The Willoughbys
By Lois Lowry
The Willoughby children, neglected by their selfish parents, find belonging with Nanny, Commander Melanoff, and baby Ruth.
Worksheets
Their parents eagerly book a dangerous trip through the Reprehensible Travel Agency, leaving the children with a kind nanny and sending postcards of their perilous adventures.
The Willoughby children—bossy Tim, timid Jane, and twins Barnaby A and B—long for the kind of old-fashioned orphan adventures they read about, while their selfish parents neglect them.
Class 1
Class 2
The children and Nanny enjoy life together, disguising themselves to scare off homebuyers and make their house seem unlivable.
Class 3
Meanwhile, the Willoughby parents travel abroad as “terrible tourists,” craving American food while narrowly surviving disasters, until they eventually freeze on an alp.
Class 4
With their parents gone, the children, Nanny, Commander Melanoff, baby Ruth, and Melanoff’s long-lost son form a happy new family, closing the tale in true old-fashioned style.