Goody Hall
by Natalie Babbitt
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The new tutor at Goody Hall is pleased with his job but can't help feeling there is something peculiar about the household.Tags
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I picked this up because I am a big fan of one of the author's other works, Tuck Everlasting. I was mildly disappointed that this didn't rise to the same caliber, but it was still an entertaining tale. Goody Hall is a "long ago tale" involving the residents of a mansion and the inhabitants of a nearby village. Young Willet Goody is convinced his father did not die five years ago as he has been told and enlists the help of his new tutor, Hercules Feltwright, to investigate the matter.
Each character has a very fitting name: Mrs. Tidings is the local gossip, Alfreida Rom is a gypsy, and Hercules Feltwright is the son of a hatter who has had some experiences that seem to mirror the mythical Hercules. The mystery of Willet's father's show more death/non-death is investigated and resolved rather quickly, and seems to be more of a device by which the characters learn who they really are and what they truly desire out of life. It's a nice parable. show less
Each character has a very fitting name: Mrs. Tidings is the local gossip, Alfreida Rom is a gypsy, and Hercules Feltwright is the son of a hatter who has had some experiences that seem to mirror the mythical Hercules. The mystery of Willet's father's show more death/non-death is investigated and resolved rather quickly, and seems to be more of a device by which the characters learn who they really are and what they truly desire out of life. It's a nice parable. show less
An out-of-work actor, Hercules Feltwright, stumbles into a job tutoring Willet Goody, the only child of a widow living in a large, lonely house. Willet quickly involves his tutor in the search to discover the truth surrounding his father. The mystery unfolds with the discovery of hidden treasure, a gypsy seance, and the frightening exploration of the tomb of Midas Goody.
I thought this was going to be a re-read - but nothing seemed familiar. In any case, it's a fun and magical mystery, especially for fans of [b:The Search for Delicious|12759|The Search for Delicious|Natalie Babbitt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312009811s/12759.jpg|1785404] but anyone, really, who's looking for a cozy nostalgic comfort read.
Fiction, Chapter Book, Realistic Fiction, Tutors, Mystery, V, Widow, Treasure
fiction, juvenile
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Author Information
32+ Works 25,681 Members
Natalie Babbitt was born Natalie Zane Moore in Dayton, Ohio on July 28, 1932. As a child, she wanted to be an illustrator. She received a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Smith College. She and her husband Sam Babbitt collaborated on a children's book The Forty-Ninth Magician, which was published in 1966. At the urging of her husband and her show more editor, she decided to write her own prose. Her first book as both author and illustrator was The Search for Delicious, which was published in 1969. Her novels included Goody Hall, The Devil's Storybook, Tuck Everlasting, The Eyes of the Amaryllis, Herbert Rowbarge, and The Moon Over High Street. She wrote and illustrated several picture books including Nellie: A Cat on Her Own; Bub, or, The Very Best Thing; and Elsie Times Eight. Kneeknock Rise was named a 1971 Newbery Honor book. In 2013, she won the inaugural E. B. White Award for achievement in children's literature. Tuck Everlasting was adapted as a Disney feature film in 2002 and made its debut as a Broadway musical in 2016. She also illustrated five books for Valerie Worth. She died of lung cancer on October 31, 2016 at the age of 84. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards and Honors
Awards
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1971
- People/Characters
- Hercules Feltwright; Willet Goody
- Epigraph
- "To thine own self renew,
and it must follow, as the knight the doe,
thou canst not then befall to any man."
Hercules Feltwright - Dedication
- For Michael di Capua
Sine Quo Non - First words
- The blacksmith stood in the door of his shop and sniffed the May breeze hopefully.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"To better things."
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 278
- Popularity
- 115,417
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.76)
- Languages
- Dutch, English, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 13
- ASINs
- 9
