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Summary
Summary
Henry Whiskers must face his fears and rescue his little sister from the scary Rat Alley in this fun, fast-paced debut chapter book set in Queen Mary's historical dollhouse at Windsor Castle.
Twenty-five generations of Whiskers have lived in Windsor Castle's most famous exhibit: Queen Mary's Dollhouse. For young, book-loving Henry Whiskers and his family, this is the perfect place to call home.
But when the dollhouse undergoes unexpected repairs and Henry's youngest sister, Isabel, goes missing, he risks everything in a whisker-whipping race against time to save her. His rescue mission will take him to the murky and scary world of Rat Alley, and Henry will have to dig deep and find the courage he never knew he had in order to bring his sister back home.
Author Notes
Gigi Priebe is the mother of three, the founder of Stepping Stones, an award-winning children's museum in Norwalk, Connecticut and the author of The Adventures of Henry Whiskers, the first in her middle grade series. When she is not writing¾or rewriting¾she is a philanthropic advisor and community volunteer in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where she lives with her husband, a cat named Tigger, a dog named Clover, and probably some mice.
Daniel Duncan is an illustrator living in the UK who creates most of his work in an old stable turned studio. His work takes inspiration from cinema, old photos, and sports. Duncan graduated from Middlesex University with First Class Honours, and a bachelor's degree in illustration. He was highly commended by Macmillan for the 2013 Children's Book Competition, as well as being shortlisted for the 2014 AOI awards for the Children's Books New Talent category.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Priebe sets her debut children's book in Windsor Castle-or, more specifically, in Queen Mary's dollhouse, built in the 1920s and displayed there today. In this story, the dollhouse has long been home to a large family of mice, the Whiskers, and Priebe focuses the action on young Henry Whiskers and one of his many cousins, Jeremy, who attempt to locate Henry's missing younger sister, Isabel, while dealing with other typical mouse concerns (rats and cats, namely). Short, quickly paced chapters and plenty of twists, turns, and challenges keep the story moving briskly, and the simple, elegant narration and regal setting make the story feel of a kind with other classic mouse tales from children's literature. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 7-10. Author's agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. Illustrator's agency: Bright Agency. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Little does the Queen of England know that all 149 members of the Whiskers family live in Windsor Castle. Henry Whisker's family is responsible for the elaborate dollhouse with its working cars, plumbing, electricity, and readable books. Plucky Henry and his ever-hungry cousin Jeremy must clean the dollhouse for the Annual Mouse Masquerade, held during the Queen's birthday celebration. When the dollhouse is suddenly closed and Henry's littlest sister, Isabel, goes missing, Henry and Jeremy must brave a gang of nasty rats, oblivious humans, and a vicious cat to rescue Isabel and save the day. The first in a series, miniature-world aficionados will gravitate toward the compelling setting and fascinating details of this old-fashioned adventure. While it's slow to start, once the action begins, it's nonstop. Though the time period is vague, the cartoonish black-and-white spot illustrations show mice in suits and vintage cars. Note: the old-fashioned tone extends to the gender roles, which are traditionally defined. Fans of classic mouse adventures will find much to love in this new series.--Seto Forrester, Amy Copyright 2016 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Henry Whiskers lives in Queen Mary's historical dollhouse at Windsor Castle. In fact, 25 generations of Whiskers have resided at the dollhouse. But now that renovations are being made, the Whiskers must evacuate their home. Henry, along with his best friend, who happens to be his cousin Jeremy, goes on an adventure to rescue his sister Isabel from the rats who live in Rat Alley. It is dangerous, and Henry must summon great courage. Along the way he makes unexpected friends and learns there is more to the world than meets the eye. Henry is a lovable character who is loyal and brave. The text flows well, making this selection ideal for either independent readers or for classroom read-alouds. Black-and-white spot illustrations open each short chapter. VERDICT Fast-paced and sure to appeal to young fans of animal adventure.