A story of a tom cat

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	• Whittington Alan Armstrong Yearling, 2006 - 208 pages average customer review:based on 12 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A story of a tom cat

Whittington by Alan Armstrong exemplifies everything that's wrong with the Newbery awards - it's a cute book about a cat, not much more. Don't get me wrong, I did like the story, but there's as much wrong with the story as there is right. It does, however, have all the ingredients of an award winner and stuff much older readers than the intended audience can get nostalgic over.

Whittington is the story of a cat who comes to live in a barnyard full of down-and-out animals with Ben and Abby, a brother and sister who spend their time listening to a tale told by the cat. Ben suffers from dyslexia, which is embarrassing to him. Ben's struggles with dyslexia are mixed with Whittington's story. This is an interesting approach.

However, there are several things wrong with the story. First, the story often reads more like a history and science lesson, with some of the exposition delivered as if from a text book. Second, it's hard to care about the characters as they are shallow and for the most part one dimensional. At times, Ben's struggles seem a footnote or after thought to make the book itself more interesting. As a father of a child with dyslexia, I know it is a serious problem, but it has become an overused plot device in many children's books.

Overall, this one's okay, but I think comparisions to E.B. White are out of line. This is not E.B. White or anything close.

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Feels like home

I enjoyed this story. I grew up with the pleasure of a family life of barnyard friends and I later learned to appreciate history. This story is the marriage of these two passions. I felt transplanted to a simplier time and found escape and pleasure in the book myself. I am not sure the age group marketed will get it but I did.

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Whittington

This is an enjoyable and fascinating book. My 2 children (7 & 4) are reading this with me in school. Some of the language is a little mature for them, yet their interest and attention are still held. They like the dynamics between the animals and just like Charlotte's Web, they seem amused that the animals can talk.

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an okay book

this book grabbed my attention and wouldent let go it was a cute book but it kinda was like charlets web but with a cat but it was preatty entertaining

reviews: page 1, 2, 3

Whittington is a roughneck Tom who arrives one day at a barn full of rescued animals and asks for a place there. He spins for the animals?as well as for Ben and Abby, the kids whose grandfather does the rescuing?a yarn about his ancestor, the nameless cat who brought Dick Whittington to the heights of wealth and power in 16th-century England. This is an unforgettable tale about the healing, transcendent power of storytelling, and how learning to read saves one little boy.

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recommendations

2006 ALSC Notable Children's Books - Middle Readers
"Who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh..."
Sunshine State Readers 2007-2008 grade 3-5
Excellent cat books I've read.

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