Synopses & Reviews
Rife with humor and personality, this very young middle grade novel has a classic old-fashioned feel and a package equipped with the makings of a modern classic. In Bless This Mouse, a very resilient and quirky colony of church mice fear yet another Great X (more than they fear cats!), but under Mouse Matriarch Hildegardes leadership, they band together and save themselves from impending doomeven if its just by the skin of their tails! Lois Lowry is no stranger to delighting middle grade audiences. Lowrys acclaimed Gooney Bird series was championed by School Library Journal as "[a] fine selection for beginning chapter book readers and as a read-aloud." Lemony Snicket gave The Willoughbys a starred review in Publishers Weekly, while Kirkus called it a "sparklingly smart satire." More recently published on our Spring 2010 list is Lowrys Birthday Ball with "wonderfully swirly, evocative, energetic character sketches by the fabulous Feiffer" (SLJ) which Booklist hailed "an original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist" in its starred review.
Review
Gooney Bird Greene knows exactly where she likes to be: and#147;right smack in the middle of everything.and#8221; Sure enough, her colorful fashion sense, exuberant personality, and and#147;absolutely trueand#8221; stories land her at the center of attention most of the time, but as Mrs. Pidgeonand#8217;s second grade class prepares for their Thanksgiving pageant, the lead role of Squanto is still up for grabs. And so is the role of Room Mother, but with each of the childrenand#8217;s parents already overloaded, there are no volunteers to bring cupcakes to their play. So Gooney Bird promises to find oneand#151;in exchange for the lead. Thereand#8217;s just one catch: the person she convinces to be Room Mother insists on remaining incognito. As the class struggles to decorate the mural, make costumes, and learn their songs for the play, the suspense builds: will the pageant be a success? And who is their mysterious Room Mother?
Two-time Newbery Awardand#150;winning author Lois Lowry has once again captured the eager energy of an elementary school classroom and the hilarious antics and anecdotes of its students, especially those of the irrepressible Gooney Bird Greene herself. In her second literary appearance, Gooney Bird is back with more and#147;absolutely trueand#8221; stories to tell, more tips for her fellow aspiring storytellers, and a few challenging vocabulary words to share, too."Larger than life and with a heart as big as her personality, Gooney Bird Greene will elicit gales of laughter, along with sighs of appreciation, from Suzy Kline and Junie B. Jones fansand#151;as well as their parentsand#151;in this second winning, tongue-in-cheek outing." and#151;Kirkus Reviews, starred Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"This is a fast-paced read, with Thomasand#8217;s black-and-white drawings highlighting key moments. This sequel stands on its own, but readers may want to go back and learn how unique Gooney Bird Greene became a part of this classroom." School Library Journal
"The lively hero of the chapter book Gooney Bird Greene (2002) is back in her idyllic second-grade classroom, as the children get ready to celebrate a pageant of the First Thanksgiving." --Booklist Booklist, ALA
Review
"The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot."--The Bulletin, starred review
Review
From the moment Gooney Bird Greene arrives at Watertower Elementary School, her fellow second-graders are intrigued by her unique sense of style and her unusual lunches. So when story time arrives, the choice is unanimous: they want to hear about Gooney Bird Greene. And that suits her just fine, because, as it turns out, Gooney Bird has quite a few interesting and and#147;absolutely trueand#8221; stories to tell.
