Word of Mouse

Born and raised in a lab, Isaiah the mouse has blue fur, is well-spoken, and can read and write. When he and his 96 siblings escape from the lab, Isaiah is the only one who eludes capture. After being taken in by a mischief of mice who live in the cellar of the Brophy family home, Isaiah becomes a valuable member of the family, outwitting the family cat and rescuing a mouse caught in a trap, among other exploits. As Isaiah comes to recognize his own skills, courage, and self-worth, he emboldens others, like Mikayla, a mouse with her own unacknowledged talent. Isaiah’s friendship with a human girl named Hailey (it’s implied that she has albinism) further drives home the novel’s themes of celebrating individuality and belief in oneself. Sutphin’s detailed line drawings pair perfectly with this sweet tale from the authors behind the Treasure Hunters books and other titles. Reminiscent of Garth Williams’s work in Stuart Little, the artwork helps set up Isaiah as a modern-day counterpart to that intrepid mouse. Ages 8–12. [em]Illustrator’s agent: Ed Maxwell, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Dec.) [/em]