Flora was born on the first day of term in the new school year, which might be why she's a very special mouse indeed - a mouse who has taught herself to read!
Formerly a farmer and a teacher, Dick King-Smith was best-known for his third career as a writer. His phenomenally successful children's stories are marked by endearing humour and characters of unique depth and life. THE SHEEP-PIG won The Guardian Award and was transformed into the blockbusting film, BABE, which added hugely to his profile. Dick lived in Keynsham, near Bristol. He died in 2011 at the age of 84.
K-Gr 4‘Charming and satisfying, this story should appeal to many small folks moving from easy readers to chapter books. From a rumpled, rather inept father mouse and a very sharp mother mouse whose efficiency is a bit abrasive to our heroine Flora, each tiny character is engaging. Flora decides early in life to take advantage of her environment. From a safe hiding spot in her first-grade classroom home, she learns to read along with the children. When her siblings go off to make their way in the world, she continues her education. Her acquired skills allow her to warn her family when poison is placed in the school after a careless brother leaves mouse droppings on the head mistress's class register. She meets a handsome white mouse, survives a suitable number of harrowing experiences, and saves her family yet again after they move to an unsafe haystack. Fisher's black-and-white sketches aptly capture the characters' essential mouseness while illuminating their slightly anthropomorphic individuality. King-Smith's many fans, and those brought to the shelves by the movie Babe, won't be disappointed by this well-crafted tale.‘Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma City
Of all the mice occupying the schoolhouse, only young Flora is interested in eavesdropping on the lessons taught to human children. Little by little, she begins to make sense out of the black scrawls in books. Realizing the benefits of education (which includes recognizing the word ``poison'' on a bag of pellets), Flora refuses to leave her place of study when her family decides to migrate to the field. Flora is lonely until a handsome white mouse named Buck enters the scene. But before long her family returns, in need of Flora's teaching. Both eager and reluctant readers will relish Flora's quest to become educated as well as her amusing exchanges with her scruffy, tailless father, Ragged Robin; her no-nonsense mother, Hyacinth; and fastidious, nearsighted Buck, all of whose traits are hilariously embellished in Fisher's imaginative illustrations. As always, King-Smith's lovable animal characters reveal truths about human nature. His rendition of Flora as a misunderstood scholar is as charming as his portrayal of Babe the gallant pig. Ages 7-10. (Oct.)
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