Through Gooney Bird and her tales, acclaimed author Lois Lowry introduces young readers to the concepts and elements of storytelling. By demonstrating some of the simple techniques that reveal the extraordinary in everyday events, this book will encourage the storyteller in everyone."Writing for a younger audience than usual, Lowry displays a keen understanding of how second-grade classrooms operate." Horn Book
"Lowryand#8217;s masterful writing style reaches directly into her audience, managing both to appeal to young listeners and to engage readers." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Veteran author Lowry produces a laugh-out-loud chapter book." Booklist, ALA
"and#133;irrepressible Gooney Bird is that rare bird in childrenand#8217;s fiction: one that instantly becomes an amusing and popular favorite." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable--impossible to put down; difficult to forget." Horn Book
"The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable -- impossible to put down; difficult to forget." Horn Book Guide
Review
"Larger than life and with a heart as big as her personality, Gooney Bird Greene will elicit gales of laughter, along with sighs of appreciation, from Suzy Kline and Junie B. Jones fansas well as their parentsin this second winning, tongue-in-cheek outing." Kirkus Reviews, starred Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"This is a fast-paced read, with Thomass black-and-white drawings highlighting key moments. This sequel stands on its own, but readers may want to go back and learn how unique Gooney Bird Greene became a part of this classroom." School Library Journal
"The lively hero of the chapter book Gooney Bird Greene (2002) is back in her idyllic second-grade classroom, as the children get ready to celebrate a pageant of the First Thanksgiving." --Booklist Booklist, ALA
Review
Award-winning author Lois Lowry will deliver 2011 The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture
The Giver
1994 Newbery Medal Book
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults and ALA Notable Children's Book
"A powerful and provacative novel.”The New York Times
"Wrought with admirable skill -- the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel." Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
Number the Stars
1990 Newbery Medal Book
“A story of Denmark and the Danish people, whose Resistance was so effective in saving their Jews.”School Library Journal, starred
The Birthday Ball
"An original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist." –Booklist, starred review
"Guaranteed to generate giggles and guffaws" –Kirkus
" . . . Feiffer's wiry ink illustrations paint the characters in offhand caricatures, adding to the merriment." –PW
The Willoughbys (Pub Date: 3/31/2008; Lifetime Sales: 83,860)
BESTSELLER LISTS
#9 The New York Times Children's Chapter Book List (8/03)
#5 The New York Times Children's Chapter Book List (7/27)
#13 Book Sense
The Heartland Indie Bestseller List, #14, Week ending July 17, 2008
"Lois Lowry...casts her noble and enviable shadow wide across the landscape of children's literature...here turns her quick, sly gaze to parody."Publishers Weekly, starred review by Lemony Snicket
"[S]parkingly smart satire."Kirkus, starred review
"The tone of this darkly dry pastiche is consistently witty, and it's chock-full of accessible parodic references to...classic children's texts...Lowry crafts a tidy plot." The Bulletin, starred review
"Great fun . . .sly humor and a certain deadpan zaniness give literary conventions an ironic twist, with hilarious results."--Booklist, starred review
Gooney the Fabulous "[Gooney Bird's] eccentric outfits and words of wisdom are peppered throughout to keep the story moving along while Thomas's characteristic black-and-white illustrations provide nice visuals. Full of new vocabulary words and information about fables . . . A must for Gooney Bird fans." --School Library Journal
Review
[Gooney's] eccentric outfits and words of wisdom are peppered throughout to keep the story moving along while Thomas's characteristic black-and-white illustrations provide nice visuals. Full of new vocabulary words and information about fables . . . a must for Gooney Bird fans.
School Library Journal
Lowry nicely individualizes her characters and gets readers interested in their problems.
Booklist, ALA
If Aesop met Gooney Bird Greene, what would result? Fabulous fables, of course. . . . Gooney's outlandish outfits, take-charge (even bossy) attitude and boisterous spirit continue to be humorously likable--and fabulous. No doubt there'll be a fourth; meanwhile, this one offers a clever writing exercise for a class.
