Kepler's 2020 Project in the News:
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Lucy and Arthur Mildew live at Rose Cottage with their Dad, a distractible widower and absent-minded inventor, who is doing his best to raise the children on his own. He is not very good at it, and the children are at times "a bit neglected."
To the rescue come Mr. and Mrs. Nutmouse who live in a very grand house hidden inside a cupboard at Rose Cottage. The sweet, childless mouse couple decides that they shall look after Lucy and Arthur properly. While the children sleep, the mice repair the heater, fix cracks in the walls, mend clothes, glasses and toys, and best of all, they leave lovely, delicate presents. The children believe they have been adopted by a generous "fairy of sorts". But this extraordinary domestic bliss is disturbed by a visit from a mice-detesting murderous relative, and by the escapades of an overzealous mouse general involving a reflective mouse army, pirates, ballerinas, and pogo sticks!
These are old-fashioned stories for those who enjoy description, adventure, and a sustained tale. Young readers can tackle this book one chapter at a time, but honestly I loved it as a compelling read aloud -- suspenseful but not scary. I must also confess that as we finished chapters, Tess colored in the whimsical engravings on this hefty tome with her colored pencils. I know I leave some of you aghast, but now it is double fun for her to read the now familiar story again on her own and enjoy the places where she helped the illustrator.
Reviewed by Vivian |
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