Customer Reviews

The Whipping Boy

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(34)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

You'd think being plucked from the street to live in the palace would be a dream come true for an orphan. But Jemmy would disagree. He's be given the job of official whipping boy and is punished every time the prince does something wrong. And there's a reason the prince is called "Prince Brat" behind his back.

Jemmy dreams of running away, but is surprised when the prince announces one night that both of them are running away. Before they know it, the outlaw Hold-Your-Nose Billy has kidnapped them. Can Jemmy keep them both alive and get them back to the castle? Or will the oblivious Prince Brat spoil his every plan?

I'd been intrigued by this book for some time, and finally had a chance to read it. The story is quite fun. While I saw the ultimate end coming, there were plenty of fun twists along the way that kept me engaged. And I truly came to care for the characters; I'd love to know what happens to them next.

Kids will love this tale of adventure set in a time long gone, and adults will enjoy sharing it with them. Get this book today for some good family reading time.

This Newberry Award winning kids book is great good fun in the tradition of The Prince and the Pauper and The Princess Bride. It's the amusing tale of a spoiled heir to the throne, so obnoxious that he's known as Prince Brat, and of Jeremy, the peasant rat-catcher's son, who is drafted into the King's service to stand in for the Prince when he earns a whipping. Of course, having a whipping boy who gets punished in your stead leaves you little incentive to improve your behavior. The Prince is so incorrigible that he hasn't even learned to read and write, though Jeremy has just by overhearing the lessons. When one day the Prince decides to run away, Jeremy follows, figuring he has nothing to lose, since he'll be beaten for it anyway. But things take an unexpectedly nasty turn when the boys are captured by two cutthroats: Cutwater and Hold-Your-Nose Billy. The quick thinking Jeremy is able to convince the bandits that he's the Prince, since after all, he's the one who's literate, and tries to get them to release his compatriot; but the obnoxious Prince is so offended that he refuses to take this means of escape. Gradually, as their misadventures continue, the boys learn to respect and even like one another and all, of course, ends happily.

One thing that occurred to me in reading this story is the way that Anglo-American literature turns the traditional fairy tale of mistaken identity on it's head. The emblematic story of European tradition would be the Frog Prince, wherein the royal personage lies buried beneath a facade, but inevitably is discovered and accedes to his birthright. American stories like this one and Prince and the Pauper have as their premise that the regal upbringing has left the heir somehow unfit to rule and only after experiencing life as a commoner can they rightly ascend to power. The contrast obviously owes much to the underlying political philosophy of the respective cultures--the former supporting the idea of nobility being a function of birth, the latter premised on, if not consent of the ruled, at least a requirement of worthiness on the part of the ruler and an informed understanding of the plight of his subjects.

Kids needn't be concerned with all that though, they can just sit back and enjoy this amusing adventure for it's own sake. We savvy parents will keep the subliminal democratizing message to ourselves.

GRADE: B+

I recommend The Whipping Boy. This book was written by Sid Fleischman and received the 1987 John Newberry Medal award.The story is about an orphan,Jemmy who is taken to a palace to be a "Whipping Boy". A whipping boy is a child who gets whipped in place of the prince in the palace. The prince happens to be a spoiled rotten brat and is known throughout the country as "Prince Brat". Needless to say, the poor whipping boy gets whipped a lot. In the book the two very different boys end up running away for different reasons.They are faced with several difficult situations and through their experiences and adventures, their lives are changed evermore.You should read this book because it is very entertaining.

This book took place in time when there were kings and queens. Prince Horace, known to the peasants of the city as "Prince Brat",was a stubborn little boy who always wanted attention. It was usually bad attention, but he did not realized it until the ending of the story. His whipping boy, Jemmy, really hated Prince Brat. One night, Prince Brat made Jemmy run away from home with him, but they soon got caught by two cutthroats. This book tells how the two boys escape from the cutthroats and turn into best of friends, unlike that in the beginning of the story. The boys teach each other different things from both of their unique lifestyles. This book is written by Sid Fleischman, and I would recommend it to anyone in the 3rd to 5th grades, because it is a very easy book to read and understand.

The Newbery award-winning book, The Whipping Boy, is an adventurous book about two young boys, a Prince and his whipping boy, running away. They run into all types of adventures that complicate but also add excitement to their voyage. Once they are caught by two criminals named Hold-Your-Nose- Billy and Cutwater and then escape, the two boys are chased for the rest of the book. They have many different friends that help them escape many close calls with the two criminals. The Prince, who is known to all as "Prince Brat," was mean and mischevious at first, but by the time the journey was over, he realized that being kind and having friends is more fullfuling than being mean and having everyone dislike him. Jemmy does little changing throughout the book. Although at times he tries to ignore his conscience, he remains helpful and openminded towards Prince Brat. Both the prince and Jemmy eventually realize that they can get along, and they become great friends. The Whipping Boy is a great novel that teaches a good lesson. The prince and the whipping boy eventually begin to trust each other and become good friends, allowing this story to have a happy ending. It's a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone.

Sid Fleischman's book, "The Whipping Boy," is about a runaway prince and his whipping boy, who discover adventure on their journey, and surprisingly find friendship in one another. The boys' adventures include them being abducted by two criminals, "Hold-Your-Nose-Billy," and Cutwater. The criminals kidnap the boys and plan to hold them for ransom from the King.
"The Whipping Boy," focuses on the distinctions and differences of social classes throughout the book. These differences are vividly illustrated through Prince Brat (Horace) and Jemmy, the whipping boy. Prince Horace, who is from a high social class and is considered very important, is never whipped. However, Jemmy, who is from a lower class, serves as a, "whipping boy," and takes the punishments for Prince Brat.
However, "The Whipping Boy," also looks at the overcoming of these class barriers. At the beginning of the story, there was a definite difference between the upper class and the lower class. This difference is intensified in the description of the boys escape into the city's sewer. Jemmy, a member of the working class, is well-informed of the tunnels of the sewer because he has spent the early years of his life there, trapping rats and selling them for money. Jemmy seems at ease in the sewer, knowing what direction to take and where to hide. On the other hand, the Prince is very frightened in the tunnels below the city and clings desperately to Jemmy for security. The Prince has never been to the sewers. His life has always been spent in the luxury of the palace walls with everyone at his beck and call.
As the two boys spend more and more time together the Prince slowly begins to become a part of Jemmy's world. The same can be said for Jemmy's whose quick thinking while dealing with the two men helps the boys escape. When Jemmy is mistaken for the prince, he really takes over the role, and the two classes seemed meshed.
During their journey, Prince Horace and Jemmy both become responsible for their own actions. Jemmy, who has been away from his family and on his own for awhile, is prepared when he gets chased and tormented by the two men in the forest. The Prince, on the other hand, has to learn responsibility since he has never had to rely on himself before. At first, the Prince is stubborn and foolish in his actions, but, as time passes and he sees Jemmy for who he really is. It is when the Prince realizes this, that he learns a very important lesson, and the moral of the book. The Prince learns to break down the barriers that hold the two boys apart. The Prince shows a very big step in growth that even some adults have not taken yet. With his maturation, he is able to become true friends with Jemmy, and earn the name Prince Horace.

I really enjoyed how Fleischman is able to take a very serious and real topic, such as class discrimination, and simplify it for a young reader. The author does not make light of the topic, yet he addresses it in such a way that the reader understands and can relate the story to his/her own life. Children that would read or hear this book have most likely already read or heard fairytales that include royalty. However, I think it is rare that a child is given the opportunity to hear the story of the lower class. "The Whipping Boy," gives a vivid explanation and description of the class differences.
This main theme in this book is that friendship should be free of prejudices. "The Whipping Boy," would be an excellent choice in encouraging students to get along with one another no matter what their differences may be. It lays a very good framework for young students who have been or one day will be on the giving or receiving end of discrimination or prejudices without being preachy. The theme is a powerful one, yet the story includes enough adventure to keep the reader interested and engaged.

This story is about a prince who is bored out of his mind and thinks he should run away from home. This is book is good for people who like funny and short books in grades 4 and up.
Some of the main characters are Hold Your Nose Billy, Jemmy, Prince Brat, Petunia, and Cutwater. Hold Your Nose Billy and Capiton Nips are really mean people who like garlic. They kidnapp Prince Brat and Jemmy. Prince Brat is a boy who you think has a perfect life but he does not think so. He thinks he has a boring life. Petunia is a bear who saves Jemmy and Prince Brats lives.
The main part of the story begins when Prince Brat and Jemmy run away from home and get kidnapped. It is set in a forest and in a palace in an imaginary time long ago.
I think the theme is never run away. Just stay home with your family. Sometimes you don't realize how good you have it. Also, learning to read is very important.

I read the book The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman. This book is great for both boys and girls because it is about suspense and a surprising friendship. In some parts of the book you want to yell at the prince to follow Jemmy's ideas. The prince not following these ideas leads to trouble for both the boys. The result of the prince's behavior leads to the suspenseful adventures and the forming of an unlikely friendship that makes this book so interesting.

The Whipping Boy is about a spoiled prince named Horace. He is always getting in trouble and has become bored with his life. Horace decides to run away from the king and his castle. The prince runs away with his whipping boy by his side. Jemmy is an orphan boy who takes the prince's whippings when Horace gets in trouble. The book tells an exciting story of suspense and surprises. The two boys are kidnapped by outlaws as they make their way through the foggy forest that surrounds the castle. Their many adventure lead the boys to form an unlikely friendship as they attempt to escape the outlaws.

I really enjoyed the book. The descriptions of the adventures were so good. I felt like I was right there with the boys as they tried to make their way back home. I also liked how the prince's character changes throughout the story. You don't find out until the end whether the prince is a trustworthy friend.

The theme of the book is that people can and do change. The prince in the story is best known as "Prince Brat." But throughout the story, he chooses to do things that change who he is. It's through these experiences that he learns to appreciate how friends can help each other. I learned that having compassion for people around you sometimes will lead to great friendships.

I would recommend this book for six to ten year olds. I would give this book five stars. It was great to read. It is a great book to read when you're up for a dangerous adventure in the comfort of your home. I hope you'll like the book as much as I did.

Fleischman, Sid. The Whipping Boy. Mahwah: Troll Associates, 1986. Miller, Miriam Youngerman. "In Days of Old: The Middle Ages in Children's Non-Fiction." Children's Literary Association Quarterly 12.4 (1897): 167-171. The Whipping Boy, a children's novel set in the Middle Ages, tells the story of"Prince Brat" and a boy named Jemmy. In their attempt to run-away from the royal castle, the boys realize that they have more in common than they once believed. They become friends throughout their short journey and learn the values of trust, tolerance, forgiveness, and friendship. Sid Fleischman has great fun with language in this historical fiction while telling a compelling, well-constructed story, but at the same time introduces readers to many new characteristics of the Middle Ages and Medieval times. Writers rarely write children's literature about this historical period because of the darkness and gloom associated with the era, but Sid Fleischman uses his creativity to introduce the lighter side of the time into fiction for youth. In a Children's Literary Association Quarterly article, Miriam Youngerman Miller suggests that writers have an "unpopular tendency to focus on the banes of the Middle Ages" in children's non-fiction (Miller 167), and tend to ignore the brighter aspects of the time. The Whipping Boy introduces some characteristics of Medieval life to children but in a more pleasant way than is customary. Miller says that most books about the period educate rather than entertain readers, and often provide a dreary, unbalanced, lurid, and inaccurate view at this respectable epoch (168). The descriptions of war, disease, and peasantry often steer children away from wanting to learn about this time period. As presented in The Whipping Boy, many aspects of the era are joyful and exciting. For example, in chapter 18, Jemmy and Prince Brat travel to the waterside fairgrounds and experience the ways that the "commoners" live, which is quite new for the prince. They see a ballad seller, a magician, a street fiddler, and an umbrella seller - all of whom add excitement to their adventure. While Fleischman does present some of the darker characteristics of peasantry, such as the occupation of a rat-catcher, the custom of a whipping boy, and the robbers in the woods, he also invents creative ways to express more exciting and animated characteristics. Miller believes that one of the principle reasons for studying Medieval life is to understand the lives of people who are both very like and unlike ourselves, which may help us gain a better perspective of our own lives (170). Accordingly, in The Whipping Boy, Fleischman first presents the relationship between Prince Brat and Jemmy as one of power over convention. The boys are acquaintances but not necessarily friends. As the journey continues, Jemmy proves to have some power over the prince because Jemmy can read, write, and spontaneously find a way to get them out of trouble so that they can survive on their journey. The bridging of social classes occurs in The Whipping Boy when the relationship between Prince Brat and Jemmy develops into a trusting friendship. Jemmy's growing relationship with the prince is emphasized when he says, "So help me, if it's a friend you ran off looking for, it's a friend you found!" (Fleischman 88). This type of bonding rarely happened in real life in the Middle Ages, so it is also quite rare among fiction about this era. Miller comments that children who read particular selections of Medieval literature will see their Medieval forebears solely as "evil ignoramuses whose energies were largely expended on crushing intellectual activity and burning witches that cannot possibly have anything relevant to say to them" (170). By bringing together a commoner and royalty in this novel, Fleischman introduces a new "history of ideas that is rare in children's literature" (170). The Whipping Boy teaches many lessons throughout its text, but its most important influence is the more positive way that Fleischman represents Medieval life. The gloom of the sewers and the torment from Hold-Your-Nose Billy and Cutwater represent darker aspects of our common view of Medieval peasant life, while the trust and friendship created in the novel creates a brighter and more pleasant way of looking at the Middle Ages.

I really liked this book because the author wrote it in an interesting way. He made it sound like the character's were talking the way they used to in Britain. The author also put in alot of detail which put a picture in my mind.