Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD [Hardcover]

John Lithgow (Author), Igor Oleynikov (Illustrator)

Book Description

Mahalia Mouse and her family live underneath Dunster House, an old Harvard dormitory. Foraging for food for her younger brothers and sisters, Mahalia gets trapped in a backpack and then finds herself inside a classroom far from home. Mahalia, intrigued by the lecture, starts attending classes and soon becomes a full-time student -- all the while wondering about the fate of her family. But when graduation day finally arrives, Mahalia has a wonderful surprise waiting for her.

Written as part of his keynote address at Harvard's commencement, this latest book from John Lithgow (class of '67) incorporates his trademark witty rhymes and includes a CD of him reading the text at the commencement. Mahalia's story has an inspiring message for graduates or anyone whose success is worthy of celebration.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up–This sophisticated story is part of Lithgow's commencement speech to Harvard's class of 2005. Rhyming verses introduce Mahalia, a mouse who leaves her impoverished family behind to search for food. She finds herself interested in a science course after accidentally ending up in a Harvard classroom in a student's backpack. Her diligence and intelligence win the professor's support, and she goes on to complete four years of study. She graduates, thus ending this story of stout self-reliance;/An epic account on a miniature scale/Of a mouse who set forth on life's bumpy trail/And succeeded by simply refusing to fail. Children can appreciate the tiny protagonist's persistence, but some concepts like professors, lab fees, and lectures will need to be explained. The art is rendered in gouache then digitally treated, resulting in a dark, at times somber, palette. The illustrations are exuberant whether depicting the joy on graduates' faces or their horror at spotting a mouse in their lecture hall. The accompanying CD is a live recording of the story from the commencement ceremony, and it is a joy to listen to Lithgow's musical cadence and hear the audience's reactions to this presentation.–Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

After young Mahalia Mouse, who lives under an old Harvard dormitory, is sent to search for food for her family, she finds herself trapped in a student's dark backpack. She escapes when he unzips his bag in a classroom, but she becomes entranced by the professor's lecture on atoms in space and stays to take notes. The students panic when they spot her, but the professor sees Mahalia's potential ("This mouse is a genius!"), and he makes her stay at school for four glorious years to get her degree. The original audience for this story was adults: it was part of comic actor Lithgow's keynote address at Harvard's 2005 commencement, and the picture book includes a CD of his reading. But children will enjoy the simple rhyming story about the self-reliant, small creature who makes it big, and the double-page, digitally enhanced gouache illustrations are beautiful, especially the image of the little mouse with her laptop, spellbound by the wild-haired teacher. Rochman, Hazel

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (March 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416927158
• ISBN-13: 978-1416927150
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Writing a children's book was not something that I pursued. It pursued me. It started when I was asked to write a narration for a symphony for kids. I realized that it had the text for a book. From that text "The Remarkable Farkle McBride" was born. And once the first book was successful, others followed.

My sixth (!) children's book, "Marsupial Sue Presents the Runaway Pancake," was just published this fall. This is a sequel to "Marsupial Sue," one of my most popular storybook characters.This story was inspired in part by two different things: The "Runaway Pancake" song is a guaranteed show stopper whenever I sing it in one of my Paloozicals Concert for Kids , and my performing on Broadway this year in "Dirty Rotton Scoundrels" made me think that Sue might like to put on a show of her own with all of her animal friends.

I credit my parents for fostering my love of literature and books. I have fond memories of my father reading chapters aloud from great thick books like "The Jungle Book" and "A Teller of Tales".

I have carried on my father's tradition by reading aloud to my own kids when they were little. I have also started a few traditions of my own, like singing to them and playing really mediocre guitar, building castles with them out of refrigerator boxes and treasure hunts across museums. Once I even created a very elaborate paper chase across the entire campus of UCLA for my daughter Phoebe's 16th Birthday. Some of these games were inspiration for all of the Lithgow Palooza books and books with kits that have been published by both Simon and Schuster and Running Press.

Although writing is an arduous process for me, there is nothing better than seeing a child falling in love with one of my stories.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for a graduate -- preschool through Ph.D., September 12, 2007

By 

Martha Freeman "Mom/Writer/Teacher" (state college, pa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD (Hardcover)

Today I found a rare thing -- a book that would be an excellent graduation gift whether the grad in question is departing preschool or university. It's "Mahalia Mouse Goes to College," by John Lithgow (Harvard Class of `67), illustrated by Igor Oleynikov.
When I taught juniors at Penn State this spring, I discovered they believe children do not like books that contain vocabulary beyond their ken. I argued that encountering new words might increase children's vocabulary and thus be a good thing, and they agreed but claimed that kids often don't like what's good for them. True enough, and if you share my students' conviction, then John Lithgow's books -- which include "The Remarkable Farkle McBride," and "Marsupial Sue" -- are not for you.
If, on the other hand, you think kids get a kick out of mastering words like wisteria (rhymes with cafeteria), allayed (rhymes with paid), and zoology (rhymes with psychology), then Lithgow's rollicking texts will appeal to you. In this case, it's not only the wordplay that is fun. Lithgow has written a parable about the ruthlessness involved in leaving home in order to achieve greater things.
Lithgow's opening lines, coupled with Oleynikov's grim, rain-soaked illustration, evoke an almost Dickensian mood. Or maybe they were shooting for Lemony Snicket? Anyway, the story begins:
"The skies of September were bursting with rain
Pelting the old dormitory
It filled every gutter and choked every drain
Chapter 1 of Mahalia's story."
As if the rain weren't bad enough, Mahalia's mother, consumed by sorrow, sends her daughter out foraging, warning that things are so dire "the babies may die." Dutifully, Mahalia departs, is attracted by the smell of cheese in a college student's backpack, finds herself zipped inside, and next thing you know is entranced by a lecture that "concerns the behavior of atoms in space/Their collisions and fissions, their motion and pace."
The dying babies are forgotten, and Mahalia enrolls in college where she excels not only academically but at extracurriculars like squash and, briefly, square dancing.
The story ends in a hail of confetti and sunshine on graduation day with Mahalia and her family reunited -- the babies, apparently, having survived. It's a great story with just the edge of poignance that accompanies one generation's outstripping its predecessor.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAHALIA MOUSE GOES TO COLLEGE, May 12, 2007

By 

Marlyn Dietrich (baltimore md) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD (Hardcover)

This is the cutest book to read to children of all ages. It is a great read for an adult. If you went to a college class you will certainly appreciate how this little mouse attends the college classes. It also comes with a CD.You will love this book. I highly recommed it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mahalia, May 12, 2007

By 

Grandma H. "Grandma" (Detroit) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD (Hardcover)

The story and illustrations in the book were outstanding. I gave it to my five year old granddaughter and she wanted it read to her over and over. I highly reccomend it.