Oliver Twist was first written by Charles Dickens in the 1830s. This story was retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore and the book has beautiful illustrations by Barry Ablett.

What is the book about?

The book tells the story of Oliver Twist, who becomes an orphan after his mother dies giving birth to him. Oliver lives in a cold, dirty workhouse with other orphaned boys. Mr Bumble, who is in charge of the workhouse, does not give the boys enough food. One day, Oliver asks Mr Bumble for more food and this causes trouble. Mr Bumble punishes Oliver by selling him. Eventually, Oliver escapes to London and finds friends but his gloomy journey is just beginning.

Why is it a good book?

The story takes place in the past and shows us the lives of different groups of people in England during the 19th century. One theme is how badly poor people like Oliver are treated. Many of the rich live comfortably while mistreating and taking advantage of the poor. Another important theme is crime. Sometimes poor people cannot earn enough money to survive and are forced to steal so they can buy clothing and food. Finally, throughout the story we see the theme of ‘good versus evil’. Oliver is an innocent boy who faces challenges in the cruel world but in the end he is able to succeed while doing the right thing.

Recommendation

I really enjoyed the book because although it is about the past, the themes of poverty and crime are still relevant today. It is easy to relate to the different characters who are influenced by the terrible world they live in. Some choose to stay positive and keep on the right path while others are corrupted and choose to do bad things. The story forces us to ask ourselves how we would react if we faced similar circumstances. The book also has many twists and turns which makes it exciting and the ending is unexpected but satisfying.