All about O. Henry

O. Henry was a famous writer known for his short stories with surprise endings. His real name was William Sydney Porter, and he was born on September 11, 1862, in North Carolina, USA. When he was young, he loved to read books and draw pictures.

As he grew up, he tried many different jobs. He worked as a pharmacist, a draftsman, and even a bank teller. However, he got into trouble at the bank job because of some missing money, and he had to go to prison. While in prison, he started writing stories to earn money and support his daughter.

After he got out of prison, he moved to New York City and began writing stories under the name "O. Henry." People loved his stories because they were fun and had clever twists at the end. Some of his most famous stories include "The Gift of the Magi," about a couple who sacrifice their most precious belongings to buy gifts for each other, and "The Ransom of Red Chief," a funny tale about kidnappers who get more than they bargained for.

O. Henry wrote over 300 stories in his lifetime. He passed away on June 5, 1910, but his stories are still loved by many people today.

1. What was O. Henry's real name?
2. Where was O. Henry born?
3. Why did O. Henry go to prison?
4. Do you think it was easy for O. Henry to write stories in prison? Why or why not?
5. If you were a writer, what kind of stories would you like to write? Why?

Symbols and Traditions

Hi everyone! My name is Tommy, and I am 8 years old. Today, I want to tell you about my amazing trip to New York City. It was so much fun! One of the coolest things we did was visit places related to a famous writer named O. Henry. Have you heard of him? He wrote lots of short stories with surprising endings.

My favorite part of the trip was going to the O. Henry Museum. It's a place where you can learn all about his life and see some of the things he used when he was writing. There were old typewriters, books, and even some of his letters. I felt like I was going back in time!

We also visited Gramercy Park, which is mentioned in some of O. Henry's stories. It's a really pretty park with lots of trees and flowers. It was so nice to walk around and imagine what it was like when O. Henry used to live there.

New York City is so big and exciting. I can't wait to go back and explore more. Have you ever been to New York City?

1. Who is the famous writer that Tommy learned about during his trip?
2. What did Tommy see at the O. Henry Museum?
3. Why did Tommy enjoy visiting Gramercy Park?
4. How did Tommy feel while visiting the O. Henry Museum and why?
5. What other places do you think Tommy might like to visit in New York City and why?

Profile of O. Henry

A Timeline of O. Henry to another Festival

After learning all about O. Henry, your job is to create a timeline of their life. You should add all the important events in their life but you can be inventive and add some interesting things that people might like to read about. You can make it as simply as you like with pen and paper or you can be very inventive and create a 3D diorama or hanging banner. The sky's the limit - go for it!

Slideshow - O. Henry
A full set of teaching plans for O. Henryteaching.