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Word of Mouse #1
Palabra de ratón
Isaías es un ratón. Un ratón azul que puede hablar, reír, leer, sentir… como tú y como yo. Jamás ha salido del laboratorio donde ha sido criado junto a sus 96 hermanos. En un intento de fuga fallido, Isaías es el único de su familia que logra escapar. Fuera le esperan nuevos camiones, gatos, pájaros, ratoneras, humanos... Su mayor fuerza será descubrir que no está una nueva ratonada y una niña muy especial están dispuestos a ayudarle a liberar a su familia.
A rare blue mouse who has the ability to read, write and talk to humans makes a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory and must use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors and find his missing family. Co-written by the award-winning author of I Funny. Simultaneous.
A rare blue mouse who has the ability to read, write and talk to humans makes a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory and must use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors and find his missing family. Co-written by the award-winning author of I Funny. Simultaneous.
304 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2016
336 people are currently reading
3841 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
954 books356k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews
September 19, 2025
Isaiah and his 96 siblings had finally escaped the HORRIBLE PLACE. But it wasn't long and all bar Isaiah had been recaptured and returned to the laboratory, where horrible tests and experiments were done on the family (called a 'mischief'). Isaiah was lost and lonely and blue (that was his colour - a bright blue), but decided to use his unique skills - caused by the experiments - to find somewhere safe to stay until he could see his mischief again. Striking up a friendship with another mouse, he was led to a cellar, the home of another mischief. They welcomed him, keeping him fed and gradually Isaiah began to lead, with ideas to keep the food flowing. One night when he was outside getting some fresh air, he escaped a cat by using a pet door inside another house. And that was where he met Hailey, a young girl as different as Isaiah was, and they formed a friendship (after her initial fright of seeing a mouse!) But would Isaiah ever see his family again?
That was such fun! Word of Mouse is the 1st in the Word of Mouse series by James Patterson and I really enjoyed it. Laugh out loud entertainment, Patterson is extremely diverse in his writing; his middle grade stories are as good as his thrillers! Isaiah with his blue fur, high intelligence - he could talk, type on a keyboard to communicate with Hailey, among other things - was a unique and tiny character. I chose this book as I needed a mouse on the cover for a challenge! Hence an enjoyable few hours! Recommended.
That was such fun! Word of Mouse is the 1st in the Word of Mouse series by James Patterson and I really enjoyed it. Laugh out loud entertainment, Patterson is extremely diverse in his writing; his middle grade stories are as good as his thrillers! Isaiah with his blue fur, high intelligence - he could talk, type on a keyboard to communicate with Hailey, among other things - was a unique and tiny character. I chose this book as I needed a mouse on the cover for a challenge! Hence an enjoyable few hours! Recommended.
May 19, 2018
I originally picked this book up because I recognized the illustrator and was interested in seeing more of his illustrations.
This ended up being a really cute book with an important message. The story was actually almost like Stuart Little meets Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. ;)
Obadiah was a nice mouse to follow. I enjoyed his adventures with his new family and his quest to free his old one. Hailey was also a neat character, and their friendship proved to be helpful to both of them. Also, Obadiah had some pretty clever strategies! Smart mouse.
This book did touch on the ethics (or lack thereof) of certain types of lab experiments on animals. There was also the issue of diversity--Hailey having atypically white blonde hair, and Obadiah being a very blue mouse. In both cases, to my great relief, neither got too political. In fact, I was pleased with the healthy conclusion the book came to--respect and care for all of God’s creation--and I appreciated how it made me think. ;)
Just a note, the humans the mice live with are very crude, and their house is stomach-turningly messy. There are also a few instances of made-up swear words and a little bit of feminism.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and of course, the illustrations. <3
Altogether, this was an enjoyable read, and one I didn’t hesitate to hand to my younger sisters.
This ended up being a really cute book with an important message. The story was actually almost like Stuart Little meets Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. ;)
Obadiah was a nice mouse to follow. I enjoyed his adventures with his new family and his quest to free his old one. Hailey was also a neat character, and their friendship proved to be helpful to both of them. Also, Obadiah had some pretty clever strategies! Smart mouse.
This book did touch on the ethics (or lack thereof) of certain types of lab experiments on animals. There was also the issue of diversity--Hailey having atypically white blonde hair, and Obadiah being a very blue mouse. In both cases, to my great relief, neither got too political. In fact, I was pleased with the healthy conclusion the book came to--respect and care for all of God’s creation--and I appreciated how it made me think. ;)
Just a note, the humans the mice live with are very crude, and their house is stomach-turningly messy. There are also a few instances of made-up swear words and a little bit of feminism.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and of course, the illustrations. <3
Altogether, this was an enjoyable read, and one I didn’t hesitate to hand to my younger sisters.
December 12, 2016
James Patterson's name may be blazing on the cover and spine but it is because of the co-author, Chris Grabenstein, that I picked up this book. It's a truly delightful animal fantasy with themes of being different, lab use of animals, and the sense of family. I have an affinity for books suitable for the 7-11 age range and this is the perfect sort of book for kids that age ready to move onto a "real" chapter book. Each chapter is 3 to 5 pages long, with the majority of them 4 pages. Each chapter has a header illustration and either a full or half-page illustration. Something actually happens in each chapter and they call out to read "just one more" chapter. Comparable to Avi's Dimwood Forest series but on a younger level. A satisfying read!
June 17, 2024
My son and I loved this book!!! James Patterson if you read these reviews, my son is asking for you to please write a sequel to this one. 😊
February 18, 2017
I loved everything about brave little blue Isaiah, the mouse escapee from the Lamina Laboratory. He has extraordinary intellect and compassion for others, even his arch enemy the red-tailed hawk's babies. This exciting mouse adventure will appeal to fans of Charlotte's Web and The Tale of Despereaux, (wondrous classic animal stories). The delightful illustrations of Isaiah and his two "mischief" families beautifully depicted in pen and ink are reminiscent of Garth Williams drawings, adding extra warmth to this tale. Word of Mouse would make a great read aloud to younger grades as well as a perfect match for fans of exciting animal adventures in grades 4-6.
June 11, 2017
I'm an adult and I loved this book!!!!
October 25, 2016
This book will be published in December; I received an ARC a couple of days ago. Chris Grabenstein has done another excellent job of creating a world for kids AND adults. And mice, of course. I look forward to reading this aloud to at least one of my grandchildren. The boys, who are older, should enjoy it on their own--but this is the type of book that they will share with parents (grandparents!) and friends. So much to appeal to their imaginations--mice in rainbow colors, singing mice, life in a mischief, the world from a mouse's viewpoint, a literate mouse who can type on a computer! While having a good romp though, there is a lesson here--we are all different and that is what we have in common. Can't think of a better lesson for elementary and middle graders to learn nowadays. The mission of JIMMY Patterson books is to create eager readers. I finished Word of Mouse and really, really hoped that Isaiah would appear in more tales with his mischief. I think young readers will too.
December 29, 2021
Why am I reading a James Patterson-branded children’s book? The storyline of a special mouse who escapes a laboratory piqued my interest, and I am pleasantly surprised to report that WORD OF MOUSE turned out to be a charming and big-hearted animal adventure.
While there are themes in this story that will be familiar to those who have read other examples of the many mouse-themed children’s novels, it also has a cozy, classic feel, and there are plenty of scenes of derring-do and narrow escapes to keep readers engaged. Attentive readers will also pick up multiple facts about mice, other animals, and even some historical figures. The sweet pen-and-ink drawings that show up frequently throughout the book bring to mind those in THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE or CHARLOTTE’S WEB.
A major plot point of MOUSE hinges upon our rodent hero, Isaiah, escaping a testing laboratory in which he and his many siblings have been dyed bright colors and imbued with some unexpected abilities, and his vow to find a way to break them out of their unhappy situation. I was curious to see how such a mainstream book would tackle the humane issues involved in such a controversial topic as animal experimentation.
When it comes to handling of animal issues, the Patterson graphic novel ZOO pretty much fumbled the ball at every turn. However, WORD OF MOUSE does a much better job and is much more thoughtful. (Of course, a variety of authors with differing perspectives write under the Patterson masthead—so not exactly surprising.) There’s even a reference to the real-world fact that the U.S. Animal Welfare Act doesn’t extend its minimal standards to mice in laboratories at all. There is a sweet scene in which Isaiah and his young human friend give a speech encouraging a roomful of “eek!”-ers to give mice a break and extend a bit of the compassion they have for larger animals to tiny ones, too.
Yes, the conclusion is silly and much too tidy, especially considering the realities the book had acknowledged previously. But I get it, this is a juvenile novel, and we’re expecting a certain type of ending. It also leaves an opening for a sequel, which I hope we’ll get. It will be nice visiting Isaiah and his mischief again in the future!
While there are themes in this story that will be familiar to those who have read other examples of the many mouse-themed children’s novels, it also has a cozy, classic feel, and there are plenty of scenes of derring-do and narrow escapes to keep readers engaged. Attentive readers will also pick up multiple facts about mice, other animals, and even some historical figures. The sweet pen-and-ink drawings that show up frequently throughout the book bring to mind those in THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE or CHARLOTTE’S WEB.
A major plot point of MOUSE hinges upon our rodent hero, Isaiah, escaping a testing laboratory in which he and his many siblings have been dyed bright colors and imbued with some unexpected abilities, and his vow to find a way to break them out of their unhappy situation. I was curious to see how such a mainstream book would tackle the humane issues involved in such a controversial topic as animal experimentation.
When it comes to handling of animal issues, the Patterson graphic novel ZOO pretty much fumbled the ball at every turn. However, WORD OF MOUSE does a much better job and is much more thoughtful. (Of course, a variety of authors with differing perspectives write under the Patterson masthead—so not exactly surprising.) There’s even a reference to the real-world fact that the U.S. Animal Welfare Act doesn’t extend its minimal standards to mice in laboratories at all. There is a sweet scene in which Isaiah and his young human friend give a speech encouraging a roomful of “eek!”-ers to give mice a break and extend a bit of the compassion they have for larger animals to tiny ones, too.
Yes, the conclusion is silly and much too tidy, especially considering the realities the book had acknowledged previously. But I get it, this is a juvenile novel, and we’re expecting a certain type of ending. It also leaves an opening for a sequel, which I hope we’ll get. It will be nice visiting Isaiah and his mischief again in the future!
July 11, 2018
Isaia are personalitatea lui Stuart Little și nasul lui Ratatouille. Dar de ce trebuie să îl cheme pe motan Lucifer?
July 29, 2016
Chris and James have done it again! This book I will admit started a little slow oddly enough despite a decent amount of action but once Isaiah reached his new mischief it hit the pedal to the metal! It's like Ms. Frisby crossed with Truckers with a little Ratatouille to boot! And it sets up a sequel beautifully! I could have done without the human friend, who while likable, didn't really add to much to the plot aside from a parallel story... Loved the ending and the main character especially! This was based on an ARC from ALA and the publisher!
April 19, 2019
Isaiah, an electric-blue mouse, has escaped from a lab which was doing experiments on his family to make them smarter and faster. Fearful and timid, blundering away from cat and dog and hawk, he finally finds a house of squabbling food-dropping slobs where an entire mischief of mice, hundreds strong, live and forage. The man of this house turns out, coincidentally, to be a janitor at the lab where Isaiah's family remains imprisoned. With the help of a human girl with pure white hair and a female mouse who can sing, Isaiah overcomes his fear to rescue his family.
I read this to my class, and they enjoyed it. I didn't. It's so obviously a poor man's Rats of NIMH, with none of the confident, stately pacing, assured storytelling, or richly drawn characters. Instead, it's all artifice and false drama. Isaiah is a coward, except he's not. The human girl has white hair and is picked on, so she gets to the be "it's okay to be different" plot point. The ridiculous "only boy mice sing" side issue is irrelevant and distracting. There's little drama, just brief moments of danger; everything comes far too easy, including the army of mice Isaiah rallies pretty much at will. The normal mice are indistinguishable from the lab mice, who have absurd powers (in addition to reading and writing, Isaiah can speak human words, for some reason, despite the book going to great pains to assure the reader repeatedly that mice have ultrasonic voices that humans cannot hear). The villainous lab owners are swept away by the police, for some reason (it's not illegal for a lab to experiment on mice). Everyone seems fine with super-intelligent mice, I guess? And the authors crammed in some Christian material, which I found out of place. It's all just so pat and trite, light-years away from O'Brien's classic in maturity and prose quality.
I read this to my class, and they enjoyed it. I didn't. It's so obviously a poor man's Rats of NIMH, with none of the confident, stately pacing, assured storytelling, or richly drawn characters. Instead, it's all artifice and false drama. Isaiah is a coward, except he's not. The human girl has white hair and is picked on, so she gets to the be "it's okay to be different" plot point. The ridiculous "only boy mice sing" side issue is irrelevant and distracting. There's little drama, just brief moments of danger; everything comes far too easy, including the army of mice Isaiah rallies pretty much at will. The normal mice are indistinguishable from the lab mice, who have absurd powers (in addition to reading and writing, Isaiah can speak human words, for some reason, despite the book going to great pains to assure the reader repeatedly that mice have ultrasonic voices that humans cannot hear). The villainous lab owners are swept away by the police, for some reason (it's not illegal for a lab to experiment on mice). Everyone seems fine with super-intelligent mice, I guess? And the authors crammed in some Christian material, which I found out of place. It's all just so pat and trite, light-years away from O'Brien's classic in maturity and prose quality.
