My kids and I love to read and it’s always nice to find a good book that I can enjoy reading aloud with the kids just as much as they enjoy listening to it. I was thrilled to accept an advance copy of Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler to test out with my kids (I’ve got a perfect audience at home!). All thoughts about the book are my own.
Mouseheart is the first in a middle-grade fantasy series (perfect for grades 3-7) about an ordinary pet shop mouse named Hopper…. at least he’s ordinary until he escapes the pet shop and finds adventure in the “untamed” Brooklyn transit tunnels. I knew from the beginning that my 3rd-grader Redwall-fan son, AJ, would love the story – with epic battles, brave heroes and mysterious secrets.
Bravery isn't measured by size. It's measured by heart.
I love that Mouseheart is easy to read but is far from being too basic or boring for adults or older kids. I’ve found myself getting into the story just as much as the kids.
Another thing that I appreciate, as a mom who reads out loud to kids each night, is that the chapters are between 6 and 10 pages long, which makes for perfect read-aloud sessions.
Here’s a little bit about the story:
ABOUT MOUSEHEART:
Hopper is just an ordinary pet-shop mouse—until he escapes. Soon he finds himself below the bustling streets of Brooklyn, deep within the untamed tangles of transit tunnels, and in Atlantia, a glorious utopian rat civilization.
But all is not as it seems. Hopper misses Pinkie and Pup, the siblings he lost in the escape attempt. Atlantia is constantly threatened by roving rebels who wish to bring the city to its knees. And there are cats everywhere, cats who would normally eat a rodent in a second, but leave the rats unharmed . . . and no one can seem to answer why.
Soon Hopper is caught in the crosshairs of an epic battle, one that spans generations and species. As the clashes rage, Hopper learns terrible, extraordinary secrets. Deadly secrets about Atlantia. Painful secrets about his friends.
And one powerful secret about himself…
Parents, kids, and teachers: be sure to visit the official Mouseheart website for games, character profiles, activities, and curriculum guides.
I’m excited for the following books in the Mouseheart series! I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Fiedler is the author of several novels for children and young adults. She divides her time between Connecticut and the Rhode Island seashore, where she lives happily with her very patient husband, her brilliant and beloved daughter, and their two incredibly spoiled golden retrievers.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Vivienne To has illustrated several books, including The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins and the Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective series by Octavia Spencer. As a child, she had two pet mice escape. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and her ginger cat. Visit her at VivienneTo.com.
Connect with MOUSEHEART:
- Visit the official website
- Follow Simon Kids on Twitter (@SimonKids) and Facebook #Mouseheart
- Mouseheart is in stores and online NOW! (release date: May 20, 2014)
Enter the Mouseheart Giveaway!
Two (2) winners will each receive a custom Mouseheart t-shirt and a copy of the book! Simply enter on the Rafflecopter below by end of day June 3, 2014. After June 3, a winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Good luck!
© 2014, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
fairy tales
My daughter and I just finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and are on to Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. My son is reading Harriet the Spy. We read out loud at least one chapter a day.
I have toddler grandchildren to read to now, but when my kids were little, I used to read lots of different kinds of books to them every night. We used to read from 45 minutes to 2 hours every night. No time for t.v. haha And no wonder my daughter grew up to be a librarian!
Each evening the kids pick a book of their choice and then I read it
When my kids were younger I read a lot of Disney, Dr. Seuss and Curious George books.
My kids are older, but I would read all sorts of books. I’m an elementary teacher and would love to win this for my classroom.
I always enjoyed reading fairy tales to my children when they were a lot younger.
Are on a star wars book kick