Bernelly & Harriet: The Country Mouse and the City Mouse [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Dahlie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up

Bernelly is a country mouse who spends most of her time outdoors, teaching fly-fishing and tying beautiful flies. Harriet is a famous artist who lives and paints in her cozy apartment in the heart of the city. When a leaky boot sends Bernelly to the city for a new pair, Harriet tries to persuade her that city life is best. Bernelly has fun visiting museums, attending the ballet, and shopping in fancy stores, but insists that Harriet sample country life. Each mouse tries hard to enjoy the other's life, but each finally finds the most happiness right at home.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this perky twist on a favorite tale, two mouse cousins appreciate that there's no place like home after spending time on each other's turf. Country mouse Bernelly likes nothing better than teaching fly-fishing in the nearby river in the good weather and tying beautiful flies in her cottage through the winter. City mouse Harriet paints in her apartment/studio in between dining out, exploring parks and museums, and enjoying the ballet. The two mice eventually cross paths when Bernelly's need for a new pair of boots prompts a shopping trip to the city (and a visit to Harriet). After a busy week of sightseeing, Bernelly longs for home. ("It is just too crowded and noisy here," she says of the city). Harriet, curious to experience the joys of country living, accompanies Bernelly on the trip back. But finding the riverbank too quiet, Harriet is soon eager to return to "the noise, the smells, the shopping!" of Boston. Dahlie's (Henrietta) text clicks along, peppered with plenty of humorous, contemporary details. The expressions on each of the heroine's faces convey the evidence of these fish out of water, whether Bernelly's discomfort as she tries on a pair of red high-heel shoes while searching for her boots or Harriet's ennui as she listens to "tales of trout" at her cousin's dinner party. Her gouache paintings a cross between Petra Mathers and Kevin Henkes capture the best of both mouse worlds and convey the gentle joviality and affection of the story. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reSchool-Grade 2--This modern take on the classic story features delicate pastel-toned gouache illustrations. Bernelly lives in the country and works as a fly-fishing instructor. When she needs a new pair of boots, she decides to go to the city to get them, and visit her cousin Harriet as well. After a week, poor Bernelly is overwhelmed, and she invites her cousin back to enjoy a relaxing stay in the country. Harriet, however, is not impressed with fly-fishing, gardening, or dinnertime full of long stories about trout, and is even happier with her city home when she returns. Dahlie's illustrations are breathtaking, often creating beautiful landscapes from the merest hints of shadow and color. It is slightly disturbing to see that, while Bernelly endures her stay in the city with a smile, Harriet spends the entire time in the country with a condescending expression on her face. This stereotype aside, the cousins' affection for one another shines through, and this beautifully illustrated rendering of the story will find a home in larger collections.
Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown; 1st edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316608114
• ISBN-13: 978-0316608114
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,052,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's Just No Place Like Home....., October 21, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bernelly & Harriet: The Country Mouse and the City Mouse (Hardcover)

"Bernelly was a country mouse. She lived west of the city in a small village that had everthing a mouse could need-except a shoe shop. From spring through fall Bernelly was a fly-fishing instructor... And in winter she spent her time tying beautiful flies." But a leaky boot sends her to the city for new shoes and a visit with cousin Harriet. "Harriet was a famous artist, and her home was also her studio. In winter she painted glorious masterpieces... And in summer she traveled to exotic places that might inspire her." Harriet was thrilled to have Bernelly visit, and took her all over the city, sightseeing and shopping, and by the end of the week, Bernelly was exhausted. "It is just too crowded and noisy here. I miss being able to sit quietly by the river watching my beautiful trout." Harriet was intrigued with such a simple, quiet life. "Perhaps it will inspire me." But of course, country life was not the life for her. Harriet was bored with fishing and gardening, napping and "dinner parties with exciting tales of trout." She missed the "hustle and bustle of city life-the noise, the smells, the shopping!" and heads back to the city, where surprisingly, she finds country life did inspire her, in its own way.....Elizabeth Dahlie's modern retelling of an old, favorite fable is playful and entertaining. Her engaging text is only outdone by her charming and endearing illustrations, rendered in soft, pastel tones, and filled with marvelous eye-catching detail and humor. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Bernelly & Harriet is a warm and captivating read aloud with a gentle message that won't be lost on little ones...there's no place like home.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Two Mice, April 15, 2002

By 

Judith Miller (Bluemont, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bernelly & Harriet: The Country Mouse and the City Mouse (Hardcover)

This is a delightful new version of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse.

Bernelly's an independent country mouse who loves her life. Her jaunty attire of red scarf and black boots suit her life style as a fly-fishing instructor. She spends her leisure time tying flies and reading. Her library has an eclectic group of books that include, THE KENYON REVIEW, HENRIETTA, and THE VILLAGE, which indicate that she's a well read young mouse. Of course, her favorite books are about fly-fishing. When Bernelly realizes that she needs new boots, she decides to visit her cousin Harriet for a shopping trip to the city. Harriet's a stylish city mouse who wears gold loop earrings, and has a distinctive flair for clothes. Her sophisticated life as a famous artist allows for exotic travel and shopping. She's delighted to have Bernelly visit and takes her all over town seeing the sights. Bernelly's a bit overwhelmed and home sick, and invites Harriet to visit the country. When the city cousin visits the country, she's not overwhelmed, she's a little bored with the fly-fishing, gardening and the slow pace of life. In spite of the fact that the two mice have different life styles, they seem to enjoy an affectionate relationship which adds a nice warmth to the story.

I enjoyed the detail that Elizabeth Dahlie put into her illustrations. My favorite images are of Bernelly and Harriet walking hand in hand down a cobblestone city street where a flower pot reflects a house number--a delicious tea, served on blue and white china at Putney's Tea Shop-- shopping at an expensive shoe store--and, a mixed group of Bernelly's friends sharing a conversation at dinner. Each page of this enchanting book is filled with wonderful pictures.

A well done book that children will love.