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The Rescuers #2
Miss Bianca
Stated first edition. 152 pages.
152 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
4 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Margery Sharp
80 books183 followersMargery Sharp was born Clara Margery Melita Sharp in Salisbury. She spent part of her childhood in Malta.
Sharp wrote 26 novels, 14 children's stories, 4 plays, 2 mysteries and many short stories. She is best known for her series of children's books about a little white mouse named Miss Bianca and her companion, Bernard. Two Disney films have been made based on them, called The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under.
In 1938, she married Major Geoffrey Castle, an aeronautical engineer.
Sharp wrote 26 novels, 14 children's stories, 4 plays, 2 mysteries and many short stories. She is best known for her series of children's books about a little white mouse named Miss Bianca and her companion, Bernard. Two Disney films have been made based on them, called The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under.
In 1938, she married Major Geoffrey Castle, an aeronautical engineer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
May 20, 2014
Miss Bianca was my favorite children's book for years. The clever little white mouse with the porcelain pagoda and a rodentine United Nations portfolio struck such a chord with me that, years later, I still sigh with appreciation.
I read all of the Miss Bianca books in my school library (although Dade Elementary's library didn't have them all by a long shot), and I enjoyed them all. To this day, I couldn't tell you why I loved them so much. Perhaps it was that, in the 1960s, female heroines of any kind, even literally mousey ones, were rare? Could it be the selflessness of Miss Bianca and her sidekick Bernard? Could it be that I didn't have any pets and, therefore, loved all animals in books? Perhaps, as with jokes, over-analysis ruins the enjoyment.
Please do not be put off by the dreadful Disney cartoon adaptation in The Rescuers. Disney's Miss Bianca bears about as much resemblance to the original as Disney's Little Mermaid does to Hans Christian Anderson's original.
I read all of the Miss Bianca books in my school library (although Dade Elementary's library didn't have them all by a long shot), and I enjoyed them all. To this day, I couldn't tell you why I loved them so much. Perhaps it was that, in the 1960s, female heroines of any kind, even literally mousey ones, were rare? Could it be the selflessness of Miss Bianca and her sidekick Bernard? Could it be that I didn't have any pets and, therefore, loved all animals in books? Perhaps, as with jokes, over-analysis ruins the enjoyment.
Please do not be put off by the dreadful Disney cartoon adaptation in The Rescuers. Disney's Miss Bianca bears about as much resemblance to the original as Disney's Little Mermaid does to Hans Christian Anderson's original.
August 15, 2014
In contrast to The Rescuers, the second installment of the Miss Bianca series is a tale in which everything that possibly can go wrong does. Murphy's law is in full force, requiring quite a lot of resourcefulness on the part of the eponymous heroine and her faithful squire-at-arms, Bernard to rescue little Patience, the hopeless prisoner of the evil Grand Duchess. Perhaps someone spoke to the author about the too-frequent felicitous coincidences in Vol. 1. However, all's well that ends well in Storyland, ensuring that the reader comes away with the taste of honey, not gall.
From some of the reviews, today's parents never read the original Grimm Brothers fairytales. I grew up on them, and they never did us any harm because we knew they were stories. You know, fiction. Not real! Even at about age 6, my friends and I knew it was all make-believe. And we made up stories and acted-out games in which little kids (ourselves) were the hard-used heroines of tales just like this one--and just like Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel, and a hundred others. This book (long title: Miss Bianca; A Fantasy--concerned parents please take note) must have been the primary inspiration for the dreadful Disney cartoon entitled "The Rescuers." I only saw it once (and that was enough)but I remember an evil queen/duchess and a couple of servants and, I believe, a pair of crocodiles (!) instead of bloodhounds, which somehow gave me the impression that it all happened in the Louisiana Bayou. There's something eminently satisfying for a child to dream about outwitting, outrunning and outdoing the Evil Grownups, and ending up in The Perfect Farmhouse, surrounded by comfortable people bigger than yourself who are delighted to take you in and make much of you.
From some of the reviews, today's parents never read the original Grimm Brothers fairytales. I grew up on them, and they never did us any harm because we knew they were stories. You know, fiction. Not real! Even at about age 6, my friends and I knew it was all make-believe. And we made up stories and acted-out games in which little kids (ourselves) were the hard-used heroines of tales just like this one--and just like Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel, and a hundred others. This book (long title: Miss Bianca; A Fantasy--concerned parents please take note) must have been the primary inspiration for the dreadful Disney cartoon entitled "The Rescuers." I only saw it once (and that was enough)but I remember an evil queen/duchess and a couple of servants and, I believe, a pair of crocodiles (!) instead of bloodhounds, which somehow gave me the impression that it all happened in the Louisiana Bayou. There's something eminently satisfying for a child to dream about outwitting, outrunning and outdoing the Evil Grownups, and ending up in The Perfect Farmhouse, surrounded by comfortable people bigger than yourself who are delighted to take you in and make much of you.
July 1, 2023
This book has stuck with me since I read it at my grandmother's house as a child (I checked it out from her local library and couldn't find it again until adulthood!). When I found a used copy, it happened to be a first edition in gorgeous condition, so I feel rewarded for my patience.
Miss Bianca has some harsh scenes that will frighten sensitive children, but the point of the story is rescue and delivery to safety. I just adore Miss Bianca and her code of ethics and etiquette. I think I unlocked a core memory when reading this again. (And it helps that etiquette was reinforced in my own household, and mannerliness is a great salve to my deeply introverted self in social interactions!)
I do intend to track down more books in this series. I think there might be something between Miss Bianca and Bernard and I am Invested™. There was also much hilarity in this book that delighted me as a grown-up, and upon reflection, I can tell that it shaped my sense of humor in the first place.
Miss Bianca has some harsh scenes that will frighten sensitive children, but the point of the story is rescue and delivery to safety. I just adore Miss Bianca and her code of ethics and etiquette. I think I unlocked a core memory when reading this again. (And it helps that etiquette was reinforced in my own household, and mannerliness is a great salve to my deeply introverted self in social interactions!)
I do intend to track down more books in this series. I think there might be something between Miss Bianca and Bernard and I am Invested™. There was also much hilarity in this book that delighted me as a grown-up, and upon reflection, I can tell that it shaped my sense of humor in the first place.
May 23, 2024
ENGLISH: This is the first time I've read this book, although I had watched the Disney film, which is based on the first two books in the series ("The rescuers" and "Miss Bianca"). In fact, although the film keeps the title of the first book, it is mainly based on the second, where the person to be rescued is a little girl, rather than a Norwegian poet in a dungeon.
Of course, the Disney company made many changes to the film's script with respect to the book, such as replacing by two crocodiles the two bloodhounds that watch the girl, moving the action to a horrible place, in the middle of a swamp, and the introduction of a new character: the albatross who provides air transportation for the mice. But Margery Sharp apparently didn't mind the changes.
Another important difference is that Bernard, Miss Bianca's partner, does not take part in the book until the end, while in the film he acts all the time.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la primera vez que he leído este libro, aunque antes había visto la película de Disney, que está basada en los dos primeros libros de la serie ("Los rescatadores" y "Miss Bianca"). De hecho, aunque la película mantiene el título del primer libro, se basa principalmente en el segundo, en el que la persona a rescatar es una niña, no un poeta noruego en un calabozo.
Naturalmente, la empresa Disney hizo muchos cambios en el guion de la película respecto al libro, como la sustitución por dos cocodrilos de los dos sabuesos que vigilan que no se escape la niña, el traslado de la acción a un lugar horrible, en medio de un pantano, y el personaje del albatros que proporciona transporte aéreo a los ratones. Pero, al parecer, a Margery Sharp no le importaron los cambios.
Otra diferencia importante es que Bernard, el compañero de Miss Bianca, en el libro no interviene hasta el final, mientras en la película actúa todo el tiempo.
Of course, the Disney company made many changes to the film's script with respect to the book, such as replacing by two crocodiles the two bloodhounds that watch the girl, moving the action to a horrible place, in the middle of a swamp, and the introduction of a new character: the albatross who provides air transportation for the mice. But Margery Sharp apparently didn't mind the changes.
Another important difference is that Bernard, Miss Bianca's partner, does not take part in the book until the end, while in the film he acts all the time.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la primera vez que he leído este libro, aunque antes había visto la película de Disney, que está basada en los dos primeros libros de la serie ("Los rescatadores" y "Miss Bianca"). De hecho, aunque la película mantiene el título del primer libro, se basa principalmente en el segundo, en el que la persona a rescatar es una niña, no un poeta noruego en un calabozo.
Naturalmente, la empresa Disney hizo muchos cambios en el guion de la película respecto al libro, como la sustitución por dos cocodrilos de los dos sabuesos que vigilan que no se escape la niña, el traslado de la acción a un lugar horrible, en medio de un pantano, y el personaje del albatros que proporciona transporte aéreo a los ratones. Pero, al parecer, a Margery Sharp no le importaron los cambios.
Otra diferencia importante es que Bernard, el compañero de Miss Bianca, en el libro no interviene hasta el final, mientras en la película actúa todo el tiempo.
August 25, 2016
(3.5)
The sophisticated and savvy Miss Bianca's wit and willingness are needed once again when the Prisoners' Aid Society learns that a little girl has been taken and forced to work as a slave to the wretched Grand Duchess in the lavishly and gaudily appointed Diamond Palace. In her new position as Madam Chairwoman, Miss Bianca feels especially obligated to lead the way to the child Patience's freedom, enlisting the especial aid of the women of the PAS. But things are not what they seem when some troubling truths about the Duchess's servants come to light, and Miss Bianca soon must work her and Patience's way to freedom on her own, never knowing if trusty Bernard is on his way to assist them.
It seemed, based on the synopsis of this book, that it had a few more elements that were used in Disney's first Rescuers film -- diamonds, a young orphan girl, an outlandish villainess, even a pair of dragonish decorations -- so I (not without some effort) found a copy of it and read it after the first in the series. This one was also fun and adventuresome, and focused more on Miss Bianca and Bernard (with Nils out of the way, a little unfortunately, but not unexpectedly), but as a story it was okay. The Diamond Palace was a great locale, sharp and hard and unforgiving in its harsh flashiness, and The Grand Duchess had ultimate potential as a vile, gaudy villainess, a la Madame Medusa, but apart from a few instances of violence and general nastiness, she was just a cranky, hideous old woman, and there wasn't really any resolution for her part of the story, or concerning her obsequious servant Mandrake. But the real stars here were the alluring and resourceful Miss Bianca, now more comfortable in her role as heroine, and her devoted admirer Bernard, with his keen instincts and unfailing loyalty. They don't get to spend much time together, and the story wraps up pretty simply (after going in a few directions I just was not expecting -- ), but they're still charming little heroes, and Patience is a very nice case for our mice to solve. The ending regarding Patience at least is pretty exciting and then satisfying. The writing was readable and detailed, and it was a little old-fashioned, but that was part of its charm.
I thought the illustrations in this one were a little better (read: less hairy). The Grand Duchess was appropriately horrendous and Patience looked fairly sweet.
This book featured a few more elements that were worked into Disney's first Rescuers movie (though it's still definitely its own story), and it was fun to see bits and pieces that were adapted to design the films' characters and plots. The story here was simple and not really complete, but it was still a pretty dramatic little read and refreshingly quite innocent, and it's good to see MFEO Miss Bianca and Bernard developed a little further. I would like to read the rest of the series one day, but that would require some doing since the out-of-print books are pretty hard to come by.
The sophisticated and savvy Miss Bianca's wit and willingness are needed once again when the Prisoners' Aid Society learns that a little girl has been taken and forced to work as a slave to the wretched Grand Duchess in the lavishly and gaudily appointed Diamond Palace. In her new position as Madam Chairwoman, Miss Bianca feels especially obligated to lead the way to the child Patience's freedom, enlisting the especial aid of the women of the PAS. But things are not what they seem when some troubling truths about the Duchess's servants come to light, and Miss Bianca soon must work her and Patience's way to freedom on her own, never knowing if trusty Bernard is on his way to assist them.
It seemed, based on the synopsis of this book, that it had a few more elements that were used in Disney's first Rescuers film -- diamonds, a young orphan girl, an outlandish villainess, even a pair of dragonish decorations -- so I (not without some effort) found a copy of it and read it after the first in the series. This one was also fun and adventuresome, and focused more on Miss Bianca and Bernard (with Nils out of the way, a little unfortunately, but not unexpectedly), but as a story it was okay. The Diamond Palace was a great locale, sharp and hard and unforgiving in its harsh flashiness, and The Grand Duchess had ultimate potential as a vile, gaudy villainess, a la Madame Medusa, but apart from a few instances of violence and general nastiness, she was just a cranky, hideous old woman, and there wasn't really any resolution for her part of the story, or concerning her obsequious servant Mandrake. But the real stars here were the alluring and resourceful Miss Bianca, now more comfortable in her role as heroine, and her devoted admirer Bernard, with his keen instincts and unfailing loyalty. They don't get to spend much time together, and the story wraps up pretty simply (after going in a few directions I just was not expecting -- ), but they're still charming little heroes, and Patience is a very nice case for our mice to solve. The ending regarding Patience at least is pretty exciting and then satisfying. The writing was readable and detailed, and it was a little old-fashioned, but that was part of its charm.
I thought the illustrations in this one were a little better (read: less hairy). The Grand Duchess was appropriately horrendous and Patience looked fairly sweet.
This book featured a few more elements that were worked into Disney's first Rescuers movie (though it's still definitely its own story), and it was fun to see bits and pieces that were adapted to design the films' characters and plots. The story here was simple and not really complete, but it was still a pretty dramatic little read and refreshingly quite innocent, and it's good to see MFEO Miss Bianca and Bernard developed a little further. I would like to read the rest of the series one day, but that would require some doing since the out-of-print books are pretty hard to come by.
February 23, 2012
Miss Bianca was a very quick read but there's not much substance to the book. The book is nothing more than a slightly padded fairy story in some sort of ambiguous time where there are buses and horse drawn carriages (if the illustrations have any bearing on the story itself). Normally I enjoy Garth William's illustrations but here they were quite grotesque and over done. Oh well, the book will be off to it's next reader soon.
July 15, 2018
Miss Bianca is such a role model. She has panache. Joie de vivre. She is adroit. She exhibits espieglerie and elan. How many more French words do you need to describe her?
June 16, 2023
Rating: 5 / 5
Reading through this, I realize two things: 1) why it's necessary to incorporate elements of it into the Disney film, even though just the original The Rescuers has enough of a plot, and 2) that I love both books quite a lot!
Whereas TR was more adventurous, MB is more heartwarming, and really, that's just the charm of a story that focuses on mice as the main characters. In this edition, we of course see more of the inspiration behind the plot of the film, as the person needing to be rescued is Patience, a little girl held captive by the Diamond Duchess.
Now, the scale of the story seems a good deal smaller, as the palace of the Diamond Duchess is in fact in the city where the Prisoners' Aid Society is located, as opposed to how Miss Bianca practically had to travel the world in the previous book before even getting to the heart of her mission. Nay, this time she's in fact quite on her own for a good portion of the book, and it's here that the author relies once again on Miss Bianca's charm as her main asset. And, while I love the changes Disney made to the storyline, I also like the smaller plotline here as well.
It's a charm that simply has to be discovered when reading it, so I'll end off here to keep things spoiler free. Let's just say that this is a "gem" all its own, and that I really hope more people get around to reading this.
Reading through this, I realize two things: 1) why it's necessary to incorporate elements of it into the Disney film, even though just the original The Rescuers has enough of a plot, and 2) that I love both books quite a lot!
Whereas TR was more adventurous, MB is more heartwarming, and really, that's just the charm of a story that focuses on mice as the main characters. In this edition, we of course see more of the inspiration behind the plot of the film, as the person needing to be rescued is Patience, a little girl held captive by the Diamond Duchess.
Now, the scale of the story seems a good deal smaller, as the palace of the Diamond Duchess is in fact in the city where the Prisoners' Aid Society is located, as opposed to how Miss Bianca practically had to travel the world in the previous book before even getting to the heart of her mission. Nay, this time she's in fact quite on her own for a good portion of the book, and it's here that the author relies once again on Miss Bianca's charm as her main asset. And, while I love the changes Disney made to the storyline, I also like the smaller plotline here as well.
It's a charm that simply has to be discovered when reading it, so I'll end off here to keep things spoiler free. Let's just say that this is a "gem" all its own, and that I really hope more people get around to reading this.
August 1, 2024
Unless you really want the origin story, I recommend skipping The Rescuers and diving into this one. Fair warning: there are some gruesome elements in here. But the sexism is much milder and Bianca is much more empowered, capable, and likeable - more like the Disney version I grew up with.
April 28, 2012
Miss Bianca, Chairwoman of the Prisoners' Aid Society (a charitable mousy organization dedicated to the comfort of incarcerated humans), has a new project to suggest. The last daring adventure, the rescue of a Norwegian poet from the infamous Black Castle (pause for ominous music) was obviously a great ego boost to the mice, and they are consequently quite boisterous and full of themselves. Miss Bianca, waiting for the Society's latest meeting to come to order, muses that
"...their common adventure had given mice an unfortunate taste for flamboyance in welfare work. Not one, now, thought anything of sitting up to beg a prisoner's crumb - in the long run one of the most useful acts a mouse can perform. Crumb-begging, like waltzing in circles (even with a jailer outside the door), was regarded as mere National Service stuff, barely worth reporting on one's return from the regulation three weeks' duty..."
The new mission is the rescue of a little girl who is being held in an abusive situation by the wicked Grand Duchess in the magnificent but icy-cold Diamond Palace. Miss Bianca appeals to the Ladies Guild of the Society to assist her in the daring rescue, and of course things do not go as planned. Miss Bianca is left behind in the general rout of the rest of the mice when the Duchess' ladies-in-waiting, far from being tender creatures terrified of mice, turn out to be much more "hardened" than planned for!
This is a playful book; Margery Sharp indulged herself with a full flow of flowery and elaborate language, rather a challenge for young readers (but not necessarily a drawback), and the references are aimed rather at their elders over the heads of the child-audience; perhaps this was a book meant to be read aloud, with a nod to the parent as well as the child?
The villains in this little saga are properly villainous; the Duchess' black-hearted Major-Domo, Mandrake, has committed "...a very wicked crime, of which only the Duchess now had evidence..." and he is her willing (though cringingly obsequious) partner in crime. Even her two unkempt carriage horses "...had crimal records; each having once kicked a man to death..." And so on.
If the story has a flaw (and it does have a few, being a slight work in every sense of the word) it is that the parody and melodrama are a bit too "over the top" for perfect comfort. The wee prisoner, the aptly-named Patience, is the latest in a long line of small children the Duchess has enslaved and apparently killed (!) - though most children will shiver deliciously at the peril their two heroines find themselves in, my motherly brain says "Killed! Was that really necessary, dear author?!" And I don't think we ever do get the full story on how the Duchess obtained Patience in the first place.
Ah, well. To sum up: a diverting little parody of an adventure story. I think it should definitely follow The Rescuers to make more sense to the reader; it has a very sequel-ish feel to it, though it could stand alone if need be. Quite nicely written in a very flamboyant voice (to use Miss Bianca's own word); definitely not dumbed down to a younger audience vocabulary- or style-wise.
This book #2 in a series, the first four of which are illustrated by the incomparable Garth Williams. I believe all except the newly re-released The Rescuers (New York Review Books, 2011) are out-of-print. Some are very easy to find second-hand, but the more obscure later titles may require some serious online sleuthing.
■The Rescuers (1959)
■Miss Bianca (1962)
■The Turret (1963)
■Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines (1966)
■Miss Bianca in the Orient (1970)
■Miss Bianca in the Antarctic (1971)
■Miss Bianca and the Bridesmaid (1972)
■Bernard the Brave (1977)
■Bernard into Battle (1978)
Read-Aloud: I think so. Ages 6 and up, perhaps? The prisoner Patience is eight; much is made of her sad life and deceased predeccessors and bleeding fingers, but the tone is optimistic - this is, after all, why the child very much needs a heroic rescue! Neatly tied up happy ending, with the mice going off to their next adventure.
Read-Alone: Hmmm. Maybe 8 and up? Or a very strong younger reader. Definitely can be appreciated by an older readership (including adults); Margery Sharp was an accomplished social satirist and this story is full of her wry observations, though they often escalate into full-blown parody much more so than in her adult novels.
"...their common adventure had given mice an unfortunate taste for flamboyance in welfare work. Not one, now, thought anything of sitting up to beg a prisoner's crumb - in the long run one of the most useful acts a mouse can perform. Crumb-begging, like waltzing in circles (even with a jailer outside the door), was regarded as mere National Service stuff, barely worth reporting on one's return from the regulation three weeks' duty..."
The new mission is the rescue of a little girl who is being held in an abusive situation by the wicked Grand Duchess in the magnificent but icy-cold Diamond Palace. Miss Bianca appeals to the Ladies Guild of the Society to assist her in the daring rescue, and of course things do not go as planned. Miss Bianca is left behind in the general rout of the rest of the mice when the Duchess' ladies-in-waiting, far from being tender creatures terrified of mice, turn out to be much more "hardened" than planned for!
This is a playful book; Margery Sharp indulged herself with a full flow of flowery and elaborate language, rather a challenge for young readers (but not necessarily a drawback), and the references are aimed rather at their elders over the heads of the child-audience; perhaps this was a book meant to be read aloud, with a nod to the parent as well as the child?
The villains in this little saga are properly villainous; the Duchess' black-hearted Major-Domo, Mandrake, has committed "...a very wicked crime, of which only the Duchess now had evidence..." and he is her willing (though cringingly obsequious) partner in crime. Even her two unkempt carriage horses "...had crimal records; each having once kicked a man to death..." And so on.
If the story has a flaw (and it does have a few, being a slight work in every sense of the word) it is that the parody and melodrama are a bit too "over the top" for perfect comfort. The wee prisoner, the aptly-named Patience, is the latest in a long line of small children the Duchess has enslaved and apparently killed (!) - though most children will shiver deliciously at the peril their two heroines find themselves in, my motherly brain says "Killed! Was that really necessary, dear author?!" And I don't think we ever do get the full story on how the Duchess obtained Patience in the first place.
Ah, well. To sum up: a diverting little parody of an adventure story. I think it should definitely follow The Rescuers to make more sense to the reader; it has a very sequel-ish feel to it, though it could stand alone if need be. Quite nicely written in a very flamboyant voice (to use Miss Bianca's own word); definitely not dumbed down to a younger audience vocabulary- or style-wise.
This book #2 in a series, the first four of which are illustrated by the incomparable Garth Williams. I believe all except the newly re-released The Rescuers (New York Review Books, 2011) are out-of-print. Some are very easy to find second-hand, but the more obscure later titles may require some serious online sleuthing.
■The Rescuers (1959)
■Miss Bianca (1962)
■The Turret (1963)
■Miss Bianca in the Salt Mines (1966)
■Miss Bianca in the Orient (1970)
■Miss Bianca in the Antarctic (1971)
■Miss Bianca and the Bridesmaid (1972)
■Bernard the Brave (1977)
■Bernard into Battle (1978)
Read-Aloud: I think so. Ages 6 and up, perhaps? The prisoner Patience is eight; much is made of her sad life and deceased predeccessors and bleeding fingers, but the tone is optimistic - this is, after all, why the child very much needs a heroic rescue! Neatly tied up happy ending, with the mice going off to their next adventure.
Read-Alone: Hmmm. Maybe 8 and up? Or a very strong younger reader. Definitely can be appreciated by an older readership (including adults); Margery Sharp was an accomplished social satirist and this story is full of her wry observations, though they often escalate into full-blown parody much more so than in her adult novels.
November 3, 2020
AKU BARU TAU KALO THE RESCUERS ITU DIADAPTASI DARI BUKU!!
//ngebutbaca (✧ω✧)
The Rescuers adalah film kartun masa aku anak-anak (≧◡≦) Dulu punya buku saku yang banyak gambar-gambar dari filmnya. Beneran baru tau kalau aslinya dari novel berseri~ untungnya ngga bersambung.
Yang ini mengisahkan saat Miss Bianca, ketua dari Prisoners' Aid Society -- sebuah kelompok tikus-tikus yang beramal dengan menemani para tahanan di penjara (dengan catatan, tentu tikusnya bebas keluar masuk penjara) -- menemukan bahwa ada seorang anak yatim piatu yang diculik dan dijadikan pembantu di sebuah kastil milik nyonya bangsawan jahat. Selain hobi menculik anak, nyonya ini juga hobi mengumpulkan penjahat buron untuk dijadikan pelayan ^^; bangsawan berselera rendah~
Aku suka cara berceritanya yang menganggap pembacanya bisa anak-anak, bisa pula orang dewasa. Atau mungkin Ms. Sharp, penulisnya, menganggap anak-anak pembaca karyanya sebagai manusia seutuhnya, sehingga tulisannya terasa sederhana sekaligus tidak sederhana o(≧▽≦)o terasa mengajarkan sesuatu tapi tidak terasa menggurui.
Petualangan Miss Bianca ditemani oleh Bernard, sekretaris Prisoners' Aid Society ☆ ～('▽^人) uwu~
//ngebutbaca (✧ω✧)The Rescuers adalah film kartun masa aku anak-anak (≧◡≦) Dulu punya buku saku yang banyak gambar-gambar dari filmnya. Beneran baru tau kalau aslinya dari novel berseri~ untungnya ngga bersambung.
Yang ini mengisahkan saat Miss Bianca, ketua dari Prisoners' Aid Society -- sebuah kelompok tikus-tikus yang beramal dengan menemani para tahanan di penjara (dengan catatan, tentu tikusnya bebas keluar masuk penjara) -- menemukan bahwa ada seorang anak yatim piatu yang diculik dan dijadikan pembantu di sebuah kastil milik nyonya bangsawan jahat. Selain hobi menculik anak, nyonya ini juga hobi mengumpulkan penjahat buron untuk dijadikan pelayan ^^; bangsawan berselera rendah~
Aku suka cara berceritanya yang menganggap pembacanya bisa anak-anak, bisa pula orang dewasa. Atau mungkin Ms. Sharp, penulisnya, menganggap anak-anak pembaca karyanya sebagai manusia seutuhnya, sehingga tulisannya terasa sederhana sekaligus tidak sederhana o(≧▽≦)o terasa mengajarkan sesuatu tapi tidak terasa menggurui.
Petualangan Miss Bianca ditemani oleh Bernard, sekretaris Prisoners' Aid Society ☆ ～('▽^人) uwu~
November 30, 2015
This fairy tale harkens back to the days when everything wasn't quite PC or pleasant as Disney would have us believe. I doubt very much that any of the movies that they might have made concerning The Rescuers would have contained the grisly ending of any of the old Duchess' servants. I am particularly fond of the original Grimm's fairy tales, so this was actually somewhat familiar to me. We had purchased this series for our young daughter, and along with her Roald Dahl books, we feel that they will give her the correct notion that the world is not a jolly happy place full of rainbows and unicorns. Sometimes it's a hurtful place and one has to be careful. This tale fits right in with that lesson, as well as being an enjoyable adventure that flowed to a happy ending despite itself.
September 1, 2019
Definitely more exciting plotline than the first. Margery Sharp's writing is linguistically rich, elegant, witty, and probably significantly more challenging than most books of this length marketed to an elementary audience. A few gruesome elements may also make it a bit much for the more sensitive reader. I may have done a couple of slight rephrasings as I read it aloud to my 8 and 6 year olds. Nevertheless a very fun little adventure.
August 3, 2009
Rachel, Josh, and I loved this book. (Josh gives it 6 stars) The book is about Bernard and Bianca rescuing a little girl who's been kidnapped, but those are the only similarities to the Disney version of "The Rescuers." (No crocodiles or Madame Medusa in the book) The writing is great, the Garth Williams illustrations are adorable, and the story is exciting. Perfect read-aloud!
March 24, 2014
It was so cute!
I thought it was funny how the women tried to be heros but in the end, neither they nor the men were of any help haha
it was all up to Miss Bianca with her "knight in shining armor" coming to help at the end.
Poor Bernard is sooo underappreciated haha I love him, though!
And I found the ending for the girl satisfying. :)
Good read, I really enjoyed it.
I thought it was funny how the women tried to be heros but in the end, neither they nor the men were of any help haha
it was all up to Miss Bianca with her "knight in shining armor" coming to help at the end.
Poor Bernard is sooo underappreciated haha I love him, though!
And I found the ending for the girl satisfying. :)
Good read, I really enjoyed it.
September 8, 2014
Just as cute as the first one. Although 'The Rescuers Down Under' was Disney's own storyline, I wanted to read this since it enhances the Bianca character and the animators built on it. And of course, I had to dig around for the version with Garth William's illustrations. On to Beauty and the Beast...to the 90's! Heck, I'm even alive for this release!
April 21, 2008
Charming, though sentimental, story of very brave mice. This is a sequel to "The Rescuers." The art by Garth Williams simply delights me. (You'll recognize his work from Charlotte's Web and Little House.)
July 29, 2010
an all time favorite from childhood, can't wait to read it to my daughter. Luckily, I found a copy at the SPL booksale a few years back.
Why, oh why are the Miss Bianca books still out of print?!?!!?
Why, oh why are the Miss Bianca books still out of print?!?!!?
June 9, 2016
Adorable, as usual! Such a pleasure to read. They say that this was the one that formed the basis of the movie, but it's quite a loose adaptation. Don't read this one thinking you'll be reading the movie.
May 16, 2018
Very satisfying, if somewhat short further adventure of Miss Bianca and her faithful companion, Bernard.
Some truly blood thirsty and terrifying details. Not sure that this would be a good read aloud for a younger or sensitive child.
Some truly blood thirsty and terrifying details. Not sure that this would be a good read aloud for a younger or sensitive child.
April 16, 2022
I didn't think this one was quite as fun and original as Book 1 in the series but I still enjoyed this read. You can definitely see where Disney gathered up his ideas when reading Book #2 in the series.
May 6, 2009
Romantic Victorian Gothic Thriller Adventure. . . with mice. Wonderful, but the series gets better from here.
May 24, 2010
Another funny, swiftly paced, and engaging tale from Margery Sharp. WHY ARE THESE BOOKS OUT OF PRINT?!
August 14, 2010
When I read this, there was no Disney version.
February 2, 2011
As a child, I loved this book, and I still love it now. Charming and memorable characters--and the beautiful illustrations!
June 16, 2025
This story has less action than The Rescuers, but it is a pleasant and quick read.
October 18, 2025
Miss Bianca, left to her own devices, triumphs with charm, bravery, and a stellar vocabulary!
Word I learned:
silacrum
farinaceous
bagatelle
Word I learned:
silacrum
farinaceous
bagatelle
February 22, 2015
Thanks to a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift, I've been revisiting one of my favorite childhood book series - the Miss Bianca series by Margery Sharp. After seeing the 1977 Disney film based on these books (The Rescuers), I got the first 5 books as Christmas and birthday gifts and nearly read the words off the pages. While my original copies are probably long gone, my husband found copies of the Dell Yearling paperbacks with the Garth Williams illustrations, and I spent a couple pleasant hours reacquainting myself with the stories.
The 1977 animated Disney film owes a bit more to this book than the one it shares a title with, as both feature a young orphan girl being the object of rescue from a cruel, rich woman obsessed with diamonds.
But instead of being set in the swamps, the orphan Patience (not Penny) is held by the evil Diamond Duchess in her palace, and then in a remote hunting lodge, from which Bernard and Miss Bianca must free her, with an exciting bloodhound chase providing the climax of the story. I remember thinking the clockwork ladies in waiting were kind of creepy as a child; now I see them as a steampunk element!
There's definitely a formula to these books; but the details of each prisoners' situation, along with the trials and tribulations the two mice face, manage to keep things somewhat fresh. Miss Bianca is easily the star of these novels, with Bernard playing the (usually) loyal sidekick. The supporting cast of characters vary from book to book, but are sufficiently well-drawn to fulfill their roles. The objects of rescue are a little less-well-defined; and the villains are also somewhat two-dimensional. The Garth Williams illustrations are utterly charming and add to the book's appeal.
The style of writing is a bit dated, and rather British at times; but its gentle humour and generally engaging plotlines make these books good candidates for late elementary readers who enjoy "talking animal" stories with a bit of adventure thrown in. Miss Bianca is a fairly good role model; despite being a mouse of class and breeding, she demonstrates intelligence, loyalty and bravery throughout the series. I quite enjoyed revisiting this series and may pass them along to my nieces (and/or nephews) at some point.
The 1977 animated Disney film owes a bit more to this book than the one it shares a title with, as both feature a young orphan girl being the object of rescue from a cruel, rich woman obsessed with diamonds.
But instead of being set in the swamps, the orphan Patience (not Penny) is held by the evil Diamond Duchess in her palace, and then in a remote hunting lodge, from which Bernard and Miss Bianca must free her, with an exciting bloodhound chase providing the climax of the story. I remember thinking the clockwork ladies in waiting were kind of creepy as a child; now I see them as a steampunk element!
There's definitely a formula to these books; but the details of each prisoners' situation, along with the trials and tribulations the two mice face, manage to keep things somewhat fresh. Miss Bianca is easily the star of these novels, with Bernard playing the (usually) loyal sidekick. The supporting cast of characters vary from book to book, but are sufficiently well-drawn to fulfill their roles. The objects of rescue are a little less-well-defined; and the villains are also somewhat two-dimensional. The Garth Williams illustrations are utterly charming and add to the book's appeal.
The style of writing is a bit dated, and rather British at times; but its gentle humour and generally engaging plotlines make these books good candidates for late elementary readers who enjoy "talking animal" stories with a bit of adventure thrown in. Miss Bianca is a fairly good role model; despite being a mouse of class and breeding, she demonstrates intelligence, loyalty and bravery throughout the series. I quite enjoyed revisiting this series and may pass them along to my nieces (and/or nephews) at some point.
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