The Wizard Mouse

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Overview

A field mouse’s place is in the field—or so say Rollie’s father, his grandfather, and everyone he has ever known.

But Rollie wants something more. So one day, he sets off down the path toward the Kingdom of Muddmoor, not knowing what he’ll find. In the adventures that follow, Rollie encounters many strange and wonderful things, from a talking fish and floating cows to the official Wizard of Muddmoor. But it turns out that what the kingdom needs...

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More About This Book

Overview

A field mouse’s place is in the field—or so say Rollie’s father, his grandfather, and everyone he has ever known.

But Rollie wants something more. So one day, he sets off down the path toward the Kingdom of Muddmoor, not knowing what he’ll find. In the adventures that follow, Rollie encounters many strange and wonderful things, from a talking fish and floating cows to the official Wizard of Muddmoor. But it turns out that what the kingdom needs most may just be the skills of one small field mouse.

Dean Morrissey’s lush paintings and magical story bring Rollie to life as the tiny hero who, with a little courage, makes a huge difference.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
After a five-year hiatus, Morrissey (The Crimson Comet) returns with the tale of a mouse’s quest to fulfill his potential; he does, but his story, unfortunately, does not. Rollie, a field mouse, knows he’s destined for greatness, quitting his job gathering corn and heading for the Kingdom of Muddmoor, which has always intrigued him. Soon after, he discovers the tower of Solarus, the Wizard of Muddmoor, whose memory and abilities are in decline. Offering his assistance, Rollie finds mention of a magical fish in one of the wizard’s spell books, locates the fish, and restores the wizard’s powers in short order. Morrissey throws no challenges in the way of his small hero, whose victories are so easy that they are deprived of any sense of accomplishment or meaning. Morrissey’s oil paintings are skillful and gorgeous, particularly his portraits of the bearded, crimson-robed wizard; his hero, though, is quite static and doesn’t betray much emotion. Dashes of humor in the narrative (including a recurring gag about floating cows) are welcome, but not enough to redeem this outing. Ages 5–9. (Oct.)
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2—Rollie, a field mouse with a yearning to see the world, leaves the comforts of his home in search of adventure. Along the way he sees two cows floating in midair and, later, a large tower with a doorplate that says "Wizard." Inside he meets an aging wizard who is losing his powers after fighting a Dark Magician for control of Muddmoor. Now he is worried about his kingdom being attacked again. The two become fast friends and the mouse begins reading all of the man's magic books. He learns about a fish that, when eaten, can give an individual magical powers and wisdom, and is sure that it can help Solarus. When he finds a magic salmon, he convinces it to go to the tower. The fish says that Solarus needs only to touch him, not eat him, to regain his powers. Then he vanishes. But Rollie has touched him, too, so Solarus appoints him to the position of Wizard Mouse. The mouse figures that his first order of business should be to do something about those floating cows. The oil-paint illustrations are lush and beautiful. The wizard is very lifelike and regal with robes of deep red and blue and a long, flowing white beard. The magic fish has gold accents on his deep colors, and the mouse is detailed and expressive. The illustrations make this a book to pore over.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780060080662
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 10/4/2011
  • Pages: 32
  • Sales rank: 992,741
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Lexile: 660L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 9.30 (w) x 11.20 (h) x 0.30 (d)

Meet the Author

Dean Morrissey has made up stories to go with his work ever since he first began to paint. Eventually he began writing and illustrating children’s books. The highly successful Ship of Dreams, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, was published in 1990, followed by The Great Kettles, which won a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. His other books include The Christmas Ship, The Moon Robber, The Monster Trap, and The Crimson Comet. Dean Morrissey lives on the south shore of Massachusetts with his wife and son, surrounded by many of the amazing contraptions that are found in his paintings.

Dean Morrissey has made up stories to go with his work ever since he first began to paint. Eventually he began writing and illustrating children’s books. The highly successful Ship of Dreams, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, was published in 1990, followed by The Great Kettles, which won a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. His other books include The Christmas Ship, The Moon Robber, The Monster Trap, and The Crimson Comet. Dean Morrissey lives on the south shore of Massachusetts with his wife and son, surrounded by many of the amazing contraptions that are found in his paintings.

Stephen Krensky is the author of over seventy books for children, including How Santa Lost His Job, an ALA Notable Book. He has previously collaborated with Dean Morrissey on The Monster Trap and The Crimson Comet. Stephen Krensky lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, with his wife, Joan, and their two children.

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