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lcgerstmann 's review for:
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by Robert C. O'Brien
Spoilers!
I have fond memories of reading this book as a child and was excited to share it with my children. I remember loving Jeremy, the crow and sweet Mrs. Frisby and her children. I remember worrying about sick little Timothy and whether or not the mouse house would be saved from the plow. I remember being excited by the scary visit to the owl and nervous when Mrs. Frisby went to drug Dragon, the farm cat. I worried that my children might be bored by a book older than their mom but was happy to find not only did they love all the things I loved as a child, they understood it on a deeper level than I ever did at their age. The rats that escaped from NIMH now have human intelligence (or higher ;) ) and maybe consequently, human conscience. They (most of them) have come to feel it is not right for them to steal food and electricity from the farmer and want to move to the forest where they can sustain themselves. My children found this part quite thought provoking and it opened the door for many questions. Do I think it's ok for a rat to steal food from the trash if it's their nature to survive this way? What about when the rat realizes that it is wrong to steal, is it still ok because he is still a rat? Hhmm? I certainly didn't think about that as a child. Geez, kids these days...they just might turn out all right! Anyway, it was wonderful to read this story again and enjoy it through the eyes of socially and morally conscience modern children.
I have fond memories of reading this book as a child and was excited to share it with my children. I remember loving Jeremy, the crow and sweet Mrs. Frisby and her children. I remember worrying about sick little Timothy and whether or not the mouse house would be saved from the plow. I remember being excited by the scary visit to the owl and nervous when Mrs. Frisby went to drug Dragon, the farm cat. I worried that my children might be bored by a book older than their mom but was happy to find not only did they love all the things I loved as a child, they understood it on a deeper level than I ever did at their age. The rats that escaped from NIMH now have human intelligence (or higher ;) ) and maybe consequently, human conscience. They (most of them) have come to feel it is not right for them to steal food and electricity from the farmer and want to move to the forest where they can sustain themselves. My children found this part quite thought provoking and it opened the door for many questions. Do I think it's ok for a rat to steal food from the trash if it's their nature to survive this way? What about when the rat realizes that it is wrong to steal, is it still ok because he is still a rat? Hhmm? I certainly didn't think about that as a child. Geez, kids these days...they just might turn out all right! Anyway, it was wonderful to read this story again and enjoy it through the eyes of socially and morally conscience modern children.