MARY LIVED IN A BIG HOUSE with a very little mouse. The mouse lived in a little house inside of a very big house, with Mary. Even though Mary has been warned to stay away from mice — and Mouse has been warned to steer clear of people — the two can’t help but peek at one another. Side by side, they grow up, go to college, get married, and have children of their own — Maria and MouseMouse.
And then one day, Maria and MouseMouse do something surprising…something their parents never did. They actually come nose–to–nose and speak to one another!
Awards
Winner 2007 – Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice
Winner 2007 – New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Winner 2008 – Parents’ Choice Recommended
Starred Reviews
Publisher’s Weekly named Mary and the Mouse one of 10 Timeless Children’s books.
A little girl named Mary grows up in the same house in which a little mouse is also living. The two secretly become allies, and in adulthood, their daughters develop a similar kinship. The illustrations are excellent, and the tone is smart and sweet. Interestingly, Mary’s family is clearly affluent, yet, unlike in many children’s books (such as Imogen’s Antlers, which is also great) their affluence is treated matter-of-factly rather than mocked.
“Captivating illustrations…Cleverly designed, inventively enacted, and charming from fork to finish.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Beguiling comparison of human–and mouse–scale worlds…Donofrio and McClintock give exquisite attention to the girl’s and mouse’s parallel lives, emphasizing cross–generational connections and shared secrets.”
– Publishers Weekly
Reviews
“A contemporary picture–book classic.”
– Boston Sunday Globe