Mrs. Van Der Hook by Hugh Lofting
Mrs. Van der Hook is a little lady who lives on the main street of the town of Amsterdam. When her neighbors tell her it is very rude to stand and look, she answers only, "Well that's the way I am."
By Hugh Lofting · Genre: Children's Literature, Poetry, Humorous Fiction · 77 words
First lines
There was a little lady and / her name was Mrs. Van der Hook. / She lived upon the main street of / the town of Amsterdam. / And when the neighbors told her it / was very rude to stand and look, / All she ever answered was, / "Well that's the way I am. "
What this Textopian page supports
Mrs. Van Der Hook is listed on Textopian as a poem by Hugh Lofting, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Hugh Lofting
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Poetry, Humorous Fiction, Character Study, Satire
- Length: 77 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Mrs. Van Der Hook by Hugh Lofting
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Children's Literature — Simple narrative structure, whimsical protagonist, rhyming verse format, and Hugh Lofting's established body of work in children's stories suggest this is written for young audiences.
- Poetry — The text employs consistent rhyming couplets and rhythmic meter characteristic of verse, particularly light narrative poetry.
- Humorous Fiction — The protagonist's witty, unapologetic response ('Well that's the way I am') to social criticism demonstrates comedic irony and comedic characterization.
- Character Study — The passage centers on establishing Mrs. Van der Hook's personality and independence, presenting a character defined by defiance against social conformity.
Tags
poetry · light verse · narrative verse · rhyming verse · character portrait · humor · satire · wry · elderly woman · eccentricity · stubbornness · rudeness