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Reviews of The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires, Claire A. Nivola (Illustrator)
Amazon.com
"I am a mouse, a white mouse. My name is Emmaline. Before I met
Emily, the great poet of Amherst, I was nothing more than a crumb
gatherer, a cheese nibbler, a mouse-of-little-purpose. There was an
emptiness in my life that nothing seemed to fill."
That is, until Emmaline the mouse takes up residence in the wall of
19th-century poet Emily Dickinson's room in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Emmaline spends her days happily observing the reclusive poet: "She
seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, fluttering through the
house like a ghost, stirring up a batch of gingerbread in the kitchen,
or
walking in the garden, lost in a reverie." The mouse's life changes when
a
gust of wind blows one of Emily's poems her way. She blushes as she
reads Emily's evocative words that so aptly capture her own feelings, and
from then on is determined to be a poet herself. The exchange of poems
between the two species of poet is truly marvelous, as eight of Emily
Dickinson's poems are answered by seven of author Elizabeth Spires's
(an award-winning poet herself). "I'm Nobody! Who are you? / Are
you--Nobody--too? / Then there's a pair of us! / Don't tell! they'd banish
us--you know!" is followed by Emmaline's "It matters what we think, /
What words we put in ink, / It matters what we feel / What feelings we
conceal." A near miss with the family cat, an unpleasant interlude with
a
thick-headed editor, and even a threatening stoat keep the story moving,
but the real excitement lies in the deepening friendship between Emily
and
Emmaline... and in Spires's inventive portrayal of the process of
self-expression and the power of words. Along the way, illustrator Claire
A. Nivola's sweetly skritchy sketches reflect the shy demeanor of both
Emily and Emmaline. A brief portrait of Emily Dickinson concludes the
book, but readers will come away with a glimpse of the poet and her
work that no biography could ever communicate. (Ages 9 and older)
--Karin Snelson
From Kirkus Reviews , February 15, 1999
A mouse becomes the perfect poetic companion to the reclusive poet
Emily Dickinson in this heartfelt daydream from Spires (With One White
Wing, 1995, etc.). When the small mouse Emmaline moves into the
Dickinson household, she accidentally reads some scraps of verse
penned by Emily. Reading poems inspires the rodent to write her own
lines on the back of Emily's paper, and to leave it for the poet to find.
Thus the two become ``pen pals,'' writing verse and sharing it with each
other, though rarely face to face. Readers gain a fanciful mouse's-eye
view of Emily's life at home, where she is visited by an editor, and where
she delivers homemade gingerbread to the neighborhood children by
lowering a basket to them on a rope. Emmaline's life is not as quiet as
her
human mentor's; she's chased by a cat, rooted out by a ferret, and
eventually decides she must move on. Years later, Emmaline passes on
her appreciation of poetry to her mice children, and continues to write.
This diminutive little book, with its shy black-and-white line drawings
and
amusing plot, is an ideal introduction to Dickinson's poetry. It's also
a
strong advocate for the power of the written word, even in the absence
of fame or speech, to communicate, to inspire friendships, and to stir
the
heart. (Fiction. 8-11) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP.
All
rights reserved.
Book Description of The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires, Claire A.
Nivola (Illustrator)
When a mouse named Emmaline takes up residence behind the
wainscoting of Emily Dickinson's bedroom, she wonders what it is that
keeps Emily scribbling at her writing table throughout the day and into
the
night. Emmaline sneaks a look, and finds that it's poetry! Inspired,
Emmaline writes her own first poem and secretly deposits it on Emily's
desk. Emily answers with another poem, and a lively exchange begins. In
this charming and fanciful introduction to Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth
Spires demonstrates the power of poetry to express our deepest feelings,
while Claire A. Nivola's delicate pencil drawings capture the intricacies
of
life in Emily's world. Included are eight of Dickinson's most loved poems,
with seven corresponding poems by Emmaline that are sure to bring out
the poet in any child.
Synopsis of The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires, Claire A. Nivola
When a mouse named Emmaline takes up residence behind the
wainscoting of Emily Dickinson's bedroom, she wonders what it is that
keeps Emily scribbling at her writing table throughout the day and into
the
night. Emmaline sneaks a look, and finds that it's poetry! Inspired,
Emmaline writes her first poem and secretly deposits it on Emily's desk.
Emily answers with another poem, and a lively exchange begins, in this
charming and fanciful introduction to Emily Dickinson. Illustrations. 3/99.
About the Author of The Mouse of Amherst, Elizabeth Spires.
Elizabeth Spires is the award-winning author of four collections of poetry
for adults and two other books for children. She lives in Baltimore,
Maryland. Claire A. Nivola has illustrated several children's books,
among them Elisabeth, which she wrote as well as illustrated. She lives
in
Newton Highlands, Massachusetts.
The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires, Claire A. Nivola (Illustrator)
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