I just finished reading Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of Nimh an 233-page Newbery winning fantasy novel by Robert C. O’Brien.

Robert C. O’Brien published this book in 1971,he wrote an adjoining book called the Secret of Nimh. Robert has won three awards the John Newbery Medal, the Frederic Ives Medal, and the Edgar Award for best Juvenile.I read this book because my teacher, Mr. Jockers recommend it to me. Plus, it was one of the requirements for this year.

In this novel Mrs.Frisby, a mouse, has  sick son named Timothy. So, she goes to Mr.Ages a medicine mouse who tells her  the Timothy has pneumonia. All is well until she hears that is is plowing season, and Timothy can’t be moved! So she has a friend of hers take her to the owl who tells her to go to the rats. When she goes to the rats she learns secrets (that she never knew were hidden) about her husband and his life.

The main character is different from the other main characters I have read about. Usually the books I read have a human main character instead of a animal so this was a weird/nice change for me. The character development throughout the story was non-existent. I felt like the characters were all ready in a place and they didn’t have to change. I wish that the book didn’t end the way that it did. All though everything was fine I feel like the loss at the end really effected the book.

I was interested in this passage:

“ Behind the plow, in the moist and shining soil, the rudley-upturned red-brown earthworms writhed in a frenzy to rebury themselves; hopping along each furrow a flock of spring robins tried to catch them before they slid from sight. And when the plowing was done and the worms have all disappeared, either eaten or safely underground, Mr. Fitzgibbon came back from the harrow, breaking down the furrows,and turned them all up again. It was a good day for the robins.

After the harrow,for the next two days came the Fitzgibbons themselves, all four of them with hoes and bags of seeds,planting lettuce,beans,spinach, potatoes, corn, and mustard greens. Mrs. Frisby and her family kept out of sight. Thoughtfully, Brutus and Arthur had dug a doorway behind a tuft of grass, so that not even Billy noticed.” (227-228)

I really liked the description in the passage I chose, I feel like I can clearly picture everything that is happening. I would rate this book a 6 out of 10 because I feel like I have read better books.