The Church Mice Take a Break

The Church Mice #12

by Graham Oakley

Humphrey, one of the Church Mice, decides that it is time they took a break from their busy lives. So when the parson sets out for his seaside holiday, he is also carrying some stowaways. Sampson, the cat and the mice are fine while the weather holds out and the natives are friendly, but then the parson goes home without them!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

25 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Graham Oakley is a children's book author and illustrator, most active during the 1960s to 1980s. He is best known for the Church Mice series and also illustrated many book covers in the 60s.

For the current UK author of children's books at Top That! press see Graham Oakley.

Reviews

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final book in the Church Mice series (I think also Graham Oakley's final book in general), so pretty important. The drawings feel a little different now, which is to be expected considering how many years have passed since the first book. Some of the mice decide to go on holiday to the seaside and blackmail Sampson into coming along as their bodyguard. As usual, everything goes wrong and as usual the mice are extremely demonstrative about it while Sampson does his best to ignore them. It's a really fun edition and works well as the end to their story. I'm very glad to say that mine is a signed copy. I've never known an author/illustrator who could hit it out of the park so often. Every book is a mini masterpiece, sublimely combining visual splendour with silliness and wit. This is one of the books where I can't stop giggling at certain illustrations.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trip to the sea

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday plans for the mice and Sampson go awry when the Vicar is suddenly called back to the parish leaving the mice and Sampson stranded on the beach. Can a fossil fish save them? Only if they can recover it from Sugar Plum and Honey Pie's yacht!

[Lucy Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sad that this is the last one in the series! Funny to see that the church vestry roof fundraising campaign is still going on.

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found in an op shop, read it, laughed; love the tongue-in-cheek humour.