Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

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Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a pleasing book, but I find it mildly frustrating; it might have been something more than it is". This is the Newberry Award winning book for 1973, and this was there main reason I wanted to read it. I love it when the narrator is so good that the listening experience flows without any glitches from something annoying that the listener has to consciously ignore. And she definitely thinks like an adult; she notices things like how young Justin seems, worries about taking care of her family, misses her husband. While there he studied piano at Eastman School of Music, and at one time considered being a musician.

A good story with which to illustrate the importance of kindness, family and friendship as well reading and problem solving skills. O'Brien (1918-1973) was, in private life, Robert Leslie Conly, senior assistant editor of National Geographic Magazine where he worked for over twenty years. For me the whole story is entertaining whilst being an insight into an aspect of life that we, as humans, seem to have forgotten.The rats of NIMH come up with a brilliant solution to Mrs Frisby's problem and she, in turn, renders them a great service, but the rats are in danger too, and little by little Mrs Frisby discovers their extraordinary past . I remember reading this book at school some 30 years ago, and it's still just as lovely a story now. Nicodemus also tells Frisby that the rats have recently decided to abandon their lifestyle of dependence on humans, which some rats regard as theft.

Domestic felines in reality love the wilderness but these educated fictional rats can no longer abide sewers.

In 2012 it was ranked number 33 on a list of the top 100 children's novels published by School Library Journal. There are a couple of plot holes that as an adult, I think should have been fixed, but that does not detract from the overall story.

But they have to move because the field will be plowed soon and if they stay they will all likely die.I did take three courses at The College of William and Mary that I loved, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to experience. I loved getting more details about the time Jonathan and the rats spent at NIMH, and I will continue to read the other accounts in the series.