-H. Islam, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1965) upgrades to The Mice and the Rolls-Royce. In Windsor Castle there sits a dollhouse like no other, replete with working plumbing, electricity, and even a full library of real, tiny books. Called Queen Marys Dollhouse, it also plays host to the Whiskers family, a clan of mice that has maintained the house for generations. Henry Whiskers and his cousin Jeremy get up to the usual high jinks young mice get up to, but when Henrys little sister Isabel goes missing at the same time that the humans decide to clean the house up, the usually bookish big brother goes on the adventure of his life. Now Henry is driving cars, avoiding cats, escaping rats, and all before the upcoming mouse Masquerade. Like an extended version of Beatrix Potters The Tale of Two Bad Mice (1904), Priebe keeps this short chapter book constantly moving, with Duncans peppy art a cute capper. Oddly, the dollhouse itself plays only the smallest of roles in this story, and no factual information on the real Queen Marys Dolls House is included at the tales end (an opportunity lost). Innocuous adventuring on the smallest of scales. (Fantasy. 6-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
The Adventures of Henry Whiskers 1 NARROW ESCAPE IN THE BLUISH-GRAY LIGHT OF early dawn, a young mouse slept soundly, cupped in the cushion of an old leather armchair. His long, sleek tail dangled limply over one side while a front paw draped across his charcoal brow. On the floor at the foot of the chair lay a book with its pages opened to a picture of a medieval knight dressed in a suit of armor. Henry Whiskers felt as if he were a thousand miles away, floating in a dream. It was a happy dream, and he began to chuckle--until something interrupted it. "Psst! Henry! Henry! Wake up!" Henry didn't budge. "Henry! You have to get out of here!" Henry slowly opened one sleepy brown eye, then the other. He smiled and yawned. He uncurled himself and stretched, shaking out his paws. Just before he closed his eyes once more, he noticed the form of a familiar mouse in the distance. Jeremy. "Henry!" pleaded the squeaky voice. "It's getting light out, and Warden will see you! Run!" This time, Henry's heavy eyelids snapped open and he bolted upright. Warden was a tour guide. Panic gushed through him, and he scrambled off the chair and scurried across the floor. "The book, Henry! Pick up the book!" Jeremy waved his big paw frantically through the air. At that very moment, Henry saw a light flick on in the surrounding exhibit room. He almost somersaulted over himself as he skidded to an abrupt stop and turned around. His heart sank to his feet. He'd forgotten to put the book back on the bookshelf. And now Warden was at the entrance to the exhibit room. Henry dove onto the floor and slid over to the book on his soft, white stomach. At that same moment, Jeremy retreated up the dollhouse chimney and out of sight. In one swift move, Henry lassoed the book with his tail and raced up the shelves. He jammed the book back into the empty-toothed gap it had left and raced back down. Crouched under a footstool, Henry waited for Warden to put out the wooden sign letting visitors know that the famous dollhouse exhibit was open. When his cue came, Henry made a run for it. And as he ran, he promised himself over and over that he'd never sneak into the library again as long as he lived. Henry could hardly breathe by the time he met up with Jeremy near the fireplace. "Did he see you? What happened out there?" whispered Jeremy. "No. I mean, I don't know," gasped Henry, panting hard. "What do you mean you don't know? How can you not know?" "I don't know. It was all a blur." A long silence followed as they thought about the possibilities. "We better get home," Jeremy said, "or someone will definitely notice we're missing." Henry cast a quick glance back over his shoulder. The hair at the back of his neck bristled, and he clamped a paw to his mouth. Jeremy followed Henry's gaze. "Is that . . . ?" squeaked Jeremy. Henry nodded, and then, as if Jeremy was reading his mind, the two of them high-tailed it out of the library, down a long hallway to a back set of stairs. Just before they plunged down the steps, they held each other back with a forepaw. A four-legged shadow with an upright tail slowly crept across the floor just below them. They spun around and darted through the pantry, leaped out of the house, and streaked across the exhibit room floor. They dove through a heating grate on the far wall and dashed down toward the ancient tunnels that weaved through their world beneath Windsor Castle. Excerpted from The Adventures of Henry Whiskers by Gigi Priebe All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
