Mahalia Mouse Goes to College: Book and CD [With CD (Audio)]

by John Lithgow

Book Overview

Mahalia Mouse and her family live underneath Dunster House, an old Harvard dormitory. Foraging for food for her younger brothers and sisters, Mahalia gets trapped in a backpack and then finds herself inside a classroom far from home. Mahalia, intrigued by the lecture, starts attending classes and soon becomes a full-time student -- all the while wondering about the fate of her family. But when graduation day finally arrives, Mahalia has a wonderful...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416927158
• ISBN13: 9781416927150
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 9.8" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Perfect for a graduate -- preschool through Ph.D.

Today I found a rare thing -- a book that would be an excellent graduation gift whether the grad in question is departing preschool or university. It's "Mahalia Mouse Goes to College," by John Lithgow (Harvard Class of `67), illustrated by Igor Oleynikov. When I taught juniors at Penn State this spring, I discovered they believe children do not like books that contain vocabulary beyond their ken. I argued that encountering new words might increase children's vocabulary and thus be a good thing, and they agreed but claimed that kids often don't like what's good for them. True enough, and if you share my students' conviction, then John Lithgow's books -- which include "The Remarkable Farkle McBride," and "Marsupial Sue" -- are not for you. If, on the other hand, you think kids get a kick out of mastering words like wisteria (rhymes with cafeteria), allayed (rhymes with paid), and zoology (rhymes with psychology), then Lithgow's rollicking texts will appeal to you. In this case, it's not only the wordplay that is fun. Lithgow has written a parable about the ruthlessness involved in leaving home in order to achieve greater things. Lithgow's opening lines, coupled with Oleynikov's grim, rain-soaked illustration, evoke an almost Dickensian mood. Or maybe they were shooting for Lemony Snicket? Anyway, the story begins: "The skies of September were bursting with rain Pelting the old dormitory It filled every gutter and choked every drain Chapter 1 of Mahalia's story." As if the rain weren't bad enough, Mahalia's mother, consumed by sorrow, sends her daughter out foraging, warning that things are so dire "the babies may die." Dutifully, Mahalia departs, is attracted by the smell of cheese in a college student's backpack, finds herself zipped inside, and next thing you know is entranced by a lecture that "concerns the behavior of atoms in space/Their collisions and fissions, their motion and pace." The dying babies are forgotten, and Mahalia enrolls in college where she excels not only academically but at extracurriculars like squash and, briefly, square dancing. The story ends in a hail of confetti and sunshine on graduation day with Mahalia and her family reunited -- the babies, apparently, having survived. It's a great story with just the edge of poignance that accompanies one generation's outstripping its predecessor.

Mahalia Mouse Goes to College

Mahalia Mouse Goes to College is a wonderful book, written by John Lithgow. It comes with a cd of the author narrating the story which is great. The illustrations are vivid and bring the story to life. The story is about a mouse that goes to college. This book is a dedication to the Harvard graduating class of 2005. John Lithgow was the guest speaker at that commencement and having had a son in that class of 2005, this was a must have book for my Harvard graduate as a keepsake which he can share with his children some day.

MAHALIA MOUSE GOES TO COLLEGE

This is the cutest book to read to children of all ages. It is a great read for an adult. If you went to a college class you will certainly appreciate how this little mouse attends the college classes. It also comes with a CD.You will love this book. I highly recommed it.

Mahalia

The story and illustrations in the book were outstanding. I gave it to my five year old granddaughter and she wanted it read to her over and over. I highly reccomend it.

Don't need to be a Lithgow fan to love this!

My boys chose this book at the library, and I purchased it because it is so touching and, yes, inspiring! The story teaches the importance of perseverance, as Mahalia works toward her Bachelor of Science. My 5-year-old loved it. A bit long to hold my 3-year-old's attention, but he enjoyed the rhyme scheme, and I am sure he will enjoy the entire book when he is a bit older. The illustrations are beautiful, as well. This is a book I will save for my grandchildren!