August 1, 2016
I received a free copy of this book at ALA from the publisher.
loved it! fantastic story and art about a talking mouse, his mischief (family) and adventures. stealing mice aside, it has good morals and is suitable for children who can read picture books (7-12ish) or to be read to younger kids. I'll be passing it on to my nephew as a Christmas present in a couple months and would definitely recommend it to others for the kids who love to read in their lives.
loved it! fantastic story and art about a talking mouse, his mischief (family) and adventures. stealing mice aside, it has good morals and is suitable for children who can read picture books (7-12ish) or to be read to younger kids. I'll be passing it on to my nephew as a Christmas present in a couple months and would definitely recommend it to others for the kids who love to read in their lives.
November 13, 2016
Such a cute book with a heartwarming moral. Would be a great introduction for slightly older children to teach them about being kind not only to each other, but to all creatures, no matter how small. I really like the way that JP uses five-dollar-words to expand a young reader's vocabulary, but then he goes back to explain what the words mean in a way that is simple to understand. Cannot wait for my daughter to get a little bit older so that she can enjoy this one as much as I did.
December 28, 2016
I found this book really boring and predictable. Honestly I skimmed through most of the book and got the same idea of what it was about. I'm sure some young child would enjoy this, especially if they liked Stuart Little or Mouse on a Motorcycle, but I just couldn't get into it. Too cliche and force-fed.
September 6, 2017
The book was awesome! I really enjoyed it. I loved how the mouse, Isaiah, narrated the story. He told of his life from when his brothers and sisters and him tried to escape 'The horrible place' (a lab that tested products on animals) to when he lost his family, and at the end lived a happy life with 2 family's.
February 6, 2017
I loved this book!! I definitely recommend this book for you. The story is about this mouse that is the youngest of his siblings. One day they escape from their home Isaiah is the only one left in the wilderness Blue-97. Will Isaiah get caught or be able to rescue his siblings?????...
August 30, 2016
This book is amazing and one of the best books I've ever read. It's very funny. The part when the main character first started typing made me laugh out loud. I want to reread this already!
June 9, 2019
This book was soooo cute! I enjoyed reading it a lot! Hope I can get my hands on more of James Patterson children's books!
December 10, 2019
This was a great story. Read it! It's just so wholesome an sweet, you won't regret reading this.
August 19, 2025
I love this book, definitely recommend
May 29, 2022
Foarte drăguță carte. Se citește ușor, pe alocuri amuzanta, pe alocuri plina de învățăminte
March 7, 2024
4.5 stars between the resident 9 year old and me. I’ve got a whole new view of mice! But rats, not swallowing love for that one quite yet.
Read
April 30, 2020Pretty good, I would say.
February 15, 2022
It’s very important to have something to do, something to love and something to hope for.
-Isaiah
-Isaiah
March 6, 2017
5 stars. When you are one very small and very blue mouse, there are dangers like menacing cats, swooping birds, and unfriendly humans everywhere. But there are also new friends, lots to learn and explore, and even a chance to use your special powers to free your mischief (family) from the laboratory where they are being experimented on. Give this fast-paced adventure to readers who liked Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Stuart Little, or Ratscalibur. Or to anyone who likes cheering for main characters who have to dig down deep and find the courage to do what must be done.
Full disclosure: I've only read a couple of Patterson's many adult novels but that has more to do with me having too many other books I wanted to read than any thing else. And let's face it, he and his bevy of co-writers have more books out there than McDonald's has french fries. However, if the other books from his new Jimmy Patterson imprint are as good as this one, I say "Write on, Mr. Patterson, write on!"
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
Full disclosure: I've only read a couple of Patterson's many adult novels but that has more to do with me having too many other books I wanted to read than any thing else. And let's face it, he and his bevy of co-writers have more books out there than McDonald's has french fries. However, if the other books from his new Jimmy Patterson imprint are as good as this one, I say "Write on, Mr. Patterson, write on!"
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
December 2, 2016
This book was provided to me as an advance reader copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What makes Isaiah so unique? First, his fur is as blue as the sky--which until recently was something he'd never seen, but had read all about. That's right--Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans...if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his "mischief" (which is the word for a mouse family), and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family. But in a world of cruel cats, hungry owls, and terrified people, it's hard for a young, lone mouse to make it alone. When he meets an equally unusual and lonely human girl named Hailey, the two soon learn that true friendship can transcend all barriers.
