The Cricket on the Hearth — Charles Dickens

The Cricket on the Hearth A Fairy Tale of Home is a novella by Charles Dickens published by Bradbury and Evans and released 20 December 1845 with illustrations by Daniel Maclise John Leech Richard Doyle Clarkson Stanfield and Edwin Henry Landseer Dickens began writing the book around 17 October 1845 and finished it by 1 December Like all of Dickens s Christmas books it was published in book form not as a serial Dickens described the novel as quiet and domestic innocent and pretty It is subdivided into chapters called Chirps similar to the Quarters of The Chimes or the Staves of A Christmas Carol In July 1845 Dickens contemplated forming a periodical focusing on the concerns of the home It was to be called The Cricket but the plan fell through and he transformed his idea into a Christmas book in which he abandoned social criticism current events and topical themes in favour of simple fantasy and a domestic setting for his hero s redemption though some have criticised this notion The book was released on 20 December 1845 the title page read 1846 and sold briskly into the New Year Seventeen stage productions opened during the Christmas season 1845 with one production receiving Dickens s approval and opening on the same day as the book s release Dickens read the tale four times in public performance