Status
Available
Local notes
PB Avi
Collection
Genres
Publication
Harpercollins Childrens Books (2000), 178 pages
Description
Ragweed, a young country mouse, leaves his family and travels to the big city, where he finds excitement and danger and sees cats for the first time.
Awards
Sasquatch Book Award (Nominee — 2002)
Language
Original publication date
1997
Physical description
178 p.; 7.6 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member riofriotex
In Avi's prequel to Poppy (1995) and Poppy and Rye (1998), Ragweed the mouse leaves his family in the country and hops a train, winding up in the town of Amperville. There he meets mice that live in broken-down vehicles and are named for car parts: Clutch, Lugnut, Dipstick, Blinker, Windshield, and
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Foglight. They are being threatened by F.E.A.R., Felines Enraged About Rodents, a two-cat termination team consisting of cranky Silversides and her subordinate Graybar. Ragweed urges the musical mice to band together to replace their F.E.A.R.-destroyed dance club, and sets up a combat plan for the expected attack by F.E.A.R. The characters are not one-dimensional, the heroes aren't always laudable and you feel a little pity for the villains. The plot, while not gripping, is exciting and entertaining. Brian Floca's detailed black-and-white drawings add to the atmosphere of the story. I have not read the other books in the series and I feel this book stands alone well. However, I found the constant use of the trendy language in the conversation of the mice to be a turn-off. That's not how I want my children and students to speak and write, and I think it will date the book. Recommended for intermediate level readers (grades 3-6). Show Less
LibraryThing member read-a-lots
Ragweed is a fun book you'll enjoy
LibraryThing member jmoncton
The first in the Tales of Dimwood Forest series. Good children's book - not quite as fun as other ones in the series, but still a good read.
LibraryThing member themulhern
Serviceable, a bit satirical. Silversides' tendency to ruminate on the pointlessness and degradation of her fight against the mice reminded me of Captain Hook. The "cool" language was a bit grating.
LibraryThing member catherineparry
With occasional ink drawings, this books plot moves along well with enough detail to keep attention. Ragweed leaves his small hometown looking for adventure. He hops on a train and finds adventure in a city where cats rule and mice try to survive. He tries to bring the community together against
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the cats. Show Less
Similar in this library
The Good Dog by Avi
Pages
178