Parents' Guide to

Mouseheart

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Gripping, gory mouse adventure may be too dark for some.

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Kids say (3 ):

Adding a rodent-themed entry to the popular genre of animal adventure epics, Lisa Fiedler's MOUSEHEART is a lively, imaginative tale with a well-meaning, believably confused hero. But if you're expecting sweet, lighthearted fare along the lines of Richard Peck's mouse sagas, beware: Things are much darker in this story, which begins with a rat gouging out a cat's eye, and mouse children's mother being snatched away to her death, crying out to her babies.

It's the first volume in a planned series, and by the time it ends many helpless innocents, including beloved parents and terrified infants, face violent death, and many are killed. Nasty political intrigue, secret murders, and dark deals abound. Some kids will enjoy being steps ahead of young Hopper as he solves mysteries and makes remarkable discoveries; others may be done in by the gore and traumatic loss.

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