Charles Dickens’ Short Story, ‘A Child’s Dream of a Star’

A young man’s hope and wonder in a special star take him through life.

Illustration from "A Child Dreams of a Star" by Charles Dickens. Library of Congress. Public Domain

In his short story, “A Child’s Dream of a Star,“ Charles Dickens shows how childlike wonder transcends the darkness of death and looks for the promise of heaven. Unhindered by the ”grown-up” world, a young boy sees the promise in a simple star.

Two children, a little boy and his sister, love to wander around and wonder at the beautiful world around them. Together, they are amazed “at the beauty of the flowers ... at the height and blueness of the sky... at the depth of the bright water ... at the goodness and the power of God.”