Friends in Books

Pleasant Fieldmouse by Jan Wahl; pictures by Maurice Sendak. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1970. A little mouse is both hero and victim of several episodes in a forest filled with adventure for him and his animal friends.

Feldman Fieldmouse by Nathaniel Benchley; drawings by Hilary Knight. New York: Harper Row, 1971. Lonny knows how to talk to mice, and he makes friends with Fendall Fieldmouse. Fendall introduces Lonny to his Uncle Feldman, who teaches the pair about the joy of work and the value of beauty.

Ladismouse by Jan Balet. New York: Henry Z. Walck, Inc., 1971. Ladismouse shows his children how education has real value in time of need.

Joey and the Birthday Present by Maxine Kumin and Anne Secton; illustrated by Evaline Ness. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1971. On moving day a brown and gray fieldmouse meets a white mouse. Although their color and ways are different, they become good friends, exploring and learning together, until the end of summer calls for a decision of loyalty.

Stuart Little by E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1945. Adventure is everywhere for a tiny mouse small enough to go places others cannot go but not large enough to avoid many close calls.

Frederick by Leo Lionni. New York: Pantheon Books, 1967. While his friends work day and night gathering corn and nuts and other supplies for winter, Frederick gathers other “necessities” for the cold season.