Synopses & Reviews
Deep inside the broom cupboard of Rose Cottage, two mice live in great style. Tumtum and Nutmeg lead cozy and quiet lives, secretly looking after Arthur and Lucy, the disheveled human children of the cottage, never dreaming that so many exciting adventures will soon find them. But when evil Aunt Ivy, a squeamish schoolteacher named Miss Short, and pirating pond rats threaten the safety of those they hold dear, the courageous pair will stop at nothing to save the day.
In three thrilling tales of daring and wit, Tumtum and Nutmeg-along with veteran hero General Marchmouse, Ms. Tiptoe's bouncing ballerina army, and a team of caged gerbils--prove that small-size mice can have world-size hearts.
Review
"A rip-roaring tale; even rodent haters will have to like Malcolm."and#8212;Kirkus
"Escapades, humor, and romance weave together in this madcap elementary school adventure . . . A first-rate debut."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"This creature-feature leavens spookiness with healthy doses of whimsy."and#8212;Booklist
"Malcolm is thoroughly likable . . . a good choice for younger students who are reading above grade level yet aren't quite ready for heavier emotional or thematic content."and#8212;School Library Journal
Review
andldquo;An impeccably constructed, good-humored adventure filled with master plans, near disasters, and brave rescues, all gently frightening for readers even younger than the target audience. Lowry creates a cozy church environment of lenient sextons, disheveled organists, and skittish Altar Guild ladies, from a mouseandrsquo;s point-of-view. Fun and lighthearted.andrdquo;andmdash;Publishers Weekly
andldquo;This gently Christian piece with Rohmannandrsquo;s earnest pencil illustrations will please talking-animal fans.andrdquo;andmdash;Kirkus Reviews
andquot;Likely to be enjoyed by future readers of Aviandrsquo;s andlsquo;Poppyandrsquo; sequence (HarperCollins).andrdquo;andmdash;School Library Journal
andldquo;Lowry gilds her story with quaint details, extended in Rohmannandrsquo;s charming spot and full-page illustrations, which reinforce the comedy and action and further develop the memorable characters. With touches of surprise and a satisfyingly predictable resolution, this is a strong choice for both classroom sharing and independent reading.andrdquo;andmdash;Booklist
andquot;A fine short novel for independent readers and a wonderful readaloud story for younger children. Lois Lowry again proves herself the go-to gal in childrenandrsquo;s lit.andrdquo;andmdash;Books for Kids blog
andldquo;Author Lois Lowry has been writing a variety of childrenandrsquo;s and teen books for decades and with this title continues to entertain with a thoughtful story about cooperation, kindness, and faith.andrdquo;andmdash;BSCKids.com
Synopsis
A hilarious and timeless tale about a village of church mice that fear another Great X and must fight under their valiant leader, Mouse Mistress Hildegarde, to save themselves!
Synopsis
andquot;Fun and lighthearted.andquot; andmdash;Publishers Weekly
andquot;With touches of surprise and a satisfyingly predictable resolution, this is a strong choice for both classroom sharing and independent reading.andquot; andmdash;Booklist
Under the Mouse Mistress Hildegardeandrsquo;s leadership, a resilient group of church mice save themselves from one danger after anotherandmdash;sometimes by the skin of their tails! Can one ultimate act of bravery during the feast day of St. Francis get Father Murphy to bless these mice and keep them safe forever?
Synopsis
A rat must solve the case of a missing iguana with the help of a secret society of classroom pets.and#160;Illustrated by New York Times best-seller Brian Lies!
Synopsis
When Malcolm the rat arrives as the pet at McKenna School, he revels in the attention. He also meets the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that keeps the nutters (kids) safe. Thereand#8217;s just one problem: Rats have a terrible reputation! So when the Academyand#8217;s iguana leader is kidnapped, Malcolm must prove his innocenceand#8212;and showand#160;that even rats can be good guys. Illustrated by Brian Lies of Bats at the Beach, this engaging middle grade novel will have readers rooting for Malcolm as they try to solve the mystery alongside him.
About the Author
andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;andnbsp;W.H. Beck isandnbsp;both an author of childrenand#39;s books and a librarian. Sheandnbsp;grew up in Wisconsin, the oldest of four. As a kid, her dad always teased thatandnbsp;she would be a librarian someday. She read all the timeandmdash;walking home from school, while brushing her teeth, under the table at dinnertime, and under the covers at night. And, sure enough, after earning an elementary teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin,andnbsp;she went on to get a masterandrsquo;s degree in information studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She still lives and reads in Wisconsin and shares a home and books withandnbsp;her husband, two sons, andandnbsp;a big black dog.
Malcolm at Midnight is her first novel.