Bless This Mouse
I picked up Bless This Mouse because a) what could be cuter than mice? and b) the author, Lois Lowry, is a two-time Newbery Medalist. It opens with a diagram of a church, as the book features church mice (as opposed to field mice), so if you get terms like "apse" and "narthex" confused, don't worry! Although not designated as Catholic, I believe that the church is, indeed, Catholic, as it features Father Murphy at Saint Bartholomew's (although I guess it could be Episcopalian). Again, don't be put off by terms like "surplices": if you're not familiar, you'll be educated (this is a kids' book, after all).
Although the book is most definitely children's literature, there's enough to keep an adult interested and amused. In fact, the first chapter, "A Bad Time for Babies!," made me wonder if the author was going to make the book too mature for kids. Lowry was able to tackle some pretty difficult issues--death, reproduction, religion--without being belilttling or heavy-handed.
Some of the plot revolves around two critical events for the mice: the Blessing of the Animals ceremony (which, if it rains, would mean CATS in the church!) and the Great X (some of the church ladies spot the mice, which means the exterminator must be called).
The illustrations, by Eric Rohmann (a Caldecott Medalist), add to the story, but the story itself has enough humor and character to stand by itself, if being read aloud (which I did to the kids; we shared the pictures periodically).
I'll quote one of my favorite passages here, as it shows the humor and, as anyone who's been around horses can attest, accuracy with which the animals are depicted:
"Last year a young girl had brought her horse, its bridle entwined with fall asters and ribbons. Walking beside its owner, the horse suddenly paused and peed what seemed to be gallons onto a groundcover of periwinkle. Everyone in the procession waited politely, because there is no way to interrupt a horse mid-pee. The priest, Father Murphy, a passionate gardener, closed his eyes during the wait, and many people suspected he was praying for the survival of his periwinkle."
By the end of the book you'll miss seeing Hildegarde, Roderick, Harvey (the irritating youngster) and Ignatious (the old mouse who used to live in a university library). I hope there's another book with these characters in store, because, as one of the kids said at the end, "You mean that's the end?!"
Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry, illustrations by Eric Rohmann, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011, 152 pages.