Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
Winner, 1972 Newbery Award
Quick Summary
A widowed mouse, Mrs. Frisby, befriends the rats of NIMH in an effort to move her home out of the path of the farmer's plow and help save her sick son, Timothy.
Favorite Quote
Perfectly healthy, thought Mrs. Frisby sadly, except for being dead.
About the Author
Robert C. O'Brien worked on staff as a writer and editor of National Geographic. His arrangement forbid him from publishing with another company, so he wrote his three children's books under his pseudonym. (His editor read his comments at the Newbery Award ceremony to preserve his anonymity.) He found inspiration for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH from a scientific study, as detailed in this Mental Floss article. He died in 1973.
My Project
For the background of my project, I found some scientific rat studies from the Internet Archive that I printed and tore into pieces. I added a mix of pearl and white paint to give it a neutral background with subtle metallic highlights. I created the rat's head and paws using white interfacing and embroidery thread. The open book is a dollhouse miniature that I embellished with paint and a stamped leaf pattern. (Some of the books the rats read are on agriculture.) A miniature light bulb is affixed above his head, symbolizing the many ideas of the rats of NIMH.
Final Thoughts
I love it when books surprise me. I admit to feeling ho-hum, another talking animal story before I opened the book. I was immediately drawn into the tiny mouse world of Mrs. Frisby. I found the story so compelling that I read it nearly all in one sitting. The tension builds naturally, becoming one of those books that you simultaneously want to read faster (to find out how it ends) and slower (because you don't want it to end). I liked that it could be read on several different levels (particularly the scenes in the science lab) and enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Two sequels (Rasco and the Rats of NIMH and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH) were published by his daughter after the author's death. The book also became the basis for the animated film The Secret of NIMH. (I found the book infinitely better than the movie. No surprise there!)
Your Turn
If you read this book, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments.