Dick Whittington and His Cat [Hardcover]

Marcia Brown (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 1988

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. Illustrated.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marcia Brown, one of the most honored illustrators in children's literature, is a three-time Caldecott Medalist and six-time Caldecott Honor illustrator, as well as winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for the body of her work. She lives in Laguna Hills, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (August 30, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684189984
• ISBN-13: 978-0684189987
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How a cat is able to get its owner a great fortune., May 13, 1999

By 

R. D. Allison ([e-mail]) (Gainesville, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dick Whittington and His Cat (Hardcover)

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and adventuous. BEAUTIFUL unique illustrations., October 9, 2008

By 

silky69 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dick Whittington and His Cat (Hardcover)

I collect children's illustrated story books and I love this one for both the story and the beautiful woodcut illustrations. It is a story about a boy in medieval times whose parents both die and he is left to be an orphan to fend for himself. He endures many hardships including a cook who beats him and treats him with much disrespect, and Whittington also has to sleep in a room with rats who crawl on him at night. He purchases a cat named Puss for a penny to help with the rat problem, but then has to send his cat on a trade ship. A Moorish king with an abundance of rats ends up with Whittington's cat, and after the cat does a fine job for the King, Whittington receives a treasure. The story is based on a legend about a real person named Dick Whittington who was mayor of London in the early 1400's.

The illustrations in this book are outstanding and unique--woodcut prints, I believe. I highly recommend this book both for the story and the beautiful art.