Kirkus Reviews
"The irrepressible Gooney Bird Green returns to entertain youngsters." Dallas Morning News 7/1/07 Dallas Morning News
Review
"This gently Christian piece with Rohmannand#8217;s earnest pencil illustrations will please talking-animal fans."and#8212;Kirkus
"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 mouse's point-of-view. Fun and lighthearted."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"Lowry gilds her story with quaint details, extended in Rohmannand#8217;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."and#8212;Booklist
Review
"Lowry, who has often turned to new genres and made them her own, now freely adopts certain conventions of the romantic fairy tale to create a fresh story buoyed by wry wit and occasional schoolyard humor. The many idiosyncratic characters are drawn with swift, sure strokes in both the writing and in Feiffer's inimitable ink drawings, notable for their economy and assurance of line as well as their pitch-perfect expression of personality, attitude, and emotion. An original fairy tale with a decidedly comical twist."and#160; and#8212;
Booklist, starred review
"Lowry uses her knack for cleverly turning familiar stories on their heads (last seen in The Willoughbys) in this tale about a princess who's utterly bored with privileged palace life...Throughout, Feiffer's wiry ink illustrations paint the characters in offhand caricatures, adding to the merriment. Employing elements from the "Prince and the Pauper" as well as ample doses of humor and slapstick, Lowry sets the stage for a rowdy denouement."and#160; and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"This is a captivating but gentle fairy tale with memorable characters and wonderfully swirly, evocative, energetic character sketches by the fabulous Feiffer."and#160; and#8212;School Library Journal
"In her clever fairy-tale reconstruction, Lowry transforms the traditional princess into a refreshingly egalitarian heroine with a mind of her own. The hilarious, original and truly loathsome suitors are aptly memorialized in Feifferand#8217;s spritely black-and-white caricature illustrations. Guaranteed to generate giggles and guffaws."and#160; and#8212;Kirkusand#160;Reviews
"A lighthearted concoction overflowing with wordplay and alliteration. . . . [Readers] will laugh themselves silly."and#160; and#8212;New York Times Book Review
"Lowry draws on wicked humor, sly wordplay and stock characters to propel this pleasantly predictable romp . . .[she] again proves her range."and#160; and#8212;San Francisco Chronicle
"Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry and acclaimed illustrator Jules Feiffer throw one not-to-be-missed party with The Birthday Ball."and#160; and#8212;Family Fun Magazine
"Feiffer's frenetic lines and distinctive caricatures maintain the offbeat tone while adding a charming quirkiness in their own right. Youngsters who like thier fair share of mischief will get a kick out of this fractured fairy tale either on their own or as a readaloud."and#160; and#8212;The Bulletin
"Happiness radiates out from the Birthday Ball, zings down to the village and up again. A great story when read aloud."and#160; and#8212;Chicago Tribune
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.
Synopsis
Mrs. Pidgeon has been reading Aesopand#8217;s fables to her second grade class. Whatand#8217;s a fable? Well, itand#8217;s a story that has animals as characters, and it teaches you something important, and . . . Once again it is Gooney Bird Greene who knows how to turn lessons into fun. She has an idea. A fabulous idea! What if each child creates his or her own fable, and tells it to the class? One by one Mrs. Pidgeonand#8217;s students create costumes and stories and morals and excitement. Everyone except Nicholas. What on earth is making Nicholas so unhappy? Leave it to Gooney Bird, of course, to help him solve his problem . . . in a truly fabulous way.
Synopsis
Abandoned by their ill-humored parents to the care of an odious nanny, Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane, attempt to fulfill their roles as good oldfashioned children. Following the models set in lauded tales from A Christmas Carol to Mary Poppins, the four Willoughbys hope to attain their proscribed happy ending too, or at least a satisfyingly maudlin one. However, it is an unquestionably ruthless act that sets in motion the transformations that lead to their salvation and to happy endings for not only the four children, but their nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate, and his long-lost son too. Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious and decidedly old-fashioned parody pays playful homage to classic works of childrenand#8217;s literature.
Synopsis
This Newbery Medal Book describes how a ten-year-old Danish girl's bravery is tested when her best friend is threatened by Nazis in 1943.
Synopsis
The fourth hilarious title in Lowis Lowry's popular Gooney Birdseries!
