Three Terrible Trins: (ALA Notable Children's Book) - Hardcover

King-Smith, Dick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0517598280 ISBN 13: 9780517598283

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1994

Synopsis

Within the walls and under the floorboards of Orchard Farmhouse live three mischievous mouse brothers (a.k.a. the trins) who create constant commotion. "With his customary panache, King-Smith grabs the reader's attention from his opening sentence. And, sustaining his understated wit and rollicking pace throughout this breezy novel, the author never loosens his grip."--Publisher's Weekly. Illustrations.
From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this title

About the Author

Dick King-Smith was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England, surrounded by pet animals. After 20 years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children's books. Dick writes mostly about animals–farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does. Among his most well-loved books is Babe: The Gallant Pig, which was made into a major motion picture that was nominated for an Academy Award.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Some authors work toward a surprise ending, but King-Smith achieves a surprise beginning that draws readers into the book immediately: "At six o'clock on the morning of her birthday, Mrs. Gray's husband was killed and eaten. It was her first birthday, and he was her third husband." It all makes sense when readers are informed that Mr. Gray is (was) a nearsighted mouse who, alas, couldn't see the cat coming. The widowed Mrs. Gray dedicates herself to raising her newborn trins (mouse talk for triplets) to avenge their father's death. As soon as they are old enough, fit enough, and brave enough, the trins begin a campaign of terror aimed at the two house cats. After driving the cats out of the house, they organize the other mice from all strata of house-mouse society (Attics, Ups, Downs, and Cellarmice) into ball games played first (bizarrely) with a glass eye misplaced by the nasty master of the house and later with a glass bead given them by his kindly wife. The characters, both human and animals, are somewhat idiosyncratic but wholly convincing. Fast paced and deftly written, this animal fantasy would be easy to book talk and fun to read aloud, but expect to hear cries of "Don't stop there!" Carolyn Phelan

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0517598280
• ISBN 13: 9780517598283
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 105