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Mouse House
From picture-book genius John Burningham comes a whimsical new story about home, hope, and the convivial wisdom of children.
Every night, a family — a mom, dad, boy, and girl — have supper and go to bed. But they’re not alone. Every night, after that family is asleep, a secret mouse family emerges to find food for their supper, and the mouse children start to play. Then one night it happens: the boy spots a mouse, and his father calls the mouse catcher. Concerned, the children write a note to the mice (“your lives are in danger”), and the mouse family flees to the backyard, where the boy and girl leave tiny swings and a trampoline they’ve made for the mice to play on. But as winter approaches and the children no longer see the mice frolicking outside in the evenings, they start to wonder. Where could the mice have gone?
Every night, a family — a mom, dad, boy, and girl — have supper and go to bed. But they’re not alone. Every night, after that family is asleep, a secret mouse family emerges to find food for their supper, and the mouse children start to play. Then one night it happens: the boy spots a mouse, and his father calls the mouse catcher. Concerned, the children write a note to the mice (“your lives are in danger”), and the mouse family flees to the backyard, where the boy and girl leave tiny swings and a trampoline they’ve made for the mice to play on. But as winter approaches and the children no longer see the mice frolicking outside in the evenings, they start to wonder. Where could the mice have gone?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2017
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
John Burningham
163 books106 followershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bur...
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 2, 2018
A mouse family live happily in a human family's home. One night the child sees a mouse and tells their parents. Dad instantly calls for the mouse catcher, and fearing for the mouse family's safety the children write the mice a letter to warn them. The mice move to the end of the garden and the children make some swings and a trampoline for them. Seasons change and one day the children realise the mice have gone. They are sad to see them go without even a chance to say goodbye, but Lovely illustrations and a gentle, humorous story, as you would expect from John Burningham.
July 18, 2019
Lovely story about a mouse family living in a human family's house and how the children try to help them. Lovely colourful illustrations. Suitable for KS1 children.
February 13, 2022
Sweet story about helping a family of mice stay safe. The watercolor illustrations added to the book’s charm and appeal.
May 21, 2019
I wish I could see mice as sweet and cute as children's fictional picture books portray them. The family in this book have a normal routine of dinner and bedtime. But when the little boy sees a mouse and tells his mother, her reaction is exactly the same as mine whenever I become aware of the presence of mice - I can't have it! At any rate, the children in the story warn the mouse family that they're in danger and they leave the house immediately to live in the backyard. The children make playtoys for the mouse and enjoy watching them play. But when the seasons change and winter comes along, then where will the mice go? I think we know... But young readers will be pleased with the way things turn out in this book. This is definitely a cute one to share with kids and would be good way to practice making predictions as one reads. It also might inspire young writers to create stories about the different families that might be sharing their homes.
December 18, 2018
An endearing story of a two families - a human one and a mouse one, that share the same house. When a mouse is seen the children help the family escape to the garden and build play equipment for them. But when winter arrives things need to change. Burningham's evocative watercolour illustrations capture facial expressions and mood effectively - as usual - he is a master at presenting active and engaging characters. Large sized font, short sentences and supporting illustrations will encourage beginning readers to attempt to read themselves.
The playground equipment, made from straws, tape and bits and pieces, provides a stimulus for STEAM activities.
The playground equipment, made from straws, tape and bits and pieces, provides a stimulus for STEAM activities.
January 12, 2019
Love these illustrations with lots of white space, the light tones of color, and yes, the faces of the mouse family. The storyline line of the mouse family living vs.the family is age old and actually real for many residing in older housing. Even the absence of the mice family during warmer months is spot on. What human family member will quietly aid the mouse family? Great edition to the many mouse stories found in children’s picture books.
Burningham, a noted English author and illustrator of picture books continues to have what it takes to create wonderful story art. Well done once again.
Burningham, a noted English author and illustrator of picture books continues to have what it takes to create wonderful story art. Well done once again.
April 30, 2019
I've been reading John Burningham's books for a long time and when I found out he had died, I was sad, but began re-reading some old favorites, like Mr. Gumpy's Outing. Then I found this one at the library, only two years old, a story of mice in a house and the children who also live there. One night, one of the boys sees a mouse and calls attention to it. Immediately, the father calls 'the mouse catcher'. The children write a note to the mouse family that they're in danger, they must flee. It's a simple story of kindness, with Burningham's simple and delightful text and illustrations. One illustration shows a boy going to bed with a book to read. That book is Borka, another favorite!
March 18, 2019
Mouse House by John Burningham. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2017. $17.00. 9781536200393
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
There is a little house where a family lives. Inside their little house, another family makes its home. A mouse family. The mouse family stays hidden and quiet until the human family goes to sleep. One night a child sees one of the mice and tells his parents. The parents quickly call a mouse catcher. Worried that the mice might be harmed, the children leave a note of warning to the little furry friends. Heeding the warning, the mouse family head outside to live. The children love to watch the mouse children play and soon fashion toys and swings for them to use. Winter soon comes and the mouse family seemingly disappear. Then one night, a child sees a mouse in their house. But this time, the boy doesn't say a word.
This is an endearing story about an unlikely friendship between two children and a family of mice. Burningham's illustrations add a fun and classical feel to the the tale. Although this isn't my favorite mouse story, it is still one worth having.
Gina, Media Specialist
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
There is a little house where a family lives. Inside their little house, another family makes its home. A mouse family. The mouse family stays hidden and quiet until the human family goes to sleep. One night a child sees one of the mice and tells his parents. The parents quickly call a mouse catcher. Worried that the mice might be harmed, the children leave a note of warning to the little furry friends. Heeding the warning, the mouse family head outside to live. The children love to watch the mouse children play and soon fashion toys and swings for them to use. Winter soon comes and the mouse family seemingly disappear. Then one night, a child sees a mouse in their house. But this time, the boy doesn't say a word.
This is an endearing story about an unlikely friendship between two children and a family of mice. Burningham's illustrations add a fun and classical feel to the the tale. Although this isn't my favorite mouse story, it is still one worth having.
Gina, Media Specialist
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
September 17, 2021
This one was fairly unremarkable, except that my annoying parent side is like "do i really want to tell a kid it's a good idea not to mention mouse in the house to their parents?" But all in all a silly, inoffensive story about some kids who see a mouse family in their house, the mice get chased away by an exterminator (in a non-scary way) end up hanging out outside and then when it gets cold, come back in. My four year old enjoyed it while we were reading it but otherwise seemed neutral toward it.
August 25, 2023
Playing with the mouse children? A human boy and girl playing every night with the mouse children?
That wouldn't have been my idea of a good time, outside a fantasy picture book. Not when I was that young. And not now, either.
However, it's sweet how the unnamed main characters, the kids, make things for the mice to play on, like a trampoline.
And bittersweet is the ending. No spoiler from me, Goodreaders, no no.
Just FIVE STARS for the excellent narration and the clever drawings, both by John Burningham.
That wouldn't have been my idea of a good time, outside a fantasy picture book. Not when I was that young. And not now, either.
However, it's sweet how the unnamed main characters, the kids, make things for the mice to play on, like a trampoline.
And bittersweet is the ending. No spoiler from me, Goodreaders, no no.
Just FIVE STARS for the excellent narration and the clever drawings, both by John Burningham.
October 4, 2025
Lovely writing and illustrations, all praise John Burningham.
The mice live alongside the humans, borrowers style. The Dad could have given a better explanation for why they needed to get rid of them than 'if we didn't then they would be everywhere.' Even S, who is 2, put pressure on this logic. I expanded with 'they poo on the kitchen table' and 'they eat the avocados at the exact moment they ripen'.
The children write the mice a charming note warning them their lives are in danger and then there's a wartime evacuation esque spread of the mice fleeing with their belongings...
S liked the play things the children made for the mice. Dicey moment when he wanted to know where the picture of the slide I was reading about was and I didn't know but then we turned the page and it was there. Very exciting.
The mice live alongside the humans, borrowers style. The Dad could have given a better explanation for why they needed to get rid of them than 'if we didn't then they would be everywhere.' Even S, who is 2, put pressure on this logic. I expanded with 'they poo on the kitchen table' and 'they eat the avocados at the exact moment they ripen'.
The children write the mice a charming note warning them their lives are in danger and then there's a wartime evacuation esque spread of the mice fleeing with their belongings...
S liked the play things the children made for the mice. Dicey moment when he wanted to know where the picture of the slide I was reading about was and I didn't know but then we turned the page and it was there. Very exciting.
October 18, 2018
A very sweet story! Mostly it's just a charming tale about the mice and the children, but it could also be used to introduce the concept of consequences, or even tattling (when the focus is on telling someone about behavior that *isn't harmful,* which...with real mice....gets a bit sticky...).
October 30, 2018
The kids in the house warn the mice about the mice catcher and get them out of the house to save their lives, then build playground equipment for the mice. Cute, but I don't really want my kids to want mice in the house...
September 1, 2018
Children help the mouse family who shares their home.
October 15, 2018
A mouse family shares a house with a people family until the little boy notices and the father decides to call the exterminator. Uh oh! The children warn the mice and everything turns out A-ok.
January 30, 2019
The Burningham charm is present here, and the child's view of creatures in the house even smaller than him or her. Interesting to see the free mix of illustration styles in the same story.
January 2, 2020
Children, if there are mice in the house, DO say something. Tell your parents.
January 25, 2020
This adorable story about a mouse family who come out at night after the human residents go to sleep is sure to be a hit with the preschool crowd. One of my favourite stories by John Burningham.
July 25, 2020
Very nice story, about caring for others. Even if they don’t belong. Everyone has to live somewhere
September 19, 2022
A cute book about a human family, a mouse family, and what happens when they discover each other.
August 9, 2024
A human family lives in a house, but unknown to them there is a mouse family that lives with them. After being spotted, the mice lives are in danger, but they are warned by the human children. What will become of the mouse family?
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews