Martha Speaks (book)
Martha Speaks is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Susan Meddaugh, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1992. It is the first in a series of six books featuring a young girl's pet dog named Martha.
| Author | Susan Lin Meddaugh |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Meddaugh |
| Country | United States |
| Series | Martha Speaks |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |
Publication date | September 1992[1] |
| Media type | Paper |
| Pages | 35 pp |
| Followed by | Martha and Skits |
Plot
The book follows the adventures of a ten-year-old girl named Helen Finney, who fed her dog Martha some alphabet soup and something very mysterious occurred. When the letters got into her throat, they lost their way, so they traveled to her brain instead of her stomach. This gave Martha the ability to speak. But when the family complains about Martha talking too much, she stops eating her soup. Then a burglar breaks into her house, and Martha finds herself speechless. The burglar than gives her alphabet soup, and Martha regains her ability to speak again. She calls the police and the family appreciates of what she did.
Reception
The Horn Book Magazine said the book was "Good-natured and amusing, with cheerful illustrations"[2] and Patricia Tauzer writing for Common Sense Media wrote in a four star (out of five) review that, "the story is clever."[3]
References
- "Barnes & Noble – Used Book Search Results – Martha Speaks – Susan Meddaugh – Hardcover". Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- A.A.F. (1993). Martha Speaks. Horn Book Magazine, 69(1), 76. Retrieved from Ebsco.
- Tauzer, Patricia. "Martha Speaks – Book Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved November 11, 2018.