Tom Brown's School Days for the favourite in a horse race, Tom is deliberately burned in front of a fire. Tom and East defeat Flashman with the help of Diggs, a kind, comical, older boy. In their triumph they become unruly. In the second half of the book, Dr Thomas Arnold (1795–1842), the historical headmaster of the school at the time, gives Tom the care of George Arthur, a frail, pious, academically brilliant, gauche, and sensitive new boy. A fight that Tom gets into to protect Arthur, and Arthur's nearly dying of fever, are described in loving detail. Tom and Arthur help each other
The Tale of Tom Kitten following year, in October 1908, "The Tale of Samuel Whiskers" was published, which again featured Tom Kitten, as well as his mother and sisters. "Tom Kitten's Painting Book" was published in June 1917 with a cover by Potter depicting Tom standing at an easel, paint brush in hand. It was the second of Potter's three painting books for children, following "Peter Rabbit's Painting Book" of 1911 and preceding "Jemima Puddle-Duck's Painting Book" of 1925. The books were composed of pairs of pictures with short, appropriate texts at the foot of each page. When the book was opened, the fully coloured