Dec 25, 2009

The Whipping Boy | Overview

The Whipping Boy is a well-written adventure story that on its surface is as funny as anything Fleischman has written. Beneath this humorous surface, however, is a dark story suffused with an intense indignation at the plight of an innocent child snatched from the streets and made a victim of an unjust social convention. Although the convention of the royal whipping boy no longer exists, modern children are still being victimized, and tough, quick-witted street kids soon learn to be as resourceful as Jemmy in facing seemingly hopeless situations. Fleischman intricately blends...