The Stories In Child Life In Prose Often Center Around Themes Of Childhood Innocence And The Simple Joys Of Life. Whittier'S Prose Captures The Wonder And Imagination Of Youth As Well As The Challenges And Adventures That Children Face As They Navigate The World Around Them. One Of The Most Well-Known Stories In The Collection Is The Hen That Hatched Ducks A Charming Tale About A Hen Who Mistakenly Hatches A Brood Of Ducklings And Raises Them As Her Own. Through This Story Whittier Explores Themes Of Love Acceptance And The Bonds That Unite Different Creatures.