Magnus Maybe

After leaving the protection of his cage, Magnus the pet mouse finds himself alone in the cold and lonely world where he is soon on the run with a wild mouse who teaches him about avoiding traps and finding shelter. Original.

Grade 3-5-When Magnus, a white pet mouse, escapes from his cage, he meets up with a family of wild brown mice who live in a linen cupboard. Young Miranda seems to like him, but the others are distrustful or, in the case of tough Meggsie, hostile. When drought and mousetraps necessitate a move, Magnus and Meggsie take a risky journey to the city to find a new home for the mice. By the time they return, they've learned to like and respect one another, and Magnus becomes a real part of the family. This is a charming animal fantasy for readers not yet old enough for Avi's Poppy (Orchard, 1995). The hardship of constantly searching for food amid the dangers of humans and predatory animals is vividly presented, and readers will connect with Magnus's yearning to be valued and loved. Except for one scary and violent incident involving a cat, the mood of this story is quiet and contemplative, and is complemented by the simple and endearing illustrations.
Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The arrival of this chipper tale of kindly mice under duress (first published in Australia) will be just the ticket for young readers who can't get enough of talking rodents. Broome's swiftly paced novel follows the adventures of Magnus, a white pet-shop mouse escaped from his owner who finds himself adopted by a family of brown field mice that have gnawed their way into the owner's house. The mice's efforts to survive destruction by humans and cats (inside the house and out), as well as a food shortage, make for some dramatic moments. Though the action here mostly twitches along, the author covers no new ground; Magnus's search for food, a safe home, love and acceptance may be very familiar to experienced readers (e.g., Stuart Little, the Redwall series, Time Stops for No Mouse, etc.). However, this book's intended fans may not yet have encountered Magnus's literary list of forebears, making this work a pleasant introduction to the genre. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2-4. First published in 1998 in Australia, this steps smoothly into the realm of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971) with it's timid mouse destined for heroics. Magnus, a white pet mouse, isn't searching for adventure when he nibbles an escape route and leaves the safety of his cage: he simply wants a sniff of freedom. But when he meets the dark, wild mice of the cupboard, he discovers freedom has a price. Broome deftly captures the loneliness of being an outcast and the longing to fit in, as she endows her shy but appealing protagonist with hard-won courage that encourages readers to feel that they, too, can triumph. The novel will appeal most to the quietly curious child; it will also make a tender read-aloud choice. Kelly Halls
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