The French Twins offers a valuable supplement to the study of current
events. In the first place, there is no problem of arousing interest in
the nation which this book represents. France and the French people
have from the outbreak of the Great War compelled new and intense
interest and sympathy from all Americans; and each fresh insight into
the character, life, and ideals of the country is eagerly welcomed.
Moreover, in any class there will be few children who cannot claim
either a relative or a friend who has served in the War; and many, like
Pierre and Pierrette Meraut, will have had soldier fathers, thereby
creating a bond between themselves and the Merauts strong enough to
guarantee the pupils' interest throughout the reading of the book. Like
the other books of the "Twins Series," _The French Twins_ adapts itself
readily to dramatization.
In providing adequate background for the story, the teacher will find
fertile resources in newspapers and magazines. _The Red Cross
Magazine_, _The National Geographic Magazine_, the Boy Scout and the
Girl Scout publications, are readily accessible and contain much
valuable supplementary material for classroom use. The Foreign Legion,
the Battles of the Marne, Joffre's visit to the United States, Rheims
Cathedral, important events near the scenes of the story, etc., can be
made clear and real to the children by the aid of maps, illustrations,
and articles in these magazines, and by means of picture post-cards,
and other material from other sources. The story of the founding of the
Red Cross, the origin of its flag, etc., will help to vivify the
incidents connected with this organization.
As for French history, the two focus points are the stoniest of Joan of
Arc and Bastille Day. Both furnish abundance of colorful detail and
incident upon which to build the pupils' conceptions of the spirit and
ideals of the French people. In the case of Bastille Day, correlation
should be made between that day and our own Independence Day, comparing
the French and American Revolutions and indicating the similar
circumstances in the two movements. Lafayette's part in our War of the
Revolution and America's payment of our debt to France in the Great War
form another means of making familiar to the children the story of our
historic friendship with France.
While _The French Twins_ is a war story, soldiers and trenches and
battle-fields are nevertheless not the main features; on the contrary,
_The French Twins_ depicts the necessary part played by women,
children, and old people during the War, and shows how the spirit and
aims of the soldiers' families have been the same as those of the
soldiers themselves. Self-control, endurance, and cheerfulness at home
are proved to be as much a part of true bravery as fearlessness in
battle. Since the soldier's part in the War has been held closely to
everyone's attention, the reading of this story will supply a balancing
view of the other side of war; and the pupils' perspective of the whole
cannot fail to gain in scope.
Books which may be commended to the teacher, for descriptions of
various aspects of the Great War, are: Hay's _The First Hundred
Thousand_; Nicolas's _Campaign Diary of a French Officer_; Aldrich's _A
Hilltop on the Marne_; Hall's _High Adventure_ and _Kitcheners Mob_;
Buswell's _Ambulance No. 10_; Haigh's _Life in a Tank_; Stevenson's
_From "Poilu" to "Yank"_; two anonymous books, _The Retreat from Mons_
and _Friends of France_; Paine's _The Fighting Fleets_; and Root and
Crocker's _Over Periscope Pond_.
For children's reading, we suggest Mrs. Perkins's _The Belgian Twins_,
Sara Cone Bryant's _I am an American_, Thwaites and Kendall's _History
of the United States_, Tappan's _Little Book of the War_, and such
compilations as _Stories of Patriotism_ and _The Patriotic Reader_.