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The Church Mice #7
Church Mice at Christmas
Book by Graham Oakley
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 30, 2022
Reread this Christmas favourite. This Christmas we have had some mice move in. We set a humane trap on Christmas Eve, loaded with Christmas cake and seeds. We had a visitor in the night who wasn't leaving presents (except those small ones that look like cumin seeds) so first thing Christmas morning we drove our latest find to a nearby church which other family members have been relocated to.
I read this from the library as a child so was very pleased to find a copy in a charity shop just before Christmas at a book sale. The illustrations are lovely, packed with detail and sometimes many on each page, you can see so much time went in to creating this book.
The mice plan to have a Christmas party but being as poor as church mice they have no means of getting party food. They decide to raffle the church cat Sampson who has taken a vow not to eat mice. It doesn't go to plan but after an exciting adventure their party goes ahead and they have a great time.
A lovely humorous book, I hope our mice are leading this sort of life now.
I read this from the library as a child so was very pleased to find a copy in a charity shop just before Christmas at a book sale. The illustrations are lovely, packed with detail and sometimes many on each page, you can see so much time went in to creating this book.
The mice plan to have a Christmas party but being as poor as church mice they have no means of getting party food. They decide to raffle the church cat Sampson who has taken a vow not to eat mice. It doesn't go to plan but after an exciting adventure their party goes ahead and they have a great time.
A lovely humorous book, I hope our mice are leading this sort of life now.
August 20, 2024
The Church Mice at Christmas is a whimsical and slightly surreal picture book, written and illustrated by Graham Oakley. It one of a series of half a dozen he wrote about the doughty, valiant church mice, and was first published in 1980. If you admire Reepicheep from C.S. Lewis’s Narnia Chronicles, you may well feel an affection for this little band of mice too.
In the story the mice are getting excited about the imminent prospect of Christmas, and admiring the Christmas tree in the church porch.
“‘It would be jolly nice to have a party,’ said Arthur suddenly, ‘A real Christmas party with paper hats and crackers and games and things.’
‘Oh yes’, cried Humphrey, ‘And mince pies and trifle and custard and blancmange and cream and jelly.’
So it was all settled.”
All that was left was for them to find a way to raise the money needed to buy supplies. They thought and thought, and then suddenly spied out of the corner of their eyes, their great friend Samson, the ginger cat, ambling slowly into the vestry. The Idea hit them both at the same time, and they smiled.
They would raffle the cat!
Samson wasn’t too keen on The Idea at first, but Arthur and Humphrey sweet talked him into it, and the great day arrived, with Samson proudly showing himself off, complete with a pink bow around his neck. A rather grim-looking couple won him, and carried him off home in their shopping bag, among all the cabbages and parsnips.
Not surprisingly Samson is not happy in his new home, being given very meagre rations on an old chipped plate with a beetle scuttling about on it. He soon scuttles off himelf - back to the church vestry. The plan has fallen through, the money is refunded, and it is back to the drawing board for the church mice.
The second plan they hatch also goes wrong in lots of different ways, each more zany than the previous one.
“From then on it was just one thing after another. Fortunately Arthur kept his head ...” Even though by this time the police were after the mice, they fortunately escaped harm.
Very despondent by now, they trudged back to the church,
“and it didn’t help matters to have to listen to Humphrey explain his new theory about how Christmas Day should change place with August Bank Holiday, so that people wouldn’t have to tramp through the snow to do their Christmas shopping.”
The antics become ever more hilarious, involving Samson wearing reindeer antlers and longsufferingly being harnesssed to a sleigh, a total of three Father Christmases - or is it four? - not all of whom are real - a thrilling burglary, an heroic act by a policeman ... and of course the most superduper party imaginable - a veritable feast for our plump brave little warriors.
The best children’s stories perhaps are those which can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and this one certainly fits the bill. It may be intended for young Johnnie, but you are just as likely to find Uncle Bill or Grandma chuckling over it after their Christmas pud. A lot of the entertainment value lies in Graham Oakley’s detailed and very mischievous illustrations, which well reward a careful look.
There is a stereotype of an English country vicar, namely a doddery, slightly ineopt but genial old codger. We have that here, with him firmly ensconced in his vicarage. But Graham Oakley pushes the trope a little further, by making him watch a gruesome horror film on the television! In the stereotype, parish churches are old musty places, commonly thought to be infested by rats, and tend to have one cat living on the premises, to “keep the rodent population down” (but they are not usually best friends with the mice). Similarly it is a trope that those of the Anglican faith are always fund-raising, with fun events like church bazaars, garden fetes, jumble sales and rafflles (but not usually in aid of a party for mice!) These absurd ideas make the reader guffaw, yet are hopefully quite inoffensive to those of such a persuasion.
A joy to read, the text of the story sometimes stops, with the action being told through more of these hightly detailed and expressive illustrations. The malevolence on the faces of the winning couple’s faces made me laugh out loud.
This is a largish picture book, but even so it is really more suitable for slightly older children, because of the language used. For example,
“there was a certain whiskery ginger individual who would do well to look up the word ‘selfish’ in the dictionary”
although the story is quite suitable to be retold in simplified language to little ones, using the pictures as reference.
A great Chrismas read, and just as popular now as it was when it was first written. I shall go in search of other books by this talented author and illustrator.
In the story the mice are getting excited about the imminent prospect of Christmas, and admiring the Christmas tree in the church porch.
“‘It would be jolly nice to have a party,’ said Arthur suddenly, ‘A real Christmas party with paper hats and crackers and games and things.’
‘Oh yes’, cried Humphrey, ‘And mince pies and trifle and custard and blancmange and cream and jelly.’
So it was all settled.”
All that was left was for them to find a way to raise the money needed to buy supplies. They thought and thought, and then suddenly spied out of the corner of their eyes, their great friend Samson, the ginger cat, ambling slowly into the vestry. The Idea hit them both at the same time, and they smiled.
They would raffle the cat!
Samson wasn’t too keen on The Idea at first, but Arthur and Humphrey sweet talked him into it, and the great day arrived, with Samson proudly showing himself off, complete with a pink bow around his neck. A rather grim-looking couple won him, and carried him off home in their shopping bag, among all the cabbages and parsnips.
Not surprisingly Samson is not happy in his new home, being given very meagre rations on an old chipped plate with a beetle scuttling about on it. He soon scuttles off himelf - back to the church vestry. The plan has fallen through, the money is refunded, and it is back to the drawing board for the church mice.
The second plan they hatch also goes wrong in lots of different ways, each more zany than the previous one.
“From then on it was just one thing after another. Fortunately Arthur kept his head ...” Even though by this time the police were after the mice, they fortunately escaped harm.
Very despondent by now, they trudged back to the church,
“and it didn’t help matters to have to listen to Humphrey explain his new theory about how Christmas Day should change place with August Bank Holiday, so that people wouldn’t have to tramp through the snow to do their Christmas shopping.”
The antics become ever more hilarious, involving Samson wearing reindeer antlers and longsufferingly being harnesssed to a sleigh, a total of three Father Christmases - or is it four? - not all of whom are real - a thrilling burglary, an heroic act by a policeman ... and of course the most superduper party imaginable - a veritable feast for our plump brave little warriors.
The best children’s stories perhaps are those which can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and this one certainly fits the bill. It may be intended for young Johnnie, but you are just as likely to find Uncle Bill or Grandma chuckling over it after their Christmas pud. A lot of the entertainment value lies in Graham Oakley’s detailed and very mischievous illustrations, which well reward a careful look.
There is a stereotype of an English country vicar, namely a doddery, slightly ineopt but genial old codger. We have that here, with him firmly ensconced in his vicarage. But Graham Oakley pushes the trope a little further, by making him watch a gruesome horror film on the television! In the stereotype, parish churches are old musty places, commonly thought to be infested by rats, and tend to have one cat living on the premises, to “keep the rodent population down” (but they are not usually best friends with the mice). Similarly it is a trope that those of the Anglican faith are always fund-raising, with fun events like church bazaars, garden fetes, jumble sales and rafflles (but not usually in aid of a party for mice!) These absurd ideas make the reader guffaw, yet are hopefully quite inoffensive to those of such a persuasion.
A joy to read, the text of the story sometimes stops, with the action being told through more of these hightly detailed and expressive illustrations. The malevolence on the faces of the winning couple’s faces made me laugh out loud.
This is a largish picture book, but even so it is really more suitable for slightly older children, because of the language used. For example,
“there was a certain whiskery ginger individual who would do well to look up the word ‘selfish’ in the dictionary”
although the story is quite suitable to be retold in simplified language to little ones, using the pictures as reference.
A great Chrismas read, and just as popular now as it was when it was first written. I shall go in search of other books by this talented author and illustrator.
December 22, 2021
The seventh entry in Graham Oakley's series of picture-books devoted to the adventures of a group of church mice and their cat companion, The Church Mice at Christmas sees Arthur and Humphrey determined to raise the money they need to throw a Christmas party. When their efforts to raffle Sampson off prove less than successful, and their caroling venture ends in disaster, they find that an unexpected encounter with a most unusual Santa Claus does the trick...
After my experiences with the previous installment of the series, The Church Mice at Bay , I wasn't sure I wanted to keep on with these books. But having enjoyed the first five titles, and having already checked this out of the library, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad that I did, as this sees a return to the warm-hearted humor I have come to associate with the Church Mice books. The burglar-Santa Claus, with his bag ofswag - that is to say, presents - was a particularly nice touch. A lovely little holiday tale for fans of the series!
After my experiences with the previous installment of the series, The Church Mice at Bay , I wasn't sure I wanted to keep on with these books. But having enjoyed the first five titles, and having already checked this out of the library, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad that I did, as this sees a return to the warm-hearted humor I have come to associate with the Church Mice books. The burglar-Santa Claus, with his bag of
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November 26, 2019Never gets old.
June 7, 2019
Graham has a whole series of Church Mice books and, of course, I own the Christmas edition! The story revolves around the mice, and the cat, trying desperately to finance a Christmas party.
Here's a list of the other books.
The Church Mouse
The Church Cat Abroad
The Church Mice and the Moon
The Church Mice Chronicles (Omnibus 1-3)
The Church Mice Spread Their Wings
The Church Mice Adrift
The Church Mice at Bay
More Church Mice Chronicles (Omnibus 4-6)
The Church Mice at Christmas
The Church Mice in Action
The Diary of a Church Mous
The Church Mice and the Ring
Humphrey Hits the Jackpot
The Church Mice Take a Break
One of the books in my daughter's Christmas collection.
5 Stars = For sentimental reasons.
Here's a list of the other books.
The Church Mouse
The Church Cat Abroad
The Church Mice and the Moon
The Church Mice Chronicles (Omnibus 1-3)
The Church Mice Spread Their Wings
The Church Mice Adrift
The Church Mice at Bay
More Church Mice Chronicles (Omnibus 4-6)
The Church Mice at Christmas
The Church Mice in Action
The Diary of a Church Mous
The Church Mice and the Ring
Humphrey Hits the Jackpot
The Church Mice Take a Break
One of the books in my daughter's Christmas collection.
5 Stars = For sentimental reasons.
February 22, 2018
Whenever the holiday madness grows too great, I retreat to this funny, sly tale (the words and the pictures don't match -- to great comic effect). Following the mice on their chaotic Christmas trip through their little town is more fun than a barrel of sugar plums.
January 2, 2017
Read this again today, it is as good as ever. Probably next year this book will be at my son's house for him to read to his little one.
December 7, 2019
This was my favourite Christmas book from childhood. Our mum used to read this story to us every year, lying under the twinkly lights of the Christmas tree. It holds a special place in my heart, and I was delighted to come across a second-hand copy in perfect condition at my bookshop. Reading it again as an adult I can better appreciate the gorgeous, detailed illustrations. Looking closely, there are little surprises throughout for adult readers—like the Playboy magazine the thief is reading inside the police station, complete with bikini-clad model on the cover. The writing is wonderfully British and witty, and the story itself is engaging and really quite adorable. Hoping I’ll come across some more of Oakley’s Church Mice books in the future.
December 12, 2023
This is such a funny, wonderfully British book. The illustrations make it. Make sure you look closely or you’ll miss something. The boys and I were cracking up.
December 28, 2013
This book tried to be cute and I tried to like it. There is quite a bit of text and a lot of highly detailed pictures, but almost too many per page. The story itself was okay, although it was very British in feeling. I think it would have done better as an animated movie/cartoon rather than as a book. The middle of the story is rather tedious and the ending was just okay.
So, we can probably skip this one.
My Favorite Picture:
The cat-reindeer taking the Santa mice for a ride in their sled.
My Least Favorite Picture:
The one of the couple trying to get Sampson to come back and live with them. Their teeth were crazy-scary.
So, we can probably skip this one.
My Favorite Picture:
The cat-reindeer taking the Santa mice for a ride in their sled.
My Least Favorite Picture:
The one of the couple trying to get Sampson to come back and live with them. Their teeth were crazy-scary.
January 14, 2023
The seventh book in the Church Mice series sees our heroes trying to celebrate Christmas but being constantly foiled. This is another that I had as a kid so I have a massive soft spot for it. Probably just the mood I was in reading this time around (about the sixtieth time I've read it in my life probably) but the second half is a bit of a downer (don't worry of course there is a happy ending). The poor mice try so HARD to have something nice and humans just keep messing it up for them. Poor little guys. As usual it is beautiful and funny and Oakley is a genius.
July 31, 2008
One in the series by Graham Oakley ... all are the adventures of the "church mice" and Sampson the cat ... wonderful ! The illustrations are exquisite !!
December 25, 2016
What a brilliant book!
December 31, 2019
What a sweet children’s picture book. The illustrations are incredibly detailed. Loved it.
January 5, 2019
The Church Mice at Christmas is my first 'Church Mice' book. How ever did that happen? The story and especially the detailed illustrations are quite sophisticated but does not negate the wonderful humor. I look forward to catching up with the other shenanigans of the "Church Mice"
August 4, 2025
Barnet gav boken en 5:a.
Stackars katt, mössen vill lotta ut honom som en julklapp men han kommer tillbaka igen. Det var en så galen historia som slutar lyckligt trots allt. Jag blev sur på mössen och barnet gapflabbade.
Stackars katt, mössen vill lotta ut honom som en julklapp men han kommer tillbaka igen. Det var en så galen historia som slutar lyckligt trots allt. Jag blev sur på mössen och barnet gapflabbade.
January 1, 2020
Annual favourite
November 23, 2020
The mice plan a Christmas party and despite obstacles enjoy a feast.
The humor is fun.
The humor is fun.
January 12, 2022
Adventures of 100 mice at Christmas, where they get into million mishaps. Language appropriate for older kids (6-9)
December 10, 2024
We enjoy the Church Mice series and this was no exception. A cute tale of the exploits the Church Mice have to undergo in order to throw themselves a Christmas party
December 20, 2024
Such a delightful book!
I grew up on it, but it’s just as charming and maybe twice as funny as an adult.
I grew up on it, but it’s just as charming and maybe twice as funny as an adult.
January 11, 2025
Utterly charming and beautifully illustrated tale about Church mice and Sampson their friendly Ginger cat at Christmas and their quest fir a Christmas party.
November 5, 2021
4.6 stars
The illustrations were almost beautiful.
There was a museum quality feel to them.
I thought the plot was creative and quite
well thought out.
There were some clever little details in some
of the illustrations that I really appreciated.
There was an element of realism in this picture
book that I quite liked.
Children in general would quite like this book.
The illustrations were almost beautiful.
There was a museum quality feel to them.
I thought the plot was creative and quite
well thought out.
There were some clever little details in some
of the illustrations that I really appreciated.
There was an element of realism in this picture
book that I quite liked.
Children in general would quite like this book.
December 20, 2013
Aside from "A Christmas Carol" this is one of the few books I can honestly remember having it read to me as a little boy durng Christmastime.
It was one of my favourites not because it was humorous but becaue my family shares the same last name as the author, and as a little boy stuff like that is important.
Much to the chagrin of my wife I still have this book in our christmas-book pile, and I have read it to my chilrend a few times but the sharp wit seems a little too much for them right now.
It was one of my favourites not because it was humorous but becaue my family shares the same last name as the author, and as a little boy stuff like that is important.
Much to the chagrin of my wife I still have this book in our christmas-book pile, and I have read it to my chilrend a few times but the sharp wit seems a little too much for them right now.
December 21, 2018
This is one book of a very funny series of books, in which the church mice run the church cat's life. In this book, the church mice decide to raffle off the cat in order to obtain money to throw a Christmas party. Most of the cute illustrations are in panels, with a couple of full page spreads.
January 26, 2023
Arthur and Humphrey are determined to have a Christmas party, but how are they going to pay for it? As usual, none of their plans go exactly as intended, but the party does eventually happen.
Also as usual, the pictures are glorious, and poor Sampson is put to work.
Also as usual, the pictures are glorious, and poor Sampson is put to work.
Read
January 8, 2009HC-Oak
December 4, 2010
I think this book was supposed to be funny, but the humor just fell sort of flat. It is about some mice who want to throw a Christmas party.
October 16, 2012
Christmas time aeries at the rectory and can a cat and his mouse friends survive the mayhem that is ChristmS at church? Only time will tell if Sampson the cat doesn't lose his whiskers!
December 26, 2012
A beautiful book with lovely illustrations. A childhood favourite for Christmas time
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews