Charlotte's Web is one of my all-time favorite books, so it is high praise for me to say V&J belongs in the same category. Here are some things they have in common:

1. Great read-aloud potential. The voice of the narrator is friendly, wry, and sometimes poetic. The story is not too long and never drags. There are great spot illustrations that help young listeners engage with the characters and setting.

2. The animals are kinda anthropomorphized, but retain essential animal qualities. Violet and Jobie watch TV and play games, but they don't eat with a knife and fork or wear clothes, you know? Charlotte was a spider who could read and write, but still caught flies and drank their blood. Zolian in particular was a Charlotte-like character -- a good friend and teacher who understands the ways of the world.

3. It's a wholesome story, but not saccharine. It's the kind of book that makes you want to snuggle up under a blanket and enjoy together. But it might make you choke up a little in the end. ( )

Narrated by Cassandra Morris. Violet and Jobie are sibling mice who've been living a good life in a house with humans and access to warmth, food and TV. When the humans trap and humanely release them in a natural area, Violet and Jobie find there is a lot to learn about living in the wild. A solid read-aloud for young families that explores complex themes: resilience, family, love, and friendship. Morris' youthful voice nicely suits the small mice and their explorations. ( )

Violet and Jobie, mouse siblings, find themselves in a frightening predicament. While playing the Cheese Game (make the game go snap with the stick, then eat the cheese and peanut butter inside it), they are captured in a box and taken to something called a "State Park," where they are released. These two house mice have no idea how to survive in the wild, but they soon make friends who can tell them about the dangers and pleasures of outdoor life.

This is a charming little book for fans of anthropomorphic tales. It's generally realistic in its treatment of mouse life, where mice are considered a tasty snack for most of the larger creatures they encounter, though there are some fanciful parts. There's a good balance of excitement and thoughtful bits. The ending is a little more open than many tales for this age group, and would provoke discussion if read in a group setting. I can see this being a nice classroom read for second or third grade. ( )

Violet and Jobie are siblings who have always lived in a house with humans, but one day they are caught in a trap and transported to the woods. There, they must figure out how to live in the wild, following the wise advice of Zolian, an old mouse they meet early on: Always Be Careful (also, Don't Exit the Foliage). Together, they find a new home, encounter dangers and pleasures, make friends, and - in Jobie's case - begin a new family. Violet's path takes her in search of Zolian, who has disappeared, and then even farther afield.

*Spoilers*

Mice are small, and often at the whim of other, larger creatures, humans included. Jobie never knows Violet's fate, Violet is never certain of Zolian's fate, and likely never returns to the home she made in the woods with Jobie. Readers who like everything tied up in a neat bow at the end will likely be displeased, but those who accept open-ended or unresolved endings can imagine further adventures for Violet and the other mice.

See also: various Kate DiCamillo titles, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Quotes (read ebook, so noted chapters instead of page numbers)

She shook her head. She took a deep breath. She looked inside, for her brave self. She knew it was in there somewhere.
"If we pretend we're brave," she said, "we can be brave." (ch. 6, the fox)

"There's always an owl...but there are ways to live so that you're not always afraid of the owl. Just aware of the owl." (Zolian to Violet, ch. 9)

Before long, they had another chance to play What Is It? and Does It Eat Mice? (ch. 11, Violet gets an idea)

Our brains are always busy, even when we're not trying. They take all of the events and information of our days and try to make them fit together. Try to make sense of them. And now and then, two or three pieces of information fit together in an unexpected way. This is called "getting an idea." (ch. 11)

"Are you all right, dear?" he asked. "That could have been a close call."
"I'm not all right yet," she said. "But I will be." (ch. 18, Zolian tells a story)

"She liked hearing my stories, but only when they were in the past. She didn't want to know about them while they were actually happening." (ch. 18)

"Where do chipmunks go in a tornado?" "All over the place." (ch. 19, Jobie and the other mice)

"The world is such a big place. I think it's interesting to learn about it. (Violet to Zolian, ch. 20)

"Which is harder....To lose someone when they die, or to lose someone while they're still alive? ....And what should I do now?" (ch. 28, Violet on her own)

"How many times do I have to be brave?" she asked. She knew the answer: At least one more time. Always one more time.
"I don't want to," she said.
It's scary when you don't know what to do. But if you can think of one or two things that you do know how to do, and then do them, that can help. (ch. 30, one foot in front of the other) ( )

Another great story about little animals in the wild trying to survive by Lynne Rae Perkins. 2 little mice who lived in a people house get themselves trapped in a box, and luckily, let go in the wild. They have so much to learn about to survive and thankfully meet Zolian, a kind old mouse willing to impart some of his knowledge to the young brother and sister. A survival story that's not too frightening, this would be a good pick for a 3rd grade book discussion. ( )