A Book That Makes Children Think

I would like to start this review by acknowledging my bias. I think this is one of the best childrens' books ever written. I think it is a wonderful book for adults as well. Because of this, I will most certainly portray this book in a favorable light and forgive it any weaknesses. My apologies for my lack of objectivity.

The story of this book is gripping, even for me as an adult. The idea of Rats escaping from an experiment after being made much more intelligent and starting their own society is certainly worthy of classic literature or adult science fiction.

Throughout his life Robert C. O'Brien was obsessed with finding a shelter from the world, as his wife writes in his posthumous biography. The Frisbys' home in this novel serves that purpose - it is a shelter from the hostile world of the farm and the cat Dragon. Much of this novel is devoted to saving this shelter from harvest time.

Though this books invokes many, many social and human issues, I will not go into them, only pausing to say look for them. Children will enjoy the story, especially if it is read out loud to them. I suggest parents taking turns reading it to them, using different voices, and being animated, though I recognize this isn't always a possibility. Being read this novel should feel interactive for the child, and you will find that it functions best in this light.

The rats in the novel struggle with many questions that human societies struggle with, trying to decide how to live self sufficiently instead of off of others "as thieves," struggling to make identities for themselves, searching for meaning in their lives - eventually accomplishing the great humanitarian gesture of saving an otherwise helpless mouse's home and family. As your children grow older, especially if they reread the novel, they will begin to understand the issues that rats struggle with to a greater extent. As a parent, you will be the better for having read it yourself.

That said, with the Christmas season not too far away, this would make the perfect gift to a young reader, from either a parent, a family member, or a friend.

Though this novel is enjoyable, it is also an undertaking. It will take time to read, and children (especially these days) are easily distracted. It is, however, very enjoyable, and reading should be encouraged (though not enforced in a manner that will cause the child to no longer enjoy any of the reading.)

I am aware that there is a movie made from this book, and it is an excellent movie, though, as movies always do, it leaves much out. The score for the movie is incredible as well, though I am sure it is more than neglected since it was written for a non-Disney children's movie.

Still, the book should be read before watching the movie, and it will enhance what the children see on the screen, and also teach them to relate things they learn from different media - an incredibly useful skill.