MR Twigg's Mistake (Paper (Ages 8-12)

I vividly recall being read this charming tale when I was in grade school, shown the pictures, and trying to guess what would follow. It has lived in my memory for almost 50 years now, and I jumped at a chance to buy a first printing, just like the one my older sister read to me. My children (9 & 11) loved trying to guess what would follow next as we have just read it together.) Don't be misled by the title, the story is really about the love and friendship of a pre-teen and his pet mole one summer in 1947... a period of time before television, when summers were for exploring, and scientific research was the pinticle of respectability in professions. (There is a subtext of teasing one's neighbor and stealing his produce, but that can be put in context and explained as part of this lively fantasy story.) Due to an oversight, one particular cerial box receives 1000% too much Vitamin X, that by chance is fed to this tiny mole, and the surprising growth that it inspires not only captives the reader, but enthralls the whole family. Each chapter features a new adventure, problem, trick or narrow escape, as the ever-growing mole "General de Gaule" diggs its way into our hearts. Other reviewers have correctly pointed out that the family is an upper-middle class white family with a black maid and a rural lifestyle. Note that the father's profession of magazine article author probably most accurately portray's the author's background and abilities... and his droll sense of humor and word play is one of the charms of this book. Certainly, the vocabulary used in this book will challenge any grade school reader, but the ocassionally large word, used to stretch a young person's command of the language, fits perfectly well. I have to aggree that some of the attitudes or language that come out of black maid "Pearlacy's" mouth is sadly reminiciant of a time when black was synonimous with "uneducated servant", but the love between the family members overshadows this memory of an earlier time in our culture. The engraving illustrations are top-notch, showing great expression and characterization in each face of the characters we meet, from neighbors to civic officials, policemen and relatives. These elaborately detailed drawings are part of the charm of the original publication and are not to be missed. One would think the Caldicott Awards had overlooked this gem, but Robert Lawson earned such an award for his other book, Rabbit Hill, which is also considered a classic of children's books. One side note. Though the engravings are frequent and a joy, I note that there are vitually NO images of the women in this story. Mrs. Appleton, Pearlacy, Mrs. Carstairs all are absent from the illustrations. I wonder if this is also a cultural oversight, or just an unnecessary worry from an overly critical parent. Still, this book has become a cherished part of our family collection and I hope that it is passed to my children's children as a legacy and bright spot

Mr. Twigg's Mistake is by Robert Lawson, the author of the Newbery award winning Rabbit Hill. This is a fantastic story, about a little boy in Connecticut who finds a tiny baby mole and feeds it from a box of breakfast cereal. This virtually non-nutritious cereal, hyped by its manufacturers in a most obnoxious manner, is described by Lawson in a way that will make even a jaded 21st Century consumer smile. Unbeknownst to everyone, the box of cereal fed to the mole is filled with pure Vitamin X. The Vitamin X should have been distributed in thousands of cereal boxes, but due to the mistake of Mr. Twigg, an employee at the cereal company, it all ends up in our hero's box.What happens to the little mole as he eats the cereal, day after day, is the heart of this delightful story. The artwork is as funny as this preposterous story. You'll enjoy it (although watch out for some of the dated nonsense that sometimes lurks when the black maid, Pearlacy, is present).I believe this book is out of print, but if you can find it, it's a great tall tale to read with your kids!