Customer Reviews

Dick Whittington and His Cat

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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.

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.