A timeless tale of courage, friendship and fighting for what you believe in, Umbrella Mouse to the Rescue is the eagerly anticipated sequel to Anna Fargher's award-winning The Umbrella Mouse, based on the true stories of the heroic animals caught in the conflict of WWII.
Young mouse Pip Hanway is in France as she continues fighting for the French Resistance group Noah's Ark: a secret gang of animals operating beneath the feet of human soldiers, whose aim is to liberate France and secure the victory of the Allies. Determined to reach her ancestral home of the Umbrella Museum in Italy, Pip hopes she can find long-lost family and a home. But as Pip makes the perilous journey through occupied territory, she soon realizes that danger comes from all sides and that the enemy is all around, and she does everything she can to fight for her friends.
Beautifully illustrated by Sam Usher, Pip will take you on an incredible journey through a war that reaches even the smallest of creatures.
I enjoy a good, rollicking adventure particularly in a children's book and this completely met my expectations!
I haven't read The Umbrella Mouse, which is the first part and I wasn't aware that this was a sequel. Although it didn't take away my enjoyment of the book, there were some parts where I wished I had more of a background.
I haven't read a children's book set plum in the middle of WWII, and I found that angle quite interesting. I thought it was a unique way to explore themes of friendship and bravery that make the book such a delightful read along with utterly lovable, sweet characters like Pip and GI Joe.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This feels like a cute read… seeing as we follow a mouse kitten, Pip. But it is so much more than that. It is a great adventure story that perfectly captures the horrors of War and highlights courage, sacrifice, family and friends.
The story sets of almost immediately after the end of the first book, and no time is wasted to drop us straight back into action. Noah’s Ark sabotages its way towards Paris, where it helps the resistance towards liberation. We follow our beloved characters from the first book (those who survived at least), but also meet a great cast of new friends. Pip is a great protagonist, and she really shows her growth in this book. The author did every character justice, choosing the right animals and using their personal strengths and weaknesses to make each a unique and well-rounded character.
This book is so well-researched, and the fact that it is filled with ‘real-life’ characters makes it even more special for me. There could easily be a third book in this series (which I would happily read), but the epilogue does bring it to a lovely conclusion.
Absolutely lovely story of animals working for the French Resistance. While this is the last adventure of Pip the mouse and her friends, I will watch out for other books by Anna Fargher. My only regret is I don't have children in my life, old enough to share these books with. 5 stars
Another thrilling war story, with resistance hunters, daring missions and the liberation of Paris, all told through lovely (and occasionally scary) little creatures. One of the best things about the Umbrella Mouse stories is that they are 'proper' war stories, seeped in that old fashioned war movie style, telling tales of a rebel band operating boldly behind enemy lines and swaying the results of the war. The twist, of course, is that they're animals and none of the humans fighting are aware of the part they play.
I loved the very tangible sense of peril, the emotions, the excitement. This story really ramped up the tension with thoughts of loved ones, in hiding, and in very real risk if the enemy manages to find them.
The characters are brilliant and really make you feel for them and the dilemmas the war has thrown at them. There's so much complexity to them, with fears and concerns, the occasional betrayal, rivalries and alliances. They really come to life very effectively. They feel like three dimensional characters, with all of the flaws and potential of any human antagonist.
The illustrations by Sam Usher are perfectly suited, and it all comes together wonderfully to create a fabulous, thrilling and exciting story.
What an excellent and emotional book. A phenomenal war story full of espionage and intrigue, alongside a beautiful cast of animals. I sobbed and enjoyed every moment.
I loved this so much!! The 2nd installment of the umbrella Mouse and it was perfect!!!
When people speak about the war, they tend to forget about the animals who helped the soldiers as well as those who died needlessly. Its lovely to see how much help the animals gave here and wouldn't it be amazing if it were true?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
For me 5 stars are not enough for this wonderful book of courage, bravery and friendship in adversity. I loved the character of Pip, the Umbrella Mouse, in the first book and was eagerly awaiting her return. I was not disappointed. The action and intrigue starts as soon as the pages begin to turn and the characters are all beautifully penned, each showing such diverse characterizations. The reader is able to explore, at times due to the subject matter, challenging issues, from the safety of animal protagonists - which as an educationalist and historian I find a wonderful start to engender discussion and activities based on WW2. It follows the story of Pip, as she tries to get her umbrella back to the famous umbrella museum in Italy and her work within the animal resistance groups in France.
I love the idea that the author has taken the history of how animals helped us in the war and created this whole new group of wonderful characters. The adventure never stops during the book but there are moments of light and shade and moments when the reader can catch their breath before they are off again flying over the rooftops of Paris.
It is a wonderful introduction to this period in history but also a real heart -warming story of loyalty, bravery and courage. Things which we all need right now and things which children need to read about and experience. The fact that Pip is so small but yet can make such a difference speaks volumes as does the authors clever choices for the animal characters and their roles within the story.
I actually read this story aloud to my Mum, who was a child in the war, and who now has dementia. She was totally engaged in the book and loved the idea that the animals were telling this story from her and our history.
I would recommend this book to everyone and hope that we see Pip and all her friends , allies and the others on the big screen soon.
