喬治-麥克唐納主要以他的幻想作品和童話故事而聞名，如《在北風的背影》和《公主與妖精》。然而，在他的生活中，他是更著名的許多更現(xiàn)實的小說。.其中有些自傳性的《拉納德-班納曼的童年》。
這個故事講述了一個沒有母親的小男孩與他的兄弟們一起在蘇格蘭的莊園里成長的故事，充滿了令人愉快的人物。有迷人的高地說書人Kirsty，有無畏的牧牛人Turkey，有邪惡的Kelpie，還有可愛的Elsie Duff。在曲折的逃亡和冒險過程中，Ranald從父親那里學到了勇氣和正直的重要教訓。
1871年，當拉納德-班納曼的《童年》問世時，《紐約獨立報》稱贊它 "充滿了甜蜜，充滿了男孩的生活和真善美"。也許，但這也是一個好故事，出自講故事的大師之手。
George MacDonald is mainly known for his fantasy works and fairy tales such as At the Back of the North Wind and The Princess and the Goblin. However, during his life he was more famous for many more realistic novels. . . among them the somewhat autobiographical Ranald Bannerman’s Boyhood.
This story of a young motherless boy growing up with his brothers in a Scottish manse is full of delightful characters. There is Kirsty, an enchanting Highland storyteller, Turkey, the intrepid cowherd, the evil Kelpie, and the lovely Elsie Duff. Throughout the twists and turns of his escapades and adventures Ranald learns from his father the important lessons of courage and integrity.
When Ranald Bannerman’s Boyhood came out in 1871 the New York Independent praised it as “full of sweetness, full of boy-life and true goodness”. Perhaps, but it is also a good story, from the master of storytellers.
