Time and the Clock Mice [Hardcover]

Peter Dickinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Discovering how little the old repair man knows about the Branton Town Hall Clock, a Wonder of the World, the wise Clock Mice offer their assistance for its sake and theirs, only to find their confidences betrayed by the man.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Evolution, the development and nature of language, and the concept of time are themes that have appeared again and again in Dickinson's ( Eva ; A Bone From a Dry Sea ) sophisticated YA novels and adult mysteries. Once again he tackles these topics, this time in an effervescently eccentric modern-day fairy tale aimed at a younger audience. Called in to repair the elaborate Branton Town Hall Clock which his grandfather built nearly a hundred years before, an elderly clockmaker discovers a colony of highly evolved, super-intelligent, telepathic mice residing in the clocktower. As his work progresses, the clockmaker strikes up a friendship with Tracy, "a really bright, adventurous mouse" who is fascinated by everything about clockwork. The story, including the mice's near-disastrous encounter with an ambitious scientist, is told in a series of "essays" on such subjects as clocks, mice, cats, science and people. In addition to offering an explanation of a pendulum clock's mechanisms that would be worthy of David Macaulay's The Way Things Work , the narrator introduces readers to a handful of his endearingly oddball cousins--including cat-worshiping Cousin Angel, blind Cousin Minnie (a fine baker and expert on bells) and that marmalade fan, Cousin Duncan. An essential part of the narrative, Chichester-Clark's exuberant, playful illustrations mirror the tale's whimsy without a trace of coyness. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-When the Branton Town Hall Clock grinds to a halt after 100 years of neglect, the clockmaker's grandson, an eccentric old man, is the only one who can fix it. He is captivated by the magnificent timepiece and by the extraordinary mice inhabiting it. Not only are they telepathic, but their very existence is integral to the workings of the clock. Just as the repair job draws to a close (speeded by cooperation from the rodents), he foolishly lets a pretty young woman in on the secret. Her fiance, a psychologist, wants the mice for research. Can the old man come up with a plan to save his friends? Briticisms enhance the modern English setting, where a cast of hilariously bizarre relatives and townspeople spice up the plot. The chatty, playful style makes the book a marked departure from Dickinson's previous novels. The narrator is so well characterized that readers are willing to make allowances for his rambling storytelling style. Even his technical digressions are spiked with anecdotal humor, though at times they threaten to muddle the many strands of the plot. Chichester-Clark's whimsical drawings are found on every page. Instead of chapters, the story is told through a series of "essays" on clocks, mice, people, etc. This book is for readers sophisticated enough to know that sometimes "etcetera" is the most important part.
Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; F edition (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385320388
• ISBN-13: 978-0385320382
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,474,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very thoughtful and entertaining, August 1, 2009

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Phoebe D. Baker - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Time and the Clock Mice (Hardcover)

This is a truly amazing book. The character's personalities really shine through. It's simple enough for a 10 year old to read, but it has character depth and far-reaching philosophical ideas that an adult would enjoy. It does not "talk down" to you. It is very much a modern fairy tale that you want to curl up and read every two or three years or so.