Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveler

by William Wise and William A. Wise

Book Overview

Recognition - A Texas Bluebonnet 2005-2006 Master List Selection - A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Outstanding Children's Book of the Year - A Book Links Lasting Connection Book Hardcover... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582347085
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.7" x 0.6" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

PCE Student Review

My favorite book is Christopher Mouse. It is a book about a mouse who gets in trouble. Kids who are 12 or13 will like this book. Both girls and boys will like it because it is funny. The author is a good writer. I laughed a lot while I read this book. There is a bad guy in this book. He makes troubles for Christopher. You'll have to read the book to find out the ending!

PCE Student Review

My favorite book is Christopher Mouse Tale of The Small Traveler. The author is William Wise, and the genre is fiction. The book theme is that a mouse is learning how to live on his own. My favorite character is Christopher! Christopher is brave, cute, and inspiring! I love how he handles things, and he handles them in a calm way. The book is funny and cute! The author made the book understandable, its not hard to read, and I never wanted to put the book down! This book is different form others! I like all the characters in this book. It had some poetry that Christopher would write, and I loved them! I like Christopher's family and the new friends he meets! This book is funny, cute, understanding, and is fun to read! I think every kid should read this one- of- a- kind book!

Adorable from start to finish!

Like many four-legged furballs, young Christopher Mouse's life begins in a fairly "commonplace way." Born to a loving mother in a wire cage, Christopher spends his days romping with his two brothers and sister, Anna. Thought of as a common white mouse, Christopher knows from day one that he is anything but common. The moment his eyes open, he begins exploring, attempting to quench his thirst for adventure. But there is little to explore in a tiny cage littered with paper shavings. Christopher's mother wants to protect her young, but knows that they will be sold to one of two places in the very near future - the pet shop or a medical laboratory. That doesn't stop her from working to educate them to the best of her ability. She begins with teaching her offspring to read, and moves on to tell them stories about her relatives who - unsuccessfully - escaped from torturous owners. From his mother's talks, Christopher begins contemplating the life ahead of him. The one thing he can not bear to think about, however, is the possibility that he may be separated from his sister, Anna. Together, he and Anna have shared many moments, and have clung to each other from when they were very young. But there is no telling what the future will hold for the two of them. As he grows up, Christopher experiences many bizarre encounters - from a terrifyingly large cat residing in the Egyptian room of New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, to a group of women who attack him with umbrellas. These encounters only work to seal the deal of Christopher's bravery, and illustrate that exploration is in his blood. As his encounters become more and more terrifying, however, Christopher turns to poetry, and begins composing lyrical works of writing that he can recite whenever the going gets tough. And, if he's lucky, his bright outlook on life will someday lead him to a cozy home of his own, where he doesn't have to worry about escaping from the clutches of evil, or searching for his next meal. When I was much younger, I used to devour the tales of Dick King-Smith and Avi - both authors who gave animals the run of the story, and featured their narrative on each page. So when I stumbled upon William Wise's CHRISTOPHER MOUSE: THE TALE OF A SMALL TRAVELER, I instantly knew that I would adore it. And I did! Wise does a magical job of weaving Christopher's tumultuous story together. His descriptions of cage-living, and the fear that goes through an animal's mind as they contemplate what the future holds for them is both interesting, yet gut-wrenching at the same time; while the delightful poetry scattered throughout the pages truly helps to put the reader in Christopher's shoes, and gives them the chance to see the world through his shiny eyes. Christopher is a remarkable character. His positive outlook on life - no matter how much trouble he finds himself in - gives hope to his tale; while the various adventures he finds himself thrust upon provide a mix of tragic and triumphant

Great Adventure

I just read this book to my 5 1/2 year old son and he loved it. The prose was challenging for him, but he managed to understand it surprisingly well. Some of the reviewers recommend this for older children, presumably because it is somewhat of a challenging read, but the content is certainly appropriate for younger children. It was a great read-aloud and I enthusiastically recommend it.

Elementary through middle school readers will delight

Advanced elementary through middle school readers will delight in this story of a mouse who is anything but common. Christopher is born in a cage, has encounters in a museum Egyptian room with a dangerous cat, and proves an adventurer and poet alike in this tale of a mouse who must find his way in an exciting world.