The Song of the Christmas Mouse [Hardcover]

Shirley Rousseau Murphy (Author), Donna Diamond (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1990

Rick's efforts at capturing a beautiful wild mouse for a pet seem constantly thwarted by his willful younger cousin who has come to stay for Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Animal lovers will be drawn to this heartwarming winter tale about a boy's quest to befriend an orphaned field mouse. When Rick first spies the tiny striped creature perched atop a bird feeder, he thinks the animal must be the offspring of Lucy, a pet mouse that ran away. Motivated by compassion and a sense of responsibility, Rick is determined to save the mouse from starvation and the cold, but his attempts to rescue and tame it are thwarted by seven-year-old Hattie Lou, Rick's mischievous, meddling cousin. Alternately expressing the points of view of Rick and the unusual mouse, Murphy (the Dragonbards trilogy) adroitly relays ideas about discovery, survival and sacrifice. Engaging prose and an agreeable cast of characters more than compensate for the bland illustrations; they bring to life the magic of Christmas by exploring the joys and disappointments the holiday season offers one special boy. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Rick, about 12, has discovered a unique wild mouse that might replace his pet that died. But the arrival of his bratty seven-year-old cousin, Hattie Lou, for the holidays nearly ruins his plans when she tears up the mouse's woodpile house. She also steals his brand new Canadian Flyer sled, wrecks it, and breaks her leg. Thethe insensitive little girl and her furious cousin reach a moment of peaceful rapport on Christmas Eve, however, when both see the tiny mouse come in through an open window following a trail of crumbs. In a plausible but magical scene, the mouse cavorts in the tree taking joy in its well-fed freedom. This quiet story features well-realized child characters, sympathetic parents who stay mostly out of the picture, and a snowy but unspecific setting. Fifteen short chapters, plus Diamond's winsome illustrations, make this just right for before-Christmas reading aloud in families who need books with a wide age-range appeal.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 87 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books; 1st edition (September 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060243570
• ISBN-13: 978-0060243579
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,545,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shirley Rousseau Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. She attended the San Francisco Art institute. Shortly after graduation, she married and worked as an interior designer while her husband attended USC. "When Pat finished school, I promptly quit my job and began to exhibit paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows," Murphy explains. Her work could be seen in many traveling shows in the western States and Mexico. She continues, "But when we moved to Panama for a four-year tour, in Pat's position with the U.S. Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write."

She has published sixteen children's books, a young adult fantasy quintet, the Dragonbards fantasy trilogy, and The Catswold Portal. "It was while working on this adult fantasy that I knew I wanted to explore further the fascinating world of sentient cats. I began to see the gray tomcat, whom I knew well in real life, as a feline detective with a brash attitude--and the die was cast. I launched into the Joe Grey mystery series. I like discovering anew with each book how the three cats interact with their close-knit world of human friends--Joe Grey in-your-face abrasive, Dulcie of a gentler nature, and Kit wildly imaginative."