Nelly May Has Her Say
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Nelly May Nimble and her twelve brothers and sisters live with their parents in a tiny cottage in the Bottoms, where there's never enough food to feed so many hungry mouths. Nelly May decides that she is old enough to earn her keep and takes a job as Lord Ignasius Pinkwinkle's new housekeeper and cook. Along with her many chores, Lord Pinkwinkle also expects Nelly May to learn his own special language. So Nelly May gets to work, using a wet scooperooty to hold the water she mops the floor with and then cooking supper for him, the Most Excellent of All Masters. But late that night, when a spark from the flaming-pop-and-sizzle lands on the fur-faced-fluffenbarker's wigger-wagger, Nelly May puts her foot down. She'll save his roof-topped castleorum, but she will not be his fuzzy-dust-and-fooder any longer. In Nelly May Has Her Say, Cynthia DeFelice and Henry Cole team up for a fun-filled romp that makes a great read aloud.
A Margaret Ferguson Book
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Once upon a time, a "clever and quick" girl named Nelly leaves her impoverished, overpopulated family and goes to work for Lord Ignasius Pinkwinkle, a man at the far end of the eccentricity spectrum. Not only does he insist on being called "Most Excellent of All Masters," he also has an entire nomenclature system for everyday objects. A bed is a "restful slumberific," boots are "stompinwhackers," and the dog (who is as perplexed as Nelly is by all of this) is a "fur-faced fluffenbarker." When a fire threatens the estate, Nelly proves her linguistic adeptness and helps his Lordship understand just how silly he is. The source of this story is the English folktale "The Master of All Masters," which is similar to Goldilocks in that the setup is more satisfying than the conclusion. Veterans DeFelice (Wild Life) and Cole (Unspoken) give the story polish, but much of the book is essentially a tour of a stately mansion. Still, the ending both resolves the original's thudding conclusion and shows that employer and employee can have a relationship built on genuine affection and respect. Ages 4 8.
