Shadow over Mousehaven Manor

Mousehaven Manor #1

by Mary Deball Kwitz

Minabell Mouse's animal friends come to her rescue when she becomes ensnarled with the Prairie Pirates, a gang of vicious rats determined to take over the mouse family's ancestral home, Mousehaven Manor.

Genres: Animal Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Chase Parnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blast from the past. This was one of my favorite books as a kid. Mom passed it off to me at Christmas. Will read to Dash someday. Quick fun read.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing Christmas/New Year's mystery enjoyed by every 8 year old I have shared it with! I bought this book to read to my class after years of insistence from my husband, who was still in love with it after it was read to him when he was 8. There are quite a few details that are missed by anyone who is not rather intimately familiar with the state of Illinois, but who doesn't love field mice and weasels going up against Chicago Rats! Great December read aloud without any religious tie-ins, it just happens to take place around Christmas.


Minabelle Mouse is sent a letter from her Aunt and new husband asking her to come join them at the Mouse Estate to tend to her favorite and sick Aunt. But she must remember to BRING THE WILL!!! As soon as Minabelle starts packing, and goes to retrieve THE WILL, her house collapses! OH NO! (Yes, it's all that obvious, but it's a kid's mystery book, what were you expecting?) No she has no choice but to continue on to her Aunt's, as she has no where to live.
On the way, she almost gets spotted by a troop of CHICAGO RATS! But is saved by Secret Agent Wendell Weasel. Yes, you read that correctly! This is when this pastoral, bucolic, 1880-ish book gets brought into the 21st century.
With the help of Wendell's gadgets and information, Minabelle continues to the family estate and finds that her Aunt's new husband is none other than the leader of the...CHICAGO RATS! (Yep, it's a kid's book.) Aunty isn't even sick! She's just being held captive in her own house! Wendell, Minabelle, and a flock of bats - who don't like rats either, and have always been living on the estate- work together to outwit the rats and capture the leader- who was never actually legally married to Aunty (I don't think). Everyone cleans the estate and has a lovely New Year's!

This is a great book to get kids into chapter reading. There is a good amount of action to keep everyone excited, but there is enough emotion to keep more sensitive children invested. It's a bit of a longer book, but there are enough twists, turns, and surprises to keep kids reading. Overall, it's a great book, and my 32 year old husband still considers it one of the best fiction books he's ever encountered.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cure story that I’m passing it on to my grandkids. Minabell mouses roof caves in. Then she gets a letter from uncle telling her to come quickly with her aunts will. Minabell and her friends needs to save her aunt quickly.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-reading some childhood books.

[Carol Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an adorable book.


I don't normally read books that I know are going to be seen through the eyes of an animal. Only because most tend to be really sad or their friends die. I am an animal lover and am really empathetic but this wasn't one of those books. While there was a death in the book it was done to a character that none of the characters in the story know of.

Annabelle mouse was always comfortable in her little home, now that it was the holidays and her aunt Pitty Pat was supposed to show she was getting everything ready. The only trouble was aunt Pitty Pat wasn't coming. She was still at Mousehaven Manor, she wasn't ignoring her only relative she just couldn't get there. See what Annabelle didn't know was that her aunt Pitty Pat was locked away in the dungeon by the Chicago rats and it was up to her to save her.

I really liked Annabelle she was a timid character sorta like myself but when she felt she was right, she stood her ground. She takes a long journey to save her aunt and meets some interesting characters along the way. She learns to appreciate her aunt Pitty Pats songs and lessons she has taught her through the years. Another lesson she learns is to listen to her friends when they give her advice.

Through this adventure it shows little ones to care for others as they would for you especially family and even new friends. I think this is the perfect story to read to little ones just before the holidays. Make it an adventure all your own, reading a couple chapters a night will keep them interested with thoughts of "What will happen next?"

[Tshana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books. I have read it more than once, several times as an adult. I always appreciate fables where the animals talk. Kwitz has the ability to draw the reader into the story with her simple but effective language. I could feel the warmth of Minabell's homw before it was destroyed; the coldness and sense of foreboding as she traveled the interstate; and Minabell's injured patriotism when she saw the skull and crossbones hung on the statue of her national hero. Although it is a children's book, it can be enjoyed by person's of any age.

[Partridge Public]

Kwitz, Mary Deball PB

[Miss Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

gr 4-6 160 pages


Animal, Fantasy. Mice. Minabell Mouse leaves her home after receiving a mysterious message about her aunt at Mousehaven Manor.