The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes

"Goody Two-Shoes" redirects here. For the Adam Ant song, see Goody Two Shoes (song).
"Little Goody Two Shoes" redirects here. For the video game, see Little Goody Two Shoes (video game). For the Elvis Costello song, see Out of Our Idiot.

The cover of the 1888 edition of Goody Two-Shoes

The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is a children's story published by John Newbery in London in 1765. The story popularized the phrase "goody two-shoes" as a descriptor for an excessively virtuous person or do-gooder.[1] Historian V.M. Braganza refers to it as one of the first works of Children's literature, perhaps the earliest children's novel in English. It was influential to subsequent authors, revolutionary in the development of its literary genre, and popular, noted for its female heroine in a realist setting.[2]

  1. ^ Feinsilber, Mike; Elizabeth Webber (1999). Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Allusions. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster. p. 234.
  2. ^ Braganza, V. M. (2023). "The Revolutionary Influence of the First English Children's Novel". Smithsonian Magazine. No. September–October.