Martha the Movie Mouse
Arnold Lobel ~ Harper & Row, 1966
In honor of the Oscars this week, I'm trotting out an old favorite by the fabulous Lobel. During a recent reread, I was struck that this book is in rhyme, and I can't remember if any of his other books are. Yes? No? Either way, it's delightful to hear a bounce to accompany those perfect ink drawings.
Always a pleasure...
So, you see, there's this mouse, Martha. She lives on the street in the garbage and basically has a miserable time of it. The snows come, and desperate for shelter, she enters an old movie house. Upon making friends with the projectionist, she decides to stay on as house mouse...
While outside there is snow and sleet,
Inside the theater life was sweet,
For Martha watched with great delight
A double feature every night.
She dined three times a day or more
On popcorn from the theater floor.
All is well, until a movie patron screams EEEK and unrest ensues. Fear not, all it takes is a little song and dance number ala rodent to save the day.
Really, beyond swellicious. Two paws up.
Also by:
The Terrible Tiger
Red Tag Comes Back
Oscar Otter
The Star Thief
Mouse Tales
Prince Bertram the Bad
Benny's Animals
Lucille
Miss Suzy
Terry and the Caterpillars
The Strange Disappearance of Arthur Cluck
Ice Cream Cone Coot
The Secret Three
3 comments:
I had this book once upon a time. I loved this book. But it was in a box that was lost in a move. I'm hoping it's somewhere behind beds and dressers in storage. I miss Martha. Thanks for this blast from the not so distant past.
I knew Arnold and Anita Lobel many years ago when I worked at Harper & Row. They were going on vacation and asked me to babysit for their pet--not a mouse but a box turtle named Wilbur.
Wilbur laid an egg on my floor and Arnold renamed her "Wilbira."
A Lobel theatre connection you probably know: Adrienne Lobel, daughter of Arnold and Anita designs sets for opera and ballet. She did Mark Morris's THE HARD NUT and John Adams modern classic now playing at the Metropolitan Opera, NIXON IN CHINA. Maybe there are Marthas at the Met watching...who knows?
Thanks for writing in Fran... I didn't realize that about his daughter. How wonderful!
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