Customer Reviews

Mr. Maxwell's Mouse

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In early 20th century England, tradition, formality, and imperialism are still prized possessions of the British Empire. And so it is with Mr. Maxwell. Every day, at precisely 12:45 pm, he walks amongst the other cats to the dignified "Paw and Claw" dining establishment for his midday lunch of baked mouse. He is a somewhat stuffy cat, full of secret ambition, and both pride and power burst through his 3-piece herringbone suit. Today, he is particularly proud because of his promotion to Vice Manager of Efficiency Control, and it is partly for this reason that he decides to order a fresh mouse and to kill it himself.

The live mouse, served on a single slice of rye bread with a garnish of parsley, arrives relaxed and talkative. When the mouse sneezes due to the salt and pepper showering him, Mr. Maxwell says "Gesundheit," and the mouse thanks him. "Mr. Maxwell appreciated the compliment, but said nothing more. His mother had always advised him not to fraternize with the food."

Mr. Maxwell is up against a formidable mouse, however, who elicits his pity and admiration, even as the cat's fork holds him down and his knife is perilously close to cutting. The mouse assures him that he doesn't want to escape, but his 5-hankie prayer, his advice on which wine would go best with mouse, and his empathy for Maxwell's difficulty in going for the kill earn the cat's trust. This is the cat's eventual undoing, as the mouse tricks him, frees the other mice, and sends Maxwell to the hospital with a bloody tail.

Asch sets a Gothic tone early, with the cold green décor and the grayish-green pallor of the cats and the dark greys of the formal club. The computer-generated graphics also lend a cold, odd cast to the illustrations. On one gruesome page, Asch depicts the mouse almost facing us, with a fork and knife millimeters away from their fatal work. While the ending is wild and liberating, we see some blood (his own) flowing down Maxwell's tail as he lets out a painful scream. This quirky book, full of gloomy, threatening imagery, expressionist close-ups and long shots, the specter of mousicide, and class (or, at least, inter-species) warfare (complete with sharp knife and let blood) is for older elementary school children and up. While creative, I found the book more interesting than entertaining.

Mr. Maxwell is a sophisticated, debonair Edwardian businesscat, who goes to his favorite restaurant the Paw and Claw to celebrate his promotion to Vice Manager of Efficiency Control. Instead of ordering his usual baked mouse, he orders raw mouse for his entrèe. The Paw and Claw prides itself on polite and plump mice, but the one served to Mr. Maxwell just can't keep quiet. Would Mr. Maxwell like to add a little salt? Would he like to say a prayer before eating? Would he like a fine glass of wine?

Devin Asch, son of the author, illustrates this macabre, dark comedy with artwork created in Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. The glossy illustrations alternate between detailed scenes of the restaurant and close-ups of Mr. Maxwell and the mouse. The facial expressions and body language add to the tongue-and-cheek quality of the text. White text against black panels fit the sophisticated tone of the story.

Children found the illustrations to be "elegant" and "distinguished" and appreciated the details, such as the cats' clothing. While sixth graders said that the story might be scary for young children, they found it to be entertaining and funny. A ten-year-old girl laughed at the idea of an animal talking to its food and "beamed from ear to ear" as the book was read. A nine-year-old burst boy out laughing when the mouse maneuvered Mr. Maxwell's tail on to his plate. He also compared the story to "Tom and Jerry" cartoons.

I read this book today to a 4th grade class and was thoroughly entertained, as were the children who "got" the tongue in cheek humor more than some adults who also rated this story. If I'm going to read children's books, I want laugh out loud humor. This book did not disappoint. Cleverly written and beautifully illustrated, the book's lesson is that manners and communication will solve problems. The underdog wins, but is still humble in his triumph. Entertaining morality-it's an unbeatable combination.

What a great book! How Frank and Devin Asch ever thought it up is beyond me. Although it is a cat and a mouse, the "cat" is a middle aged accountant, fussy and prim, celebrating a promotion at work with a special lunch. As his lunch stalls for time, he gets so nervous he guzzles his wine. Not what I'd consider prime kid fare. But it works.

Kids love to see an adult at the mercy of a child--which is how they see it when the mouse torments the cat into letting him go. Yet this is not a mean-spirited book. Both the cat and the mouse are treated with dignity and sympathy even though the story is funny.

The beautiful, almost black-and-white illustrations add to the gravity of this updated trickster tale.

Bought this book today and love it! It's very clever, wordy and fun. I'd suggest it for ages 8 and up. The humour is a bit sophisticated and dark. The illustrations are very detailed and adorable. A very enjoyable read.

Turning the pages with my 2 year old son, we were enjoying the story and illustrations until we found a fork appearing to be piercing the live mouse. My son immediately asked for the book to be done. I guess I'd better start censoring the books I read him! I was really disappointed. I later showed my husband (this is Mark's wife), and he was sickened by the pitifulness as well; it appears to be a pretty nasty scene.

This is a hilarious take on the predator-prey relationship. It's the old joke from "the Restaurant at the End of the Universe" -- discussing cuts of meat with the actual cow being led to the slaughter. This book is a riot -- my boys love it.

I found this book first at the library and loved it. the illustrations are first rate and the text is hilarious. The tom and jerry style finally is a pleasant surprise. one of my favorite books

Intriguing yet unsettling, with great pictures. I'm very thankful that my food can't talk. The more mature vocabulary and workplace description is refreshing in a children's book. Mr. Maxwell's celebration of his promotion by eating a live mouse is entertaining. I can't help but feel bad for the cat. It's suited for children who are older and able to tolerate a little bit of gore. It may sway kids to become vegetarians...

Fantastic book. Marvelous art work in the illustrations. Product was in very good condition.