The Mouse and His Child

The Mouse and His Child is the most beautiful book ever written for children and for those who remember having been a child. It is a crime that it is out of print and the reprint should use his wife's illustrations because they are perfect. It is a book about hope and forgiveness that is a treasure to read together with your children. When we finished the book, my daughter with tears in her eyes asked me to read the last chapter again and with tears in my eyes I did. "Be Happy".

It is almost a crime that it is no longer available. I read this book when I was a child and very soon afterwards, the movie was made. It was an inspiration. The characters grew. They changed. They explored and discovered. They were toys in a vast universe beyond their comprehension and I felt there were layers of meaning to be uncovered. I no longer have this book. I gave it to a nephew who at the time did not enjoy reading. Now he is going to college to become an English major. He has since passed the book on to another child.In my own search to become self winding, the simple reminders from this book still occasionally wisp through my memories and alight my face with joy.

i saw this movie as a child and have been thinking about it scince. the beutiful story of the father mouse and his son is extreamly memorable. one particular phrase stayed with me,whats beyond the last visible dog. i wish that i could once again experiance this masterpiece.

Russell Hoban has been cranking out some of the best literature for all age groups over the last 30 years, and yet during that time he has failed to acquire any recognition here in the states. Most of his books are continuously out of print despite their critical acclaim. The very first of these was The Mouse and his Child, and it lays the ground work for a lot of his other books. His masterpiece, Riddley Walker, is in many ways a creative rehash of many of the themes he presents here, some 15 years earlier. But Hoban should also be acknowledged here for being one of only a handful of authors who really expects something from his readers, and this is especially rare in children literature. Although it is easy to assume the Mouse and his Child is not really a childrens' story at all, this is only due to our low expectations. Hoban manages to address questions loaded with symbolism and philosophical implications. There is far too much going on in this book to list it all. As noted in other reviews, it is in places very dark and depressing, but also funny and deeply rewarding. Probably one of the best books for children written in this half of the century and criminally out of print (but what by Hoban is not except for the Francis books?) Also, find the movie if you can, as it actually holds true to the book marvelously.

When our daughter was only 5, a college professor friend strongly recommended this book. Now that we've just re-read it after 16 years, I'm shocked that our daughter enjoyed it so much. It's intensely funny, heart-warming, and almost recklessly violent. In the space of two pages, a couple of weasels manage to wipe out a whole army of little furry critters, then get eaten themselves by an owl. It has the violence of a Roald Dahl book, but with no relishing of the violence--Hoban is more realistic. It's the story of a mechanical wind-up mouse and his child, bound together so that they always face each other, as they become fugitives and face terrors, courage, and redemption. There's death, treachery, and even a most touching about-face from a wicked character any other author would consign to permanent villainhood. Although sometimes billed as a children's book because it deals with toys and animals, it takes an adult--especially someone well-read in philosophy and literature--to fully appreciate this highly unsual book. Don't miss it!