by I've been thinking a lot about Lynne's "Up with Salmon!" story, that
she shared with us about a week ago. This time of year (in the
Northern hemisphere), when the leaves are falling, the weather is
turning cold, and the evenings are short and dark, it's a bit more
challenging to find things to look forward to. Christmas is coming,
but with the massive crowds and plastic gadgets on the shelves in
September... somehow it's not what it used to be.
Anyway, as I read Lynne's story, and how she related it to members
of RCTQ, both present and gone, and to life in general, I began to
remember a book I read about 6 months ago. This book is titled, "The
Mouse and his Child" and is by Russell Hoban. The reading level is
9-12 on Amazon.com and true, a child could read this book, but it is
more than simply a book for children. The adventures and journeys
that the Mouse and his Child go on - locked together hand in hand -
are exciting and often dangerous. Many obstacles and challenges stand
in the way of the Mouse and his Child; together they overcome them.
It's not easy for them - and it's not easy for the Mouse to watch his
Child struggle with the difficult turnings of their life and grow up,
faced with a series of disappointments. Their fur grows shabby, their
clothes ragged... but still they are together. At last, when they
have nothing, they at least have each other.
Their motto? "We have always gone forward". Whatever obstacle was
in their way, they found a way to go forward.
This is a fantastic book, and my only sorrow is that I did not
discover it when I was 9-12. I had to stop myself staying up until 3
am to finish it every night, and only allowed myself a chapter or two
every evening. I immediately bought one for my Russian penpal to
read. The language is so simple, but the message is very powerful and
uplifting.
I recommend that you get this book for yourself this Christmas, or
buy it for a special child and read it together. You won't soon
forget it!
-- Jo in Scotland