Our Books
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O'Brien (1971)
Robert C. O'Brien's Newbery Award-winning Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is the longest book thus far recommended for One School, One Book. It is a beguiling and unforgettable book that tells two stories. First we meet Mrs. Frisby, a mouse who lives on a farm, who must find new living quarters for her family, a task beyond her physical capabilities. Her search takes her to the mysterious, secretive, industrious rats who also live on the farm. And these rats -- the rats from NIMH -- turn out to have their own story, an unexpected, captivating tale of capture, experimentation, and escape -- a story whose nine chapters are the secret heart of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.
One might think that a chapter book 235 pages long is too much for younger children. And it is true that Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a more ambitious One Book choice. But the story delights and captivates younger children because they are able to identify with the plight of animals. They empathize with Mrs. Frisby and her sick son as she visits a crow and an apothecary and an owl and eventually the rats. They may not understand what NIMH is exactly, but they still thrill to the plight of capture and escape (via air conditioning ducts). Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH eventually has larger themes to explore, including discussions of parasitism and independence, civilization-building and sacrifice.
It all sounds like a lot but that's why it's been charming readers -- children and families alike -- for 35 years. A fine example of how One School, One Book can bring families together, holding the attention of first graders and fifth graders simultaneously, thus building a culture of reading.
(O'Brien died in 1973, but his daughter, Jane Leslie Conly, wrote two worthy sequels, Ratso and the Rats of NIMH and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH.)
*
There are nine supplementary resources for Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH:
- a sample letter home to parents
- a sample reading schedule
- the assembly Maze idea
- an assembly playlet ("Go to the Rats!")
- Daily Trivia Questions (a/ Answer Key)
- a Trivia Quiz (w/ Answer Key)
- a list of suggested activities
As a participating member of One School, One Book you may have access to all of these documents. Here are some samples: