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Bless This Mouse
by
Lois Lowry
A church mouse is no ordinary mouse, and Hildegarde—the Mouse Mistress of Saint Bartholemew’s—is no ordinary mouse leader. It falls to her to keep all the church mice safe and out of sight.
But when a few parishioners report mouse sightings, Hildegarde and the rest of the church mice must face a most dreadful consequence: the Great X. To complicate things, a ceremony called...more
But when a few parishioners report mouse sightings, Hildegarde and the rest of the church mice must face a most dreadful consequence: the Great X. To complicate things, a ceremony called...more
Audio CD, 0 pages
Published
April 12th 2011
by Listening Library (Audio)
(first published March 21st 2011)
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Review:
The reader for this sweet, yet slyly funny, tale about mice trying to survive the Great X at their church home is perfect. She does a lovely job with the various mice voices.
A fun listen. Even my four year-old enjoyed it - although I did have to explain to him what an exterminator does and why the mice were so nervous about one coming. There was also quite a bit of church-related vocabulary that needed some explanation for him as well (sacristy, narthex, etc.). However, he understood the...more
The reader for this sweet, yet slyly funny, tale about mice trying to survive the Great X at their church home is perfect. She does a lovely job with the various mice voices.
A fun listen. Even my four year-old enjoyed it - although I did have to explain to him what an exterminator does and why the mice were so nervous about one coming. There was also quite a bit of church-related vocabulary that needed some explanation for him as well (sacristy, narthex, etc.). However, he understood the...more
“Bless This Mouse” by (Newbery winner) Lois Lowry (Houghton 2011) and illustrated by (Caldecott winner) Eric Rohmann is written in a slightly old-fashioned style and could be a classic-in-the making.
Hildegarde, Mouse Mistress of St. Bartholomew church, must keep the church mice safe. They know the Great X is coming. The adept reader will discover on his own that the X is the Exterminator—Pest Control—No-More-Rodents. Not only is the Great X on the way, so is the Blessing of Animals and that wil...more
Hildegarde, Mouse Mistress of St. Bartholomew church, must keep the church mice safe. They know the Great X is coming. The adept reader will discover on his own that the X is the Exterminator—Pest Control—No-More-Rodents. Not only is the Great X on the way, so is the Blessing of Animals and that wil...more
The writer shows such creativity with this quick and light read, took only a matter of an hour or so. Originally I downloaded this from our library to my kindle to see if it would be something I would read to my 9 month old daughter based on the cover of the book. The library didn't have any info on the title, just a picture of the cover. So I was assuming this was a picture style book for little kids. This turned out to be a short novel for a child around 8-10 years of age.
This is about mice t...more
This is about mice t...more
My family started this as an audio book recently. We like everything we've ready by Lois Lowry until this one. I keep an open mind (for the most part) but we decided to stop it and not finish the book. At what point did we decide to stop? It wasn't at the beginning when the protagonist, Hildegarde, is trying to stop the mice from reproducing (which can instantly bring up questions from kids and while I know this story is about mice, they are mice with names that talk which makes it not as harmle...more
Jul 14, 2011
Hilary
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
animal-stories,
grades-3-4
**Disclaimer** I tend to dislike anthropomorphic animals...
Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress of a group of church mice (219 to be exact) and she is responsible for their safety and well being. When she finds out that there is going to be a repeat of "The Great X" she must find a way to keep her church mice safe from harm.
Ultimately anti-climatic. Hildegard is only a partially drawn character and the other characters in the book seem to have personalities that were forced upon them as opposed to a...more
Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress of a group of church mice (219 to be exact) and she is responsible for their safety and well being. When she finds out that there is going to be a repeat of "The Great X" she must find a way to keep her church mice safe from harm.
Ultimately anti-climatic. Hildegard is only a partially drawn character and the other characters in the book seem to have personalities that were forced upon them as opposed to a...more
Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress of the church mice in St. Bartholemew's. This means that she navigates the mice through various difficulties, such as hiding from humans, getting through the yearly Blessing of the Animals (cats!), and escaping from the dreaded Great X. She cares about every mouse who lives in the church... except maybe Lucretia, who wants to be Mouse Mistress herself.
There were things I liked about this book - the ending especially (and not because it meant the book was over, bu...more
There were things I liked about this book - the ending especially (and not because it meant the book was over, bu...more
Hildegarde is Mouse Mistress of Saint Bartholemew’s. As the Mouse Mistress she is in charge of seeing that all the mice at St. Bart's are kept safe and stay out of human sight. When some of her mice friends are seen by humans, Hildegarde worries the Great X will happen. And on top of that, the Blessing of the Animals, which includes cats, is just weeks away. Determined to keep them safe, Hildegarde comprises a plan.
While this book is directed for kids, I was quite surprised at some of the conte...more
While this book is directed for kids, I was quite surprised at some of the conte...more
This book was adorable! I picked it up and the library about two weeks ago, but unfortunately didn't have time to read it immediately. However, it was worth the wait! Today, I finally finished all my work and could settle down, at last, for a read! Sadly, this book was very short and I finished it in one sitting. After the last page I really wished the story would continue! This was such a cute book. I love stories about mice (or, as I call them, meeces) and have written a story about meeces mys...more
Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress of St. Bartholemew's and it's a BIG job; she is charged with the mission of protecting 219 church mice! When multiple mice are sighted around the church, Father Murphy calls the exterminator and Hildegarde organizes a mass exodus to ensure the mice community's safety and security. Her plan works, but then the mice must figure out how to avoid all the traps which are made of glue and mean certain death by starvation if they are caught. Again Hildegarde comes up wi...more
I received an advanced reader's copy of Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry back in early January. I am appalled at how long it has taken me to get to this wonderful book, but shortly after receiving the galley, I had two surgeries. The galley got pushed aside in all the recovery and follow up.
Summary: Bless This Mouse tells the story of a group of church mice, led by Mouse Mistress Hildegarde and their efforts to avoid The Big X. Hildegarde is responsible for keeping all 200 plus mice who live at St...more
Summary: Bless This Mouse tells the story of a group of church mice, led by Mouse Mistress Hildegarde and their efforts to avoid The Big X. Hildegarde is responsible for keeping all 200 plus mice who live at St...more
Description:
A resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under Mouse Mistress Hildegarde’s leadership, they save themselves from one danger after another—sometimes just by the skin of their tails! Can one ultimate act of bravery during the feast day of St. Francis get Father Murphy to bless these mice and keep them safe forever?
Lois Lowry spins an enchanting tale of a colony of church mice that go about their lives content in what they can forage f...more
A resilient and quirky colony of church mice fears another Great X more than they fear cats. Under Mouse Mistress Hildegarde’s leadership, they save themselves from one danger after another—sometimes just by the skin of their tails! Can one ultimate act of bravery during the feast day of St. Francis get Father Murphy to bless these mice and keep them safe forever?
Lois Lowry spins an enchanting tale of a colony of church mice that go about their lives content in what they can forage f...more
I've read Lois Lowry's dystopian novels and found them dark, darker than I would recommend for kids the age for which they are written, but that's just me. I'm not sure what I expected when I requested this title from NetGalley except that it would be well written, but I was charmed by this sweet story of the plucky Mistress of the Mice who made it her personal mission to keep all the mice in the church safe not only from the ordinary dangers of a couple of spring traps but also the extraordinar...more
Hildegarde is in charge of a group of mice who live inside an actively used church. Her job is to make sure the mice are taken care of but especially to make sure that the mice are not discovered. If the mice are discovered there is sure to be a Great X. Unfortunately, Hildegarde cannot be everywhere at once and several mice sightings by members of the church congregation do indeed lead to a forced evacuation so the mice can avoid the Great X. And what will happen if the blessing on the animals,...more
I don't know how Ms. Lowry does it! Bless This Mouse is a wonderful read that has the feel of an old fashioned classic. The story is new, but reading it feels like visiting with an old friend. This book is sure to be treasured by readers.
Perfect for a bedtime read-aloud, Bless This Mouse is a fun animal tale that is full of humor and wit. From the first chapter about Hildegarde getting upset about the bad timing of babies, I was hooked and laughing from the start. Hildegarde is a somewhat toug...more
Perfect for a bedtime read-aloud, Bless This Mouse is a fun animal tale that is full of humor and wit. From the first chapter about Hildegarde getting upset about the bad timing of babies, I was hooked and laughing from the start. Hildegarde is a somewhat toug...more
I began reading this book with more bias than I realized. My relationship with Lowry's books is hit and miss; I admit I was prepared to dislike this book. Also, the mice and their struggle for survival kept making me think of Kate DiCamillo's Tale of Despereaux, which is one of my favorite children's books. So yes, I admit I may not have given this book a fair shake as I turned the first pages.
Let's begin with Hildegarde, the Mouse Mistress responsible for keeping her colony of mice safe in thei...more
Let's begin with Hildegarde, the Mouse Mistress responsible for keeping her colony of mice safe in thei...more
My earliest memory ofLois Lowry is from reading The Giver sometime in middle school- perhaps lateelementary school. I admit, I remember it so clearly because it was one ofthose rare mandatory reads for school that I actually enjoyed reading. So muchso that even though I long ago lost/sold the original copy I had of it, a fewyears ago I couldn’t resist getting it again. Much later, in fact, it wasn’tuntil I was in college, I experienced her work again with the book Number theStars. Again, it was...more
May 21, 2011
Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley
Let me begin by saying that my favorite part of the story were the illustrations. The writing is good, as one expects from Lois Lowry, but the pictures were just so charming. I love looking at them, and they were a large part of why I requested this title from NetGalley, even though children's fiction is not my particular niche.
The story is cute and simple, teaching children some big words, like narthex ans sacristy, without feeling at all like a lesson. In fact, although the mice live in the ch...more
The story is cute and simple, teaching children some big words, like narthex ans sacristy, without feeling at all like a lesson. In fact, although the mice live in the ch...more
The newest Lowry title features a community of church mice leading a discreet existence for their own safety and security. Hildegarde, the Mouse Mistress, keeps stern but caring watch over all of them. With potential dangers such as the Blessing of the Animals looming (there may be CATS!) and ensuring no accidental sightings (might set traps or worse!), she has quite a lot to handle. Rest assured this apparently sweet story may have a little more to it than meets the eye. It is Lois Lowry after...more
Jan 04, 2012
Karen Walton
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2012,
read-aloud
This delightful book was a pleasure to read with my mother and three of my daughters. It clearly has appeal that spans ages.
As someone with a strong church background, the setting felt like coming home. I found myself with a smile on my lips as the church mice sang along with the hymns I know and had to confess that they had, at times, "done those things which we ought not to have done."
Anyone who has ever used a glue trap couldn't help but cringe guiltily as the mice faced the dilemma of the G...more
As someone with a strong church background, the setting felt like coming home. I found myself with a smile on my lips as the church mice sang along with the hymns I know and had to confess that they had, at times, "done those things which we ought not to have done."
Anyone who has ever used a glue trap couldn't help but cringe guiltily as the mice faced the dilemma of the G...more
May 09, 2011
Miss Pippi the Librarian
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
adolescent-audio-adventures,
juvenile-fiction
Bless This Mouse shows us a small glimpse into the lives of church mice. In only a few days, the mice experience a Great X and the Blessings of the Animals. Mouse Mistress Hildegarde watches over her colony and figures out what is best for everyone to survive.
I selected this book because it was new, short and a book by a well-known author. My first impressions were shot the ground. The direction of this book was nothing that I pictured in my head. Lowry shares the simple lives of mice - eat, sle...more
I selected this book because it was new, short and a book by a well-known author. My first impressions were shot the ground. The direction of this book was nothing that I pictured in my head. Lowry shares the simple lives of mice - eat, sle...more
Mouse Mistress Hildegarde is concerned with her mice charges that live in the church. Some of them are simply having too many litters too often, and others have become careless about hiding when humans are around. Because of the fact that some of the parishioners have sighted mice at various times, she knows that soon an exterminator will arrive to get rid of them. The mice move outside for awhile so that none of them will be killed, and then move back in just in time for the Blessing of the Ani...more
Things I Liked:
This was a sweet and fun quirky story. I loved the feel of the writing - the voice of Hildegarde making commentary about her colony throughout. She was a stern and yet understanding Mouse Mistress. The story is adventurous with action and danger throughout. The ending is just about as perfect as it could be. I also really enjoyed the illustrations, even though I was reading the advanced version and they weren't final. I flipped through a final version and they were even better!
Th...more
This was a sweet and fun quirky story. I loved the feel of the writing - the voice of Hildegarde making commentary about her colony throughout. She was a stern and yet understanding Mouse Mistress. The story is adventurous with action and danger throughout. The ending is just about as perfect as it could be. I also really enjoyed the illustrations, even though I was reading the advanced version and they weren't final. I flipped through a final version and they were even better!
Th...more
Apr 04, 2011
Mari - loves to read
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-review
My summary:
The church mice living in St. Bartholomew’s church has been spotted inside the church one too many times and their leader fear it will bring on the Great X. The mice fear the Great X more than cats but on the feast day of St. Francis people bring their animals to church for blessing. That means the church might be filled with cats. Under the leadership of Mouse Mistress Hildegarde the colony has to save them from great danger and at the same time she has to keep an eye out for what he...more
The church mice living in St. Bartholomew’s church has been spotted inside the church one too many times and their leader fear it will bring on the Great X. The mice fear the Great X more than cats but on the feast day of St. Francis people bring their animals to church for blessing. That means the church might be filled with cats. Under the leadership of Mouse Mistress Hildegarde the colony has to save them from great danger and at the same time she has to keep an eye out for what he...more
My book advisor, aka Miss Wosie, just loved this book and gave it 5 stars, so I figured I would really like it too. She knows I like animal stories, and she also knows my mom likes it when she can enjoy listening to a story with me. We think the main character, Mouse Mistress Hildegarde of Saint Bartholemew's church, is a lot like Rosie and that's why she liked it so much. She keeps all the mice safe, is always busy taking care of everything, and always thinking one step ahead so that life is go...more
This is a beautifully told tale of a community of church mice. Their Mouse Mistress, Hidegarde, keeps their lives in order from making sure babies are nested in the proper places, to conducting prayer services for all of the mice. This book has lots going on in it, The Great X, rescues, meeting new friends, and exploring the unknown. The Mouse Mistress reminds me of a nun that I had as a teacher when I was in Catholic school. She is very firm, expects order and for the children to obey. She come...more
I wanted to read this book because of the author and illustrator. I really enjoyed Lowry's Newbery books, so I thought I would give her younger chapter book a try. And I LOVE Eric Rothman's illustrations. Adore them, actually! They are so sweet throughout the whole book.
This book has a cute premise and the story was absolutely darling. However, the whole time I was reading it, I was trying to picture who the audience would be. Would parents who do not take their children to some sort of church w...more
This book has a cute premise and the story was absolutely darling. However, the whole time I was reading it, I was trying to picture who the audience would be. Would parents who do not take their children to some sort of church w...more
I just finished the book "Bless this Mouse" by Lois Lowry. This would be a wonderful read-a-loud for your grandchildren, children or any child. The book is a about a family of church mice that live in a Catholic Church. The "head" mouse knows where the Father puts his gum drops and lives under the church organ. Everything is going well until rain is foretasted for the annual Blessing of the Animals. All the mice know that if is rains on this day the animals will be blessed inside the church inst...more
Feb 18, 2012
Linda
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-chapter-books
2 1/2 stars...
This story of a colony of mice at St. Bartholomew's is fairly cute. The illustrations are quite nice. The writing is OK. I guess I was expecting more from the author of the magnificent classic, “The Giver.” The church mice need to protect themselves from being seen by parishoners, from cats, and from "the Great X." While there are some clever parts, much of the story is predictable. I also was somewhat offended by the very beginning where Hildegarde (the group's leader) gets upset...more
This story of a colony of mice at St. Bartholomew's is fairly cute. The illustrations are quite nice. The writing is OK. I guess I was expecting more from the author of the magnificent classic, “The Giver.” The church mice need to protect themselves from being seen by parishoners, from cats, and from "the Great X." While there are some clever parts, much of the story is predictable. I also was somewhat offended by the very beginning where Hildegarde (the group's leader) gets upset...more
This was only two CDs, but shortly after starting the second I thought, "Why am I still subjecting myself to this?" Good ol' Lois seems to be increasingly losing her touch. While she's still great at adding the realistic details, what she doesn't realize is that that the details aren't the same as they were when she began her writing career. Elementary kids reading this book will probably say, "What's a phone book?" "Why don't they use the internet?" And I appreciate books that teach me somethin...more
For kids who like cozy stories, Lowry tells the tale of Hildegarde, the mouse leader of a congregation of church mice. They must face two dangers--the fact that their existence (but not the scope of it: 220 mice) has been discovered, and Father Murphy has called in an exterminator, AND that the feast of Saint Francis is coming up, during which local pets, including many CATS, will be blessed. If it rains, the cats will be IN the church.
The tales of them scurrying around inside the walls reminde...more
The tales of them scurrying around inside the walls reminde...more
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Taken from Lowry's website:
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always...more
More about Lois Lowry...
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always...more
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Oct 28, 2011 09:49am