《一只名叫韦丁顿的猫》

This Newbery-Honor winning tale introduces Whittington, a roughneck Tom who arrives one day at a barn full of rescued animals and asks for a place there. He spins for the animals — as well as for Ben and Abby, the kids whose grandfather does the rescuing — a story about his ancestor*, the nameless cat who brought Dick Whittington to the heights of wealth and power in 16th-century England. This is an unforgettable tale about the healing, transcendent power of storytelling, and how learning to read saves one little boy.

This is not the simple child fantasy like “Charlotte’s Web.” The story within the story is adventurous enough to interest people of all ages.

A story within a story, the contemporary fiction involves a sister and brother who have lost their mother, live with their grandparents and are dealing with loss and difficulties at school. However, it is the fictional tale told within the story that quickly captures the interest of the reader as it joins the life of a historic figure, Richard Wittington, a merchant who makes his fortune through a “remarkable mouser.”

Author Alan Armstrong weaves together two fables of two different periods without a missed stitch. With great subtlety, his parallel stories demonstrate the values of honesty, loyalty, hard work, integrity, friendship, teamwork and perseverance.

(SD-Agencies)