Two-Thumb Thomas

by Barbara C. Freeman

Two-thumb Thomas, the boy who had been brought up by three school cats, was getting too big to sleep in the Third Form stationary cupboard, so how was he to find himself a new home ?

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

A gifted illustrator, particularly of fairy tales, by the 1960s, British born Freeman was writing and illustrating her own children's books. She particularly enjoyed incorporating fantasy and/or history into her work.

Reviews

[Louise Culmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas was orphaned at the age of four, and adopted by Linnette, Sue, and Blackie, the cats at Langley House Boys School, where they have raised Thomas secretly. They share their food with him, and he dresses in lost clothing that has been unclaimed by the langley House boys. He educates himself by listening to the boys' lessons while hidden in the cloakroom. but Thomas is getting tired of sleeping in the Third form stationery cupboard, which is too small for him now. He wants a home of his own, and decides to move into a deserted old house near the school. But the rats who live in the basement object to his presence there. And it is getting more difficult for him to hide from the human world as he grows older.
This is a delightful and unusual fantasy story, with charming characters. the faber edition has the original lovely illustrations by Barbara C. freeman herself, and is worth looking out for if you want to read this enchanting tale, though it is still delightful even without the illustrations.

[Cherry Potts · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourite children's books. a complete joy from start to finish. completely mad of course, a child being brought up by a company of feral cats, who insist he goes to school. sweetly resolved. If i had to rescue my books from a burning building, this would be int the first pile.

[Milly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of those serendipitious finds. It's a fantastic story.

[Capn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two-Thumb Thomas, the boy who had been brought up by three school cats, was getting too big to sleep in the Third Form stationery cupboard, so how was he to find himself a new home?

I can't be the first curmudgeon to give this a non-perfect score! It's a 4.5 and I'm rounding up to 5, because this book really is a sweet little thing, and it sort of reminds me of a collision between Haphazard House, Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and then a fairly standard school-boy-in-England-before-decimal-currency story (Maud, a young school girl, has a rather central role as well). But then there are the cats, and the cat lovers who, naturally, can speak cat. It's a wonderful oddball of a book, and I think I love it.

And, bizarrely, I think I even love all the human characters in it. Which is rare for me. All of the adults are exemplary. The rats make for formidable enemies (apart from those who don't). The kids are lovely humans, and the cats - the cats are just right, though I think Freeman should have written a grumpy, extra-lazy one into the mix.

Do try to track down a copy of this quaint little story. I'm off to see what else Barbara C. Freeman wrote...