I did not like this book when I started it. I couldn’t understand why Isaiah didn’t know what a trash can was, but knew what bread and grapes were. All he had ever eaten was kibble, and what kind of lab doesn’t have some kind of trash receptacle? Okay, he’s a mouse who can read, so maybe he has read about bread and grapes, but WHAT ABOUT THE TRASH CAN. Then somehow,while obsessing over Isaiah’s wonky vocabulary, I fell in love with this book. It started with the illustrations, which, to me, are reminiscent to the work of Garth Williams, but with more expressive eyes. In my advance copy, the artwork was black and white, and I hope it stays that way in the final version, because I feel the impact would not be as dramatic in a color rendering. The author did an excellent job of bringing Isaiah and the other characters to life, and giving them a depth not frequently seen in middle grade novels. The book isn’t perfect; there is a lot of redundancy in the action, but I can see kiddos appreciating the growth in Isaiah, and enjoying all the heroic deeds he gets up to. Word of Mouse also carries excellent messages to its readers: you don’t have to be big to help people, and being different doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I would recommend this book to kiddos 8 and older. P.S. If your child does read this book, they may very well finish it with impressive additions to their vocabulary.
What makes Isaiah so unique? First, his fur is as blue as the sky--which until recently was something he'd never seen, but had read all about. That's right--Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans...if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his "mischief" (which is the word for a mouse family), and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family. But in a world of cruel cats, hungry owls, and terrified people, it's hard for a young, lone mouse to make it alone. When he meets an equally unusual and lonely human girl named Hailey, the two soon learn that true friendship can transcend all barriers.
I did not like this book when I started it. I couldn’t understand why Isaiah didn’t know what a trash can was, but knew what bread and grapes were. All he had ever eaten was kibble, and what kind of lab doesn’t have some kind of trash receptacle? Okay, he’s a mouse who can read, so maybe he has read about bread and grapes, but WHAT ABOUT THE TRASH CAN. Then somehow,while obsessing over Isaiah’s wonky vocabulary, I fell in love with this book. It started with the illustrations, which, to me, are reminiscent to the work of Garth Williams, but with more expressive eyes. In my advance copy, the artwork was black and white, and I hope it stays that way in the final version, because I feel the impact would not be as dramatic in a color rendering. The author did an excellent job of bringing Isaiah and the other characters to life, and giving them a depth not frequently seen in middle grade novels. The book isn’t perfect; there is a lot of redundancy in the action, but I can see kiddos appreciating the growth in Isaiah, and enjoying all the heroic deeds he gets up to. Word of Mouse also carries excellent messages to its readers: you don’t have to be big to help people, and being different doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I would recommend this book to kiddos 8 and older. P.S. If your child does read this book, they may very well finish it with impressive additions to their vocabulary.
December 14, 2016
I have a confession to make. This is the first James Patterson book I've liked. For a long time, JP books weren't on my radar as I tended to not read his types of novels. I tried one to say I had and just didn't like it.
I received a copy of Word of Mouse through my job as an ARC. It is very cute. The illustrations serve it well, and the quotes from the main character are fun too.
My only complaint is that the story began unexpectedly slowly. Other than that, I enjoyed Isaiah's adventure and his friends.
I received a copy of Word of Mouse through my job as an ARC. It is very cute. The illustrations serve it well, and the quotes from the main character are fun too.
My only complaint is that the story began unexpectedly slowly. Other than that, I enjoyed Isaiah's adventure and his friends.
July 8, 2018
Absolutely adorable chapter book for children. Although I read this slowly (it wasn’t a book that I couldn’t put down), I still gave this a five star rating. The writing is clever. Word of Mouse is a story of a young girl, Hailey, and her interactions w/ Isaiah, a mouse that escapes from an experimental lab. This book touches upon so many themes such as friendship, overcoming obstacles, team work, and self-confidence. I highly recommend Word of Mouse as a read aloud for grades 2+ or children reading at a third grade level+.
April 13, 2017
This book is adorable! It teaches that we are all different and unique. It shines a light on animal testing but not in an obnoxious, scary way. It is about adventures, friendship and family. It teaches that family comes in all shapes and sizes and that family is not all about blood relatives but about the people you care about and that care about you. It was wonderful.
April 1, 2020
Rainbow Challenge: Red
Sweet story. I actually think this would make a great read aloud for younger kids because it would extend their vocabulary and it has nice short chapters. Elementary teachers, take note!
Sweet story. I actually think this would make a great read aloud for younger kids because it would extend their vocabulary and it has nice short chapters. Elementary teachers, take note!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 514 reviews