City Mouse, Country Mouse

October 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 3- This is a charming, innovative version of the classic tale of one mouse enamored with the city and one who can't bear to be parted from her beloved countryside. They meet, become fast friends, and each introduces the other to her/his favorite environment. Since neither is comfortable remaining in the other's space, both mice return home. However, they miss each other so much that each one heads out, only to meet in the middle. This "halfway town" is the perfect compromise. "It was close enough to the city that they could visit when Will got restless, and it was no farther to the country when Tansy longed for the sights and smells of home." A heartwarming story of friendship is here, but the real standout are the illustrations. Inspired by a childhood trip to Beatrix Potter's farm, Rudy has enjoyed creating mice and their worlds out of felt and found materials. These collages are beautifully detailed and children will pore over them repeatedly. VERDICT Even if this tale is already represented in collections, this cleverly illustrated addition is well deserving of a place. Great for independent reading and small group sharing.- Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
Rudy hand-sculpts landscapes and animal figures using natural-looking found materials and felt; the photographed scenes are particularly rich in detail and will reward those who want to spend time with them. Her satisfying variation on the familiar story resolves with country mouse Tansy and city mouse Will settling down in a small "halfway town," the couple's compromise between city and country living.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from August 15, 2017
A new twist on the classic Aesop fable. When Tansy Mouse meets William Gray, she leads him into her country world of strawberry patches, singing birds, buzzing bees, and fresh air, "soft and sweet." But when Will describes his city--the shops and restaurants and crowded sidewalks--and invites Tansy, "Come with me!...It'll be an adventure," Tansy sets off with him. But Tansy finds city life too crowded and noisy, and Will thinks the city too exciting to leave, so they part ways. However, they discover they were lonely without each other. So, as friends do, Tansy and Will find a compromise, set up housekeeping next to each other in a town between the country and the city, and live "mousily ever after." Rudy's intricately constructed miniature tableaux of found materials and felted characters, photographed by her, offer much to pore over, and the double-page spreads depicting pastoral scenes, city streets, and their newfound in-between town are beautifully realized. Even the gestures of the two mice are carefully orchestrated to show emotion. Light and lilting prose complements the illustrations, which are clearly a labor of love. There's always room for another take on a classic, especially when done so well. (Picture book. 4-8)

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