The Mouse and His Child

by Russell Hoban, David Small (Illustrator)

Overview

"Like the fantasies of Tolkien, Thurber, E. B. White, The Mouse and His Child is filled with symbolism and satire, violence and vengeance, tears and laughter." -- The New York Times

The images stay with you long after the book is done: the toy mouse and his father, on a journey together joined hand in hand; Manny Rat, the nefarious lord of the junkyard, stalking the toy mice for their clockwork parts; Uncle Frog, spouting wisdom and nonsense from within a glove; and the Bonzo Dog Food dog, repeating himself endlessly on a label, fading away to the last visible dog...Russell Hoban's novel is many things: a stirring adventure story, a sharp-witted comedy, and the moving tale of a father and son struggling to return to a state of grace.Called one of the great works of children's literature of the twentieth century -- but with an audience that spans ages and times -- The Mouse and His Child has been lovingly re-illustrated by Caldecott Medalist David Small for a new generation and a new millennium.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338043051
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/26/2016
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Lexile:	970L (what's this?)
File size:	92 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 18 Years

About the Author

Russell Hoban's career spanned five decades in which he wrote more than sixty books, including such children's classics as Bedtime for Frances and The Mouse and His Child, adult fiction including Riddley Walker and Turtle Diary, and several collections of poetry and essays.
David Small is the illustrator of many award-winning books, including The Library, the Caldecott Medal winner So You Want to Be President?, and the Caldecott Honor books The Gardener and One Cool Friend. He lives in Michigan with his wife, the writer Sarah Stewart, and an outdoor cat named Mabel.

Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
First published in 1967, The Mouse and His Child amazed audiences with its tale of a wind-up pair of toy mice, a father and son, who seek freedom from the toy store. Along their journey, they must surpass the clutches of Manny Rat in the dump and embrace the sporadic wisdom of Uncle Frog. Filled with adventure, an intense message, and classic storytelling expertise, this compelling novel will catapult readers into another dimension.

Using sophisticated levels of symbolism and the timeless tale of struggle against adversity, author Russell Hoban weaves a tale that spans generations of readers. This new edition features artwork from Caldecott medalist illustrator David Small. These pen-and-ink illustrations capture the humor and adventurous tone of the book while remaining regal. The chapters all begin a with a full-page illustration, each more compelling that the one before.

Filled with hope, but infused with strong doses of reality, this wild tale is ready to enthrall a whole new audience. (Amy Barkat)

bn.com

Since its publication in 1967, book lovers have lauded Russell Hoban's The Mouse and His Child. Now 2001 Caldecott Medalist David Small's haunting charcoal-and-ink illustrations energize and elevate this moving tale of two toy mice that come to life. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 5-8-This tale by Russell Hoban, originally published in 1967, follows a clock-work mouse attached by the hands to his little child as they look for a home, family, and a sense of belonging. By turns poignant and witty, allegorical and fantastic, the many animals and wind-up characters who populate the story are all dynamically portrayed in this audio version narrated by William Dufris. He deserves enormous credit for managing to make the audio sound like a full-cast recording. There seems to be no end to the voices, accents, and styles of speech he can muster, and as a result listening to this extended fable becomes enormously enriched. He keeps all the characters straight for listeners, and provides them with a life and appeal that actually adds quite a bit to the printed version. This tale in print has interested young people who enjoy Wind in the Willows-type characters but with a much more thoughtful, even philosophical storyline bolstered by situations humorous, tedious, and even frightening. The exceptional quality of the narration may bring even more listeners than readers to the story. Younger students who are exceptionally thoughtful listeners and readers would also find this appealing, and children listening to this version with their parents on a family trip would have a great deal to discuss and think about. A worthwhile addition to collections seeking to offer thought-provoking material to children.-Jane Fenn, Corning Painted Post West High School, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal