Pleasant Fieldmouse

Pleasant Fieldmouse

by Jan Wahl, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)

Lovable Pleasant Fieldmouse and his woodland friends engage in a series of whimsical, entertaining forest adventures--from planning picnics to performing heroic deeds. Reissue. Simultaneous.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Chapter Books, Animals

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Jan Wahl was an American author best known for his imaginative and influential children’s books, which combined wit, warmth and a deep respect for young readers. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Wahl showed artistic promise early, performing piano on children’s radio programs and appearing on stage alongside legendary magician Harry Blackstone Sr. He studied at Cornell University, where he took classes with Vladimir Nabokov, and continued his education in Europe as a Fulbright scholar before completing graduate studies in the United States.
Wahl began publishing children’s books in the mid-1960s and quickly became a prolific and celebrated voice in the field, ultimately writing more than 120 works. Titles such as Pleasant Fieldmouse, The Furious Flycycle and Humphrey’s Bear earned him a devoted readership and critical acclaim. His stories were frequently illustrated by major artists, including Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak and Mercer Mayer, and were praised for their playful tone, emotional intelligence and sense of empowerment.
Beyond writing, Wahl led an unusually rich cultural life, working with filmmakers, writers and artists, lecturing widely on film history and literature, and maintaining close ties to both the literary and cinematic worlds.

Reviews

[Angie Rizzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fun and lovely story!

[Mariana Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant Fieldmouse é um livro de Jan Wahl publicado em 1964 e ilustrado por Maurice Sendak. É um livrinho engraçado sobre um ratinho do campo chamado Pleasant Fieldmouse, muito optimista e generoso, e sobre os animais da floresta que convivem com ele, como Mrs. Worry-Wind Hedgehog, Haunted Beaver, Anxious Squirrel…

O livro reúne uma pequena colecção de contos, aventuras curtas que os miúdos mais crescidos já conseguirão ler sozinhos, ou que podem ler com os pais. Não achei as histórias particularmente interessantes (e achei uma muito triste, sem encontrar sentido ou beleza nessa tristeza). É um livrito ok, mas que não irei ler duas vezes, nem recomendar a uma criança. É impossível não comparar o género de contexto destes animais falantes ao mundo de Beatrix Potter… e fazendo-o, estas personagens parecem desprovidas de cor e brilho, por comparação. Talvez me esteja a escapar qualquer coisa, pois é um livro adorado em todo o mundo, mas não me cativou. É talvez salvo pelas ilustrações a preto e branco de Maurice Sendak.

[Suyen HU · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amusing story with several very funny bits, and though it seems silly it is actually quite clever and the whole story shows profound meanings and ideas for life. It’s a lovely story, telling us to be positive. If you already know the worst then things can only get better.

[Jessalyn Plant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very cute characters and stories in here.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, quaint stories like Hedgehog Pie and A Guest in the Rose fill this short chapter book. Maurice Sendak fills the book with pen-and-ink drawings. Great for parents to read to their children and for 2 or 3 grade readers.

[Kathryn]

All I needed to see was the hedgehog on the cover!!! :-)

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the animals' stories as well as the illustrations. This would be a perfect tiered choice for advanced primary students to read as their classmates read the "frog and toad" stories.