Dick Whittington and His Cat
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Book Overview
Dick Whittington and His Cat is Marcia Brown's tale of Dick Whittington, a character in a British folklore, very loosely based on Richard Whittington. The well-loved tale of the London waif whose cat's prowess as a ratter results in Dick's becoming a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0684189984
ISBN13:9780684189987
Release Date:August 1988
Publisher:Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Length:32 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:0.4" x 8.4" x 10.4"
Age Range:4 to 8 years
Grade Range:Preschool to Grade 3
Customer Reviews
1 rating
How a cat is able to get its owner a great fortune.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
This is a children's book based on the legend surrounding Richard Whittington. Whittington, who died in 1423, was mayor of London 1397-1399, 1406-1407, and 1419-1420. He became very prosperous and generous. The legend says that he was a homeless boy who did odd jobs in a house and kept a cat to keep the rats away. But, he had to send the cat off on a trading ship. The cat was sold to a Moorish ruler whose kingdom had been overrun with rats. The cat becomes a noted ratter and the ruler bestows a great treasure on Whittington. (However, the historical Whittington appears to have been the son of a knight of Gloucester). The earliest known appearance of the legend is in 1605. This book was a 1951 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children. I've always found it of interest to discover how much children enjoy stories that are based on real people.
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