Tom Mouse

by Ursula K. Le Guin, Julie Downing (Illustrator)

When a hobo rat tells Tom Mouse tales of travel, he boards a train headed for Chicago -- and an adventure in a world that's big and scary and exciting and beautiful. From a much-lauded and best-selling author, Tom Mouse is a tale of a mouse, a train, and a woman with a pocketful of surprises.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite of Le Guin's picture books....I love the details in this story about Tom, a mouse setting of to ride the rails, and become friends with the passenger whose roomette he finds himself sharing. She's an old, African American woman, treated with respect and clear a strong minded person who does not panic when she meets Tom, but instead sees him as a feel lover of adventure and the beauty of the world. I gave it five stars even though I'm not personally pro mouse, having Issues of my own with them at the moment.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could gush about Ursula K Le Guin for hours. Her novels and her essays and her poetry and her lectures are all filled with warmth and with wisdom. Tom Mouse is no exception. This is a little book with a great heft of love and meaning brimming between its pages. Julie Downing’s illustrations are as warm, as soft, as comforting as pressing into the familiar weight of a well-loved blanket. Paired with Le Guin’s cozy wording, the effect quickens in the heart and breathes childlike wonder into being. This book felt like going home.

She makes it look so easy.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le Guin gives us another charming tale. Instead of cats, this one is about a mouse who yearns to travel. His adventures aboard a train are not exactly what he expects and his new friend is someone who will change his life forever. Le Guin is, as always, a master of characterization and narrative. This short story should delight children of any age.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little story of a nomadic mouse 🐭 who finds a friend with whom to travel the world. Delightfully illustrated too.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

that was cute and sweet and I enjoyed it and it could benefit from some better illustrations.

[Anneke Alnatour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story, great representation, and it is just a very, very good story. Lovely!

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad Tom found Ms. Powers and that she was able to see how special he was and offered him a home.

[Carol Brannock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Mouse by Ursula K. LeGuin attracted me to the cover and the illustrations as I flipped through the book. Immediately the reader meets Tom Mouse and a hobo rat by the freight train tracks. Tom dreamed of traveling and the hobo rat told him "all you need to do is do it! Hop on the next train and it will take you to California and bring you back to Chicago!! Tom was afraid, but he did it! And, on his journey he observed people who would shriek loudly when they saw a mouse!! And he would be reported to the train porter. He knew the results of that would not end well for him.

But, luckily he found himself in the closet of a woman who was riding on the train. He hid well and found a few crumbs in the closet. Then, he jumps into the coat pocket of the woman's coat hung in the closet to stay warm!! The lady soon sees evidence of Tom Mouse, but she smiles and continues to make sure he has food left in her pocket; and she deters anyone seeing him.
This is a WOW book for me because I love illustrated children's books and when animals talk to humans!! There is a sharing of ideas when this happens and inspires my imagination. This book is recommended for grades 3-5. Even though I am not an elementary school teacher, I can see assigning a product that would involve technology that students could use like Prezi to create and animate their own interactive story between animals and humans. Voci is another technological tool I believe would be appropriate for students to use at this age. Some might aspire to use iMovie because the back story line is provided for them.

This relationship of rescue and friendship turns into an adventuresome and happy journey for the lonely old lady and Tom Mouse!! Tom gets to San Francisco safely, but you should read the book to find out if he makes it back to hobo rat and Chicago! You will find humor, love, caring, and adventure as you travel with him and the lonely woman as they become best of friends. This is a touching fable that teaches many lessons along the tracks.

Carol

[Jen]

(2002) After talking to a hobo rat who describes the excitement of a traveling life, Tom Mouse yearns to explore beyond the hole in the wall of the train station diner he calls home. He boards a train and sneaks into Roomette Nine where he meets an old woman and fellow traveler named Ms. Powers. She invites Tom to be her traveling companion around the world and he accepts.

[Rose]

JP LeGuin

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

a mouse and traveling. ..my kind of book