Celeste is a mouse living in a big house. She likes to make baskets and makes due with little. But there are two rats in the house too that make her do things for them. One night she is put out of her home as the two rats draw the attention of the cat to her hiding place and she is no longer able to get out or in her house without the cat being nearby. She ventures upstairs and is found by a young man named Joseph that likes her and lets her live with him. Celeste likes Joseph but does not like that Joseph and Mr. Audubon kill birds so that they can draw them and make a catalog of birds. She finds a way to show Joseph that you do not have to kill the birds to draw them and therefore makes friends with the birds. She goes on a few adventures and when Joseph leaves she knows she needs to find a nest for herself. She wanders to the attic and finds a doll house with a bed the perfect size for her. Until the remaining rat finds her again, can the friends she has made help her?I liked this book because of the ability of someone small to make changes to others lives. Celeste is not able to talk to humans but is able to help her friends by showing them ways to behave so that they are saved from the previous bird's fate. I loved the illustrations in this book and those alone make this a special book. The story is great but the pictures were fantastic. They are very detailed sketches that come alive on the paper. I think that this book would be great for a third grade (if they are great readers and can handle the images of a rat or bird that are dead) or older reader. This would also make for a great read aloud book as the images that are told with words make great ones in your mind too!
I was given this gift by a student who purchased it at the Scholastic Book Fair,
ISBN: 978-0-06-170410-9
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