The Mouse and the Motorcycle

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908)

A charming and humorous story about the lives of creatures who live near a river, The Wind in the Willows is populated with talking animals who live much like humans, with miniature furniture in their burrows and tiny boats they can row. One of them, the wealthy Mr. Toad, lives in a mansion, has a passion for cars, drives wildly, and often crashes the vehicles. Known for its beautiful writing and beloved by both children and adults, the book is an essential of English literature. It’s been adapted for stage, radio, TV, and film.

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Stuart Little by E. B. White (1945)

Beloved American author E. B. White’s first children’s book features Stuart Little, a mouse like boy living in New York City with his human family. As a mouse like boy born from humans, Stuart navigates the challenges of his small stature and extraordinary place within an otherwise normal world. The adventures of Stuart Little were adapted into a titular series of live action and computer animated films in 1999.

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Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White (1952)

The bestselling children’s paperback of the later 1900s, Charlotte’s Web tells of a friendship between a spider, Charlotte, and a pig, Wilbur, and how Charlotte spins words of praise that save Wilbur from the slaughterhouse. Their conversations, and their chats with the young girl, Fern, who can talk to them, have endeared generations of readers. The book has been made into two films, a stage play, and a video game.

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The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (1960)

The Cricket in Times Square, written by George Selden and illustrated by Garth Williams, tells the story of a cricket named Chester who accidentally travels to New York City from Connecticut. Chester befriends a cat and a mouse while living at a newsstand in Times Square. The story conveys the message that one may find a home anywhere in the world if surrounded by friends and loved ones, and that one can always make one’s own good fortune through creativity and hard work. The novel was adapted into an animated short film of the same name in 1973.

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Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM by Robert C. O’Brien (1971)

This children’s science fiction novel tells the story of a field mouse whose son becomes ill as moving day approaches, so she enlists the help of a group of highly intelligent experimental rats for help. The novel received broad critical acclaim at the time of its publication and won the 1972 Newbery Medal, the Mark Twain award in 1973, and was nominated for several others. In 1982, it was adapted into an animated movie, entitled The Secret of NIMH.

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Watership Down by Richard Adams (1972)

Talking rabbits must escape the destruction of their warren, search for a new place to live, find mates, and restart their lives in an award-winning book that sold 50 million copies and has been adapted multiple times for the screen. Its lyrical descriptions of landscapes, tightly woven action sequences, and complex characters have made it a favorite among adults as well as young readers.

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