Thank you to the Macmillan Children's books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book.
This sequel continues on in the same manner as the first: bleak, dark, with not a lot of light beyond the found family. I had hoped for an ending that gave me that, but instead, the ending was incredibly rushed and abrupt, and we never get to see Pip finishing her mission, which felt like a disservice to her.
Having said that, I still really enjoyed this. I don't mind a war book being dark and bleak, especially now that I knew that's what I was in for, haha! And once again, I learned things and added several books to my TBR on the subject. What extraordinary people they were.
(Though I have a minor issue with all the French, German, and Australian slang being double checked by people and therefore being correct, but a simple Italian 'sì' was written as 'si'. It's the little things I get stuck on, okay kjahsg)
The acknowledgements mention someone nudging Disney to make a movie out of this and I'm not sure I want that to happen. A movie? Hell yes. Disney? Eh. I'm a huge Disney fan, but they're not known (anymore) for making dark stories. I'd hate for this to be watered down so much that the war becomes nothing more than background noise.
ANYWAYS, I enjoyed these books, and I would recommend them to any kid interested in WWII. If they do not have such interests, I'd recommend them to wait until they're on the upper ranges of middle grade age!
If you haven't read Umbrella Mouse, you don't need to worry. You'll catch up with the setting very quickly, and I suspect may not learn too much more of the first story, although you may miss some fun.
Pip is a mouse, who lived in an umbrella shop in London. She escaped, clutching an umbrella, during the Blitz. She's now an orphan, making her way to relatives in Italy. Not an easy journey for anyone during World War II. I'm intrigued by the premise in the blurb that it's based on true stories of animals during the war, since I don't believe there is any evidence of an animal resistance gang! Be that as it may, it's a lovely story, and a good way of introducing younger readers to the real dangers and horrors of life in an occupied country during a war.
There are been debates as to whether middle grade kids really like animal protagonists, and school librarians (mostly in the US) say they don't. I wonder why there are so many animal heroes in Europe, and the genre does not seem to be dying down. Is it simply that we were a field of war, therefore the approach is different?
The story itself is excellent, full of twists and highly imaginative turns. Some of the Parisian bits bear a considerable resemblance to The Deptford Mice but when you've got animals hiding under a city, that's kind of inevitable. The division of animals into support for the Allies and the Axis could lead to some interesting debate. Do the animals live up to their stereotypes or not?
Altogether a very enjoyable and imaginative story, told simply and ably for younger middle graders (age 8 and up, I'd say). I may resist reading the first, and a likely third, though it's a function of my age, not the books!
Pornind de la ideea că oamenii nu au câștigat singuri al Doilea Război Mondial și că animalele au jucat un rol important în câștigarea acestuia, autoarea ne prezintă aventurile lui Pip, o șoricică extrem de curajoasă. Animalele au format o filieră de ajutorare a oamenilor în lupta cu puterile germane, fiind împărțite în organizații secrete, cu sediul în cele mai importante orașe ale lumii. Pip locuia împreună cu familia sa într-un magazin de umbrele din Londra, însă, după Blitz - marele raid aerian - magazinul este distrus, iar aceasta își pierde familia. Ajutată de prieteni, se refugiază într-o locație situată în apropierea Parisului, luptând alături de membrii Rezistenței. Împreună cu un porumbel, un arici, un cerb și alte câteva zeci de animale, alcătuiau Arca Lui Noe, organizație care își decimase dușmanii, de-a lungul timpului. Auzind zvonul că războiul se apropie de final, Madame Fourcade, liderul rezistenței, ia hotărârea ca organizația să se îndrepte către Paris, unde, alături de colegii de acolo, ar fi nimicit trupele germane. Doar că socoteala de acasă nu s-a potrivit cu cea din târg, iar animălițele au parte de tot felul de întâmplări menite să le pună curajul la încercare.
Deși pare o carte pentru copii, este foarte asemănătoare cărților lui Michael Morpurgo, autoarea reușind să împletească cu ușurință datele istorice cu elementele de ficțiune.
O lectură ușoară, pe care o recomand atât adulților, cât și copiilor cu vârsta de peste 10 ani!
This is the sequel to The Umbrella Mouse which was released last year and ever since finishing that I've been waiting impatiently to read this sequel. The story, itself picks up almost straight after the ending of the first book so you are ultimately thrust back into the action immediately. Plot-wise Umbrella Mouse to the Rescue is full of twists and turns and is written in such a way that makes you really feel for all of the characters in one way or another. The setting on WWII could be seen as inappropriate for a middle grade audience but like with The Umbrella Mouse, it's told in a way as to educate and get children interested in learning more about this period of history. Pip, I loved as a protagonist and her determination and grit to fight for her friends and for what is right was admirable. Her relationships with the other members of Noahs Ark just warmed my heart and was a little bit of light in an otherwise harrowing tale of war. Umbrella Mouse to the Rescue, was overall, a pleasure to read and I did enjoy being back with Pip and Noah's Ark. Children will honestly love this unique tale, and be both educated and entertained.
Knowing the background and inspiration for these two books when starting the second, I think I enjoyed it more than the first. On the other hand, it was perhaps even grimmer, though I appreciated (and even teared up at a little) the happy ending. I had a little trouble figuring out who was who when they met up with Max, Leo, and Phillipe. Possibly, I was too distracted trying to read the book on vacation, but going back and rereading, it still didn't seem very clearly described to me. Overall, an enjoyable and informative pair of books.
A child friendly way to learn about some of the events of World War II. It follows a band of animal resistance members who assist humankind in beating the enemy. It's an important topic to introduce to children and I like that the animal names are inspired by real life heroes of the war - and that you learn a little about them too
This was just as lovely and moving as the first book. I absolutely adore Pip and in this book you can really see how much she has grown since her start as an orphan in London. It's a delight to meet all the new animal characters and I especially love how the author doesn't shy away from the true nature of war and what it can do to people. The epilogue made me cry a lot.
this is the second book of the umbrella 🌂 mouse 🐁 and it was brilliant we all have forgot that animals helped the war effort and this was amazing .Pip is now in France helping the resistance hoping they will get her to the famous umbrella museum after the war .I hope the author writes more
This was a really lovely story about animal friends pulling together to help each other and meeting new friends along the way. It's set during WW2 and has action and drama and a lovely ending. It's the 2nd one in a series and of you haven't read that, it's well worth a read too.
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great sequel. Continuing straight on from where we left Pip at the end of book 1, we join members of Noah's Ark dealing with the aftermath of those events. Almost straight away, we are right back into the action, evading enemy animals and watching the Pip and her friends' ingenious methods of hindering and frustrating the enemy soldiers.
Whilst we are still following the wartime adventures of Pip and the Noah's Ark animals, this book is definitely not just a repeat of book 1 with slightly different names and places. Book 2 stands out in its own right and has its own story to tell.
Book 1 detailed the effect of war on London, the experiences of parachuting into occupied France and escaping from enemy camps. The focus of Book 2 moves from the French countryside to the city of Paris. We get to see the workings of the French Resistance, the civilian uprising against the Nazi's and the liberation of Paris. Throughout the book, there is the constant theme of secrecy and betrayal. Who can you trust and what personal sacrifices are you willing to make for the greater cause?
The use of anthropomorphism continues to be spot on. The author has carefully selected which animal to use for each character so that it perfectly matches their personality and the role they play in the war effort. My particular favourite was the creature used for the doctor and what they used for bandages - so clever.
There are also some 'real-life' characters to look out for. I love how well-researched these books are. It means that I can recommend them to my students knowing that they are entertaining and informative. The epilogue of the book had me in tears. It brought the story full circle and finished with some beautiful messages of hope for the future.
Age suitability/content: I would recommend to readers 9 and up with an interest in historical fiction (WW2), animals stories or adventure stories. There are just a few curses (damn, dammit and bloody) if that is a consideration for you. There is a sense of danger and the characters are often in peril. As it is set during a war, there are injuries and deaths but there is no gory violence.
To The Rescue is the second book in the Umbrella Mouse series. I haven’t read the first but was attracted to the concept of animals secretly aiding humans during the war. We also hadn’t had an animal protagonist for a while so it seemed like an excellent opportunity to acquaint our selves with Pip and her umbrella. There’s clearly a lot that happened in the first book and To The Rescue takes place immediately afterwards. With this in mind I recommend reading the first, first!
The first thing that jumped to mind when reading was how well Fargher wrote animals. It would be a brilliant thing to discuss with children and to have them try out. What things can animals do that humans can’t? How does this differ between animals?. How do seagulls get through a closed door? The second thing that jumped to mind was how animals were actually used during the war. Children may be familiar with War Horse but To The Rescue uses a whole host of animals and manages to incorporate many real elements in to the story. I had no idea that dogs parachuted into Europe! And what a fantastic idea to think that animals were working alongside humans to prevent the Nazi’s from winning. It’s not too far a stretch to imagine animals making sure the swastika flew off the Eiffel Tower.
I loved the book’s happy ending and think it’s perfect for younger readers as an introduction to the war and some of the things that happened during it. It’s classed as middle grade but confident younger readers could easily manage this.
In this continuation of orphaned mouse Pip Hanway’s 1940s wartime adventure with the animal resistance group Noah’s Ark, we see her travel abroad to France try and help the Allied Forces defeat the Nazis and also get closer to her goal of reaching her extended family at the Umbrella Museum in Italy. Noah’s Ark is comprised of lots of wonderful animal characters with loveable personalities and so much strength (my particular favourite is Madame Fourçade), and it was really fun to meet their French counterparts in this one too. I also love the way that Sam Usher’s illustrations bring them to life, and I think the villains in here are a perfect mix of scary and suitable for the intended age range. I like that this takes place much later in World War Two than most books set in this era as it’s interesting to learn about the very end of the war, and the action in this is pretty much non-stop, and I was incredibly worried about the characters. There were definitely a few moments that made me cry as well! That said, I thought the epilogue was gorgeous and it made me really happy after having been on such an emotional rollercoaster so I really loved that; I don’t want to give any spoilers but I liked the way things turned out for Pip a lot!