Adams, who wrote more than 100 novels in the 19th Century. For parents and teachers in search of challenging hooks for young teens, the reprinting of these former best-sellers is a welcome blessing.