Module 8/SLIS 5420/October 19-25

Whittington

by

Alan Armstrong

Bibliography

Armstrong, Alan. Whittington. Random House, 2005. ISBN. 978-0-375-92864-2

Summary

A battered cat name Whittington arrives at a barn and is taken in by the barn animals. Whittington meets Lady the duck and she is in charge of the barn. Whittington finds himself at home with other talking animals a chicken, a goat, a horse and rats. Whittington meets Ben and Abbie whose mother's has died and they are being raised by their grandparents. Ben is struggling with his reading and Abbie and the barn animals try to help Ben with his reading. Whittington tells his story about how he became Whittington and the 14th century merchant Dick Whittington who he is named after. There is a storytime session that Ben and Abbie along with the other animals listen too. Ben does learn to read by going to remedial reading classes and is not kept back from the next grade.

For the Young at Heart

A very interesting book if you like fantasy and talking animals. This genre is one of my least favorite, but it was quite interesting read. Sometimes I hard time following the talking animals and the children talking t0 the animals as well. I listen to the book on audio (CD).

Reviews

This superior novel interweaves animal fantasy and family story with a retelling of the English folktale "Dick Whittington and His Cat." A battered tomcat named Whittington arrives one-late-fall at a New England barn, where he gradually befriends the equally ragtag group of animals already adopted by the barn's taciturn but soft-hearted owner, Bernie

School Library Journal, August 2005

In three entertaining plot strands,Ben and his sister listen in as the titular descendant of Dick Whittington's cat negotiates a truce between the creatures in their grandfather's New England barn.

Horn Book Guide Reviews, Spring 2006.

Suggested Actvities.

I would read this book aloud and pair the book with Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village and discuss living in the time period.