Whistler; or, The Manly Boy

"Whistler; or, The Manly Boy" by Walter Aimwell is a story from the 1800's about a young boy named Whistler, who loves to whistle on a summer visit to his uncle’s family in the town of Brookdale. This novel dives into youth, growing up, and the life lessons learned from everyday adventures. The tale starts with Whistler traveling by boat from Boston to Brookdale with his friends and family. During the trip, Whistler thinks carefully about behavior and good manners after he hears someone talking about how Americans eat. Once he gets to his uncle's house, Whistler meets his cousins, including his close cousin Clinton. As the story begins, we see that the boys will have adventures, and we learn about important ideas like curiosity, hard work, and how they learn from exploring life in the country.