The Rats of Nimh Series

One of the best things about having kids--or in my case, students--is introducing them to your old favorite books. This school term I again shared my dear Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh with an appreciative juvenile audience.

The story starts out with good conflict: Mrs. Frisby's son is sick but her cozy mouse house is in the way of the spring plowing. She goes to The Rats for help.

Things get a bit annoying when the story goes into flashback mode for a good share of the book. (The rats' backstory is fascinating and could easily have been the focus of the book, in my opinion.) However, it's a good opportunity to talk about flashbacks and story frames. There are a lot of fun "ah-ha moments" for the kids, and the rats' advanced civilization amazes me every time.  

​Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh won the Newberry Award in 1972. What a wonderful, timeless read by Robert C. O'Brien! 

Now, for the first time, we as a class are following the Rats of Nimh further. I wish the kid me had known there were more books in the series, but at least I get to enjoy them now. 

The last two books--Racso and the Rats of Nimh and ​R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of Nimh--are written by O'Brien's daughter. The writing style is a bit different--lots of short scenes hodgepodged together--but my audience's enthusiasm hasn't waned. As long as they're gasping, cheering, and chuckling, I'll keep reading. ​