Module 9: Horton Halfpot

Book Cover Image:

Book Summary:

This is the story of a young boy who serves in the kitchen of the Smugwick Manor. He is disdained for his constant screw ups and is thought of as something of a nuisance. This young boy becomes key in the mystery that takes place within the manor, even a hero in the eyes of some. The story starts from the very beginning with the strangest tipping point: a corset, and journeys through the mystery of the stolen lump. Each part of the journey to find the thief is stange and quirky and leads the reader in a way that seems furthest from the answer. In the end, young Horton assists in the great save of the lump and the redemption of the manor itself. 

APA Reference of Book:

Angleberger, T. (2011). Horton Halfpott or the fiendish mystery of Smugwick Manor or the loosening of m'lady Luggertuck's corset. New York, NY: Abrams.

Impressions:

My major impression of this book is that premise is hysterical. The language used is interesting and fresh in its weirdness. Nothing is described in the usual sense and titles/names are absolutely strange. From the very beginning of the story, the reader is sure that this won't be the average tale. However, the character development is powerful as we see young Horton change and grow into something to be respected instead of belittled. The plot is thoughtful and engaging and accounts for the imagination of those who turn the pages. This text is one that will keep students guessing and wondering who it could have been and how it will all turn out: the true sign of a good mystery. This is an excellent resource for intermediate readers looking for a good mystery. 

Professional Review:

Grades 3-6. Horton Halfpott, the lowly (but likable) scullery boy at Smugwick Manor, falls in love with Celia Sylvan-Smythe, the young heiress, who has attracted the unwanted attention of his employers’ high-born (but despicable) son Luther Luggertuck. The plot thickens when the Luggertuck Lump (“possibly the world’s largest diamond and certainly the ugliest”) is stolen and a suspicious band of shipless pirates turns up in the area. Billed as a “Victorian spoof,” the amusing story is related by a narrator who occasionally stops the action and addresses readers directly (“Reader, do not panic”). Each chapter opens with an amusing drawing of one or more characters along with a heading, such as “In Which Miss Neversly Is Disobeyed and Dawdling Occurs . . . ,” and each unfolds with droll humor as well as action. From the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (2010), here’s an amusing romp of a mystery that balances skulduggery with just rewards.

Reference: 

Book review of Horton Halfpott or the Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or the Loosening of M'lady Luggertuck's Corset, by T. Angleberger. (2011). Booklist, 107(17). Retrieved from www.titlewave.com 

Library Uses:

This text could be used during a mystery month. The librarian could adopt a sort of "murder" (thief) mystery to coordinate with the reading of the text. This would allow students to engage in the details provided by the story and play a part in solving it.