Book Thoughts - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
published 1971
240 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

My thoughts -

What an absolute delight! I can't believe I didn't read this as a child - it seems like just the sort of book my mom would have had lying around for me to discover. I will definitely have a copy for my kids to pick up one day.

Both storylines are equally strong, but the story of the rats and their experiences and eventual escape from NIMH is quite fascinating. The idea of making the rat be a sympathetic character is unique, and O'Brien does such an excellent job - I fully believed Nicodemus when he explained just how remarkable these rats were.

Mrs. Frisby was a courageous heroine, and I loved her quiet strength and determination. I liked the way O'Brien took care with each character to make them feel like something individual and unique - each of the rats had their own personalities, and even Mrs. Frisby's children were distinct in their own way.

I loved every minute of reading this book! Thanks to Kristen and her 100 Chapter Books Readalong over at The Estella Society - I'm sure glad I had a reason to try this fabulous novel.

Finished - 4/23/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG maybe? for some violence
My rating - 9/10