The Secret of Nimh (1971 original; edició 1995)

Questions for my granddaughter Eleanor , age 10
1) what kind of risks did Mrs. Frisby take? How did she feel about these risks? What kind of danger was there?
2) what happened because of her relationships?
3) she doesn’t tell her children what’s happening. What do you think about that? She doesn’t tell her neighbor but then she tells her children. Why?
4) is it possible to build a new world the way the rats were trying to do? ( )

There are two tales in this book, one sandwiched in the middle of the other... a story within a story.
The story that begins and ends the book is that of Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, who has three children; one of them quite ill. She must move from her winter home in a farmer's garden before he plows his field, thereby destroying her home. However, if she moves her sick child while the weather is too cool, he is sure to die. With the help of a friendly crow and owl (An owl who is friendly to mice? Yes.) she is introduced to the Rats of NIMH. These rats live very near, and the birds are sure that the rats will not only know how to help her, but be glad to do so.
Then comes the story within the story. When Mrs. Frisby meets these rats, she finds that they have electricity, indoor plumbing, and many other unbelievable conveniences in their remarkably massive underground home. Nicodemus, the chief rat, tells her their story. In short, they were originally a group of 20 wild rats, caught and taken to a mysterious laboratory called NIMH, where they were given injections in an experiment that made them have much longer life spans, much stronger bodies, and most significantly; as smart as the humans who were holding them. After escaping the lab, they set up the civilized society they had here. They would be glad to aid Mrs. Frisby, because her deceased husband had been a dear friend, having escaped from NIMH with them.
Once that tale is told, we return to the rats figuring out how to save Mrs. Frisby, and the adventure surrounding that endeavor.
I found Mrs. Frisby's tale entertaining; but grew weary of the long story of the rats in the labortory and what happened to them after their escape. That center portion felt very much like the absolutely awful Newbery winner, "The Twenty-One Balloons"; a long, tedious tale of "why, aren't we the clever ones?" Although the crow, the owl, and Mrs. Frisby don't have electric lighting or use power tools, it is plain that they are about as smart as the rats are, but I suppose we're just not supposed to think about that. ( )

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A widowed mouse seeks help from some surprisingly intelligent rats nearby to save her family's home from the springtime garden plow and learns their history and how her husband was connected with that past.
One of my favorite of the Newbery Medalist, and I'm so glad that Charlie loved it, too. ( )

Mrs. Frisby is a widowed mouse who is trying to find help for her son, Timothy, who is sick with pneumonia. She gets help from the rats of NIHM. They are happy to help her because her husband had helped them escape from NIHM. The themes of death, sacrifice and morality are covered in this book.
This owuld be a good book club book for 5th or 6th graders. ( )