Its a cold January at the Watertower Elementary School--the perfect weather for Gooney Bird Greene to break out her special brain-warming hat! It's a good thing she has one. Gooney Bird's brain will need to be as warm as possible this month, because Mrs. Pidgeon is teaching her class about poetry. Who knew there could be so many different ways to write a poem? Haikus, couplets, limericksMrs. Pidgeons students soon find that writing good poetry takes a lot of hard work and creative thinking. Gooney Bird and her classmates are up to the challenge. But just when things are going well, the kids get some terrible news. Gooney Bird will need all the inspiration her brain can muster to organize the most important poem the class has ever written.
Synopsis
A resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under Mouse Mistress Hildegardeand#8217;s leadership, they save themselves from one danger after anotherand#8212;sometimes just 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? Rife with humor and personality, this young middle-grade novel has an old-fashioned feel with the makings of a modern classic.
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
Princess Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her sixteenth birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she escapes her fateand#151;for a week. Disguised as a peasant, she attends the village school as the smart new girl, and#147;Pat,and#8221; and attracts friends and the attention of the handsome schoolmaster. Disgusting suitors, lovable peasants, and the clueless king and queen collide at the ball, where Princess Patricia Priscilla calls the shots. What began as a cure for boredom becomes a chance for Princess Patricia Priscilla to break the rules and marry the man she loves.
About the Author
Mrs. Pidgeon has been reading Aesopand#8217;s fables to her second grade class. Whatand#8217;s a fable? Well, itand#8217;s a story that has animals as characters, and it teaches you something important, and . . . Once again it is Gooney Bird Greene who knows how to turn lessons into fun. She has an idea. A fabulous idea! What if each child creates his or her own fable, and tells it to the class? One by one Mrs. Pidgeonand#8217;s students create costumes and stories and morals and excitement. Everyone except Nicholas. What on earth is making Nicholas so unhappy? Leave it to Gooney Bird, of course, to help him solve his problem . . . in a truly fabulous way.[Gooney's] eccentric outfits and words of wisdom are peppered throughout to keep the story moving along while Thomas's characteristic black-and-white illustrations provide nice visuals. Full of new vocabulary words and information about fables . . . a must for Gooney Bird fans.
School Library Journal
Lowry nicely individualizes her characters and gets readers interested in their problems.
Booklist, ALA
If Aesop met Gooney Bird Greene, what would result? Fabulous fables, of course. . . . Gooney's outlandish outfits, take-charge (even bossy) attitude and boisterous spirit continue to be humorously likable--and fabulous. No doubt there'll be a fourth; meanwhile, this one offers a clever writing exercise for a class.
Kirkus Reviews
"The irrepressible Gooney Bird Green returns to entertain youngsters." Dallas Morning News 7/1/07 Dallas Morning NewsLois Lowry is known for her versatility and invention as a writer. She was born in Hawaii and grew up in New York, Pennsylvania, and Japan. After several years at Brown University, she turned to her family and to writing. She is the author of more than thirty books for young adults, including the popular Anastasia Krupnik series. She has received countless honors, among them the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the California Young Readerand#8217;s Medal, and the Mark Twain Award. She received Newbery Medals for two of her novels, NUMBER THE STARS and THE GIVER. Her first novel, A SUMMER TO DIE, was awarded the International Reading Associationand#8217;s Childrenand#8217;s Book Award. Ms. Lowry now divides her time between Cambridge and an 1840s farmhouse in Maine. To learn more about Lois Lowry, see her website at www.loislowry.com
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Bad Time for Babies! 1
Praying for Protection 10
Hildegarde Holds a Meeting 21
Hiding from Father Murphy 32
A Nighttime Raid 45
The Great X 60
Yikes! Outdoors! 71
Ignatious Explains the Horrors 83
Brave Volunteers Needed! 94
One Mouse is Missing! 106
Poor Lucretia! 120
The Blessing of the Animals 137