From Publishers Weekly
In a derelict city inhabited by animals, homeless young rat Slim befriends privileged mouse Jim in this uplifting tale of an unlikely pair. They meet when a pirate-like cat bullies Slim into burglarizing an apartment. Jim interrupts the robbery, and Slim saves Jim's life. Afterward, these rodents from opposite sides of the tracks discover a shared passion for yo-yo tricks, like a triple around-the-world super-loop combo... a crazy cradle, a barrel roll, and a flying saucer. Slim moves into Jim's family's home, despite interspecies mistrust and the tomcat's attempt to lure Slim back into the underworld. By this account of social difference, Slim's always a suspect and Jim's always a peach, although readers are assured otherwise (Now you and I know that Jim was right and Slim intended to go back home, rather than steal from Jim's family). Egielski (Three Magic Balls) fashions an eerily magnetic world, a cross between Dickens's down-and-out London, the melting-pot-era Lower East Side and a contemporary dystopia. A palette of antique honey-browns and warm charcoal-grays creates a nostalgic atmosphere, yet the pictured frogs, pigeons and other creatures drive small cars. Indecipherable shop signs, lettered in a swirling script, suggest an alien language, but a flashy yo-yo plays the Beatles' Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. With its oddball characters and anachronistic allusions to pop culture, Egielski's weird yet welcoming animal realm recalls those created by Art Spiegelman and Tim Egan. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Slim the rat and Jim the mouse become friends when Slim saves Jim after the two are chased by Buster, a mean, one-eyed, thieving cat. With clever text and delightful dialogue, this story of yo-yo wielding rodents and a Faganesque feline is pure Egielski: funny, poignant, and told with a wink. When Jim brings Slim to live in his home, allowing him to escape the life of crime that Buster is trying to force him into, the two form a deep and abiding bond. Their escapades continue when Slim disappears (once again caught by the evil cat) and this time Jim saves him by using his impressive yo-yo skills. After a stint in jail, Buster moves to France and the mouse and rat travel around the world with their yo-yo show, remaining "the very best of friends." The full-page, framed illustrations are rendered in Egielski's unique style with lots of browns, tans, and reds and are a perfect accompaniment to the story. This charming tale about an irresistible duo will be a favorite.
Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NYCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
