The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
by Richard Peck, published 2013
“Every time a human walks out of a room, something with more feet walks in. Mice, of course, who are only a whisker away. It’s true of the room where you are sitting. It’s truer still of Buckingham Palace.”
This lovely tongue-in-cheek children’s book will definitely bring smiles to readers, especially those who can grasp some of the satire. The plot is quite enjoyable – the world of Buckingham Palace is duplicated completely in a parallel world of mice. In particular, one mouse has some extraordinary adventures, leading to a somewhat surprising (it took me a few chapters to catch on) rags to riches story. Or should we say, poor as a church mouse to a mouse fit to be king… I won’t give it away.
The overarching theme is about destiny, but it’s not done in a very moralistic or heavy way. Mostly this children’s book is about fun, enjoying the adventures for what they are. The mouse characters are well described, and we always hope our little mouse with no name gets to where he needs to be.
I think it could hold the attention of a child up to 10 years old, and could be enjoyed by younger readers, assuming they have the reading skills. Probably best group is 8 to 10.
Other Books by Richard Peck:
