Whittington

Written in the tradition of E. B. White and Dick King-Smith, this Newbery Honor-winning tale is a highly original blend of down-home farm tale and high sea adventure.

This is the story of a roughneck tom cat, Whittington, who arrives at a New England barn full of rescued animals during the year's first big snowstorm. The animals are bored, so Whittington begins telling the story of his namesake, Dick Whittington, to an audience that grows to include Bernie's (the barn owner) grandchildren. The feline continues the story as winter grinds on, and the children and animals together absorb Dick's tale of good fortune. The tale parallels that of Ben, Bernie's grandson, who learns to read once he trusts the advice of his friends and takes extra classes to help him overcome his dyslexia.

Newbery Honor Winner

" A lovely paean to the power of story and the words that carry it along."— Kirkus Reviews , starred review

"Graceful prose, engaging human and animal characters,...