Parents' Guide to

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

By Wesley Sharpe, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

A compelling mix of fantasy and science fiction.

Book Robert C. O'Brien Fantasy 1971
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 9+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Domenicasettle
Domenicasettle Adult
October 22, 2021
age 9+

A great adventure

I really enjoyed reading this book to my kids, and they enjoyed it too. They're 5 and 9 (I'd rate it 9+ for independent reading, 5 is fine for having it read to you). It's a great adventure that makes you want to keep reading. It's a bit old fashioned, with most of the characters with leadership roles being male. But I loved that Mrs Frisby is an unassuming house wife who ends up doing all kinds of brave things.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
MMMJVC
MMMJVC Parent of 7-year-old
October 19, 2019
age 8+
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Rats who can read? In this lively tale, a widowed field mouse discovers that the reclusive colony of fellow rodents who live below the rosebush are no ordinary animals. When her family is imperiled by the farmer's tractor, she is advised to "go to the rats." A compelling mix of fantasy and science fiction keeps the pages turning.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (22):

Robert O'Brien has a knack for captivating his audience by creating humanlike personalities. Adults who read MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH aloud will marvel along with their children at the adventures of the book's characters, and the realistic sketches will help younger children follow the plot.

Underlying the book's humor and fantastic elements are a set of values that children won't soon forget. The new breed of rats decide it is wrong to steal food, so they grow their own grain, and they are mostly loyal, honest, and willing to make sacrifices to reach their goals -- values that make this an outstanding book for children. And when they discover that Mrs. Frisby is the widow of Jonathan, a fellow laboratory animal who was pivotal in effecting their escape, they demonstrate an admirable willingness to help her rescue her family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about animal research. Do you think this book supports or condemns experimentation on animals? If you could receive shots to increase your intelligence, would you want them?

Book Details

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