Miriam Norton

First sentence: There were five Miggses: Mother and Father Miggs, and Lester and two sisters. They had, as field mice usually do, an outdoor nest for summer in an empty lot and an indoor nest for winter in a nearby house. They were very surprised one summer day to find a strange bundle in their nest, a small gray and black bundle of fur and ears and legs, with eyes not yet open. They knew by its mewing that the bundle must be a kitten, a lost kitten with no family and no name.

Premise/plot: Mickey is the kitten raised as a mouse. He goes many months thinking--believing--that he is a mouse. He's raised to fear cats, to watch for cats. So what happens when the human family discovers him, starts feeding him, and shows him--via a mirror--that he IS a cat. Can he overcome the confusion? Will he choose to live as a mouse or a cat? How will he feel about his adopted family?

My thoughts: I'll be honest the text was all over the place. I'm all for nature versus nurture. (Though it isn't always my favorite or best theme. My favorite of this type being LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION which is just pure awesomeness.) I loved, loved, loved the illustrations by Garth Williams. Garth Williams illustrating cute and adorable cats, kittens, and mice?!?! I'm there for it. I'd read it for his illustrations alone.… (mais)

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• The Saggy Baggy Elephant / Kathryn Jackson and Byron Jackson, authors; Gustaf Tenggren, illustrator
• The Kitten Who Thought He Was a Mouse / Miriam Norton, author; Garth Williams, illustrator
• How the Leopard Got Its Spots / Justine Fontes and Ron Fontes, authors; Keiko Motoyama, illustrator
• Mister Dog: The Dog Who Belonged to Himself / Margaret Wise Brown, author; Garth Williams, illustrator
• Animal Orchestra / Ilo Orleans, author; Tibor Gergely, illustrator
• The Lion's Paw / Jane Werner Watson, author; Gustaf Tenggren, illustrator
• Baby Animals / Garth Williams, author and illustrator
• The Golden Egg Book / Margaret Wise Brown, author; Leonard Weisgard, illustrator
• Animal Friends [a/k/a The Very Best Home for Me!] / Jane Werner Watson, author; Garth Williams, illustrator
• The Big Brown Bear / Georges Duplaix, author; Gustaf Tenggren, illustrator
• Home for a Bunny / Margaret Wise Brown, author; Garth Williams, illustrator
• How the Camel Got Its Hump : Tales from Around the World / Justine Fontes and Ron Fontes, authors; Keiko Motoyama, illustrator
• The Tawny Scrawny Lion /Kathryn Jackson, author; Gustaf Tenggren, illustrator… (mais)