Mr. Franklin has fallen off his ladder and has a cast. His neighbor Mrs. Allum and her granddaughter Bet come to help him with domestic duties. Mr. Franklin asks Bet to go and sit on a log near the river and read aloud from a book about Earthworms by Charles Darwin. This unusual request by Mr. Franklin and even more unusual and miraculous events come to pass. Young Bet becomes friends with a mole!
The mole tells his lengthy adventurous story to Bet. She tries to understand his mammal life, and he tries to understand her humanity.
The mole asks pleadingly for Bet to help him, in the process she will learn the full meaning of the word friend.
A talking mole is quite original. Most animal stories seem to be mice, rats, bears, dogs, cats; but a mole? I liked it.
Bet is an unpretentious young girl. She is neither referred to as a beauty nor anything else, the focus is on her character of personality. I was so happy to read a book where character meant more than outward appearance.
There are a few drawings in the book, I consider them snippets that add to the story. There is great attention to fine details.
I really liked this book and enjoyed reading it!
Published by Greenwillow Books, a division of Harper Collins in 2004
For Ages 8 and Up
200 Pages
Link @ B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-gentleman-philippa-pearce/1103014717
Link @ Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Little-Gentleman-Philippa-Pearce/dp/0060731605/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340111267&sr=1-1&keywords=the+little+gentleman
Both books must be bought through other sellers.
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