At the time of writing, about a month after finishing this children's novel, I suddenly realised I have forgotten to record it on Goodreads so my memories of it are already somewhat faded.

My recollections are that there are some interesting characters, especially the owl and a few of the rats, and that the story was quite entertaining. It begins when Mrs Frisby, a widowed mouse, has to find help because her young son Timothy is ill and she is warned by another mouse, who dispenses medicine, that if he moves too soon to their summer residence by the river bank, he is likely to catch a severe chest infection which could be fatal. But Mrs Frisby has overheard the farmer and his sons talking, and realises he is planning to plough the area where the mouse home resides. She has to overcome her natural reticence and, with the help of a crow she has rescued from the cat, visit the fearsome owl for advice. When he learns her name, he tells her to go to the rats who have a mysterious entrance under a rose bush and ask them for help. These rats are different from the normal type, but it is only when she goes to their burrow that she discovers how different. For they have adopted a lot of human ways, including lighting their burrow with electricity. The rats decide to help move the mouse home so that it will escape the ploughing, and the story mostly deals with this and the rats own plight.

Part of the book deals with the narration to Mrs Frisby of the rats origin - which is where NIMH comes into it. I do recall that I found that part of the story - where they are subjected to experiments which both enhance their intelligence and extend their lives - to be far more interesting than the rest of the story about Mrs Frisby and her family. I liked the book but don't think I found it merited more than a 3 star rating. ( )

Independent Reading Level: Grade 3-5
Awards:Newberry Award ( )

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.

2023 - ’70’s Immersion Reading Challenge

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Rats of NIMH #1) by Robert C. O’Brien (1971; 1986 ed.) 233 pages.

READING LEVEL 5.1 AR POINTS 8.0 (if read along with book 2: The Secret of NIMH)

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 - A GREAT little rat story! The only way this could have been better is if the author had spent 5 or 6 short little chapters in action instead of having the head rat, Nicodemus, ‘telling’ the story of how the rats of NIMH came to be at the farm. Although, still very good storytelling, there is a difference in how ‘action’ reads and how the ‘telling’ of a story by someone reads. Just this would have brought my rating of the whole story, overall, right up there with Watership Down by Richard Adams.

The rats were captured by NIMH for rat experiments, which actually made them smarter and younger. When they had escaped their captivity, the rats wanted to live a more sustainable life instead of their usual thieving for food from farmers and other households. This is the lead up story to how they ended up at Thorn Valley, to live away from man and work hard at building their own community of rats who farmed and lived sustainable lives.

This is such a feel good story of animals helping animals, especially from the Fitzgibbon’s cat, Dragon. Mrs. Frisby saves the crow. The crow helps Mrs. Frisby by flying her to the owl’s nest for advice on how to save her children and home from the farmer’s plow. The rats help Mrs. Frisby move her home, while Mrs. Frisby helps the rats by putting sleeping powder in the cat’s food and warns them of an exterminator coming out to take care of them. It’s a surprise ending, and I’m not sure if my love, Justin, the sweet, handsome rat survived. I think it might be covered in book #2, which I will definitely be reading next year to find out. Unfortunately, this year, I have to stick to my 1970’s Immersion Reading Challenge. But, I’ll be back to this series.

Rats of NIMH Trilogy
1. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971) by Robert O’Brien
2. Rasco and the Rats of NIMH (1986) by Jane Leslie Conly (Robert’s daughter)
3. R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH (1990) by Jane Leslie Conly (Robert’s daughter)

READ FREE at Internet Archive

https://archive.org/search.php?query=Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH ( )

Still magical. Interesting difference between childhood and adult readings: as a child, I wanted the mice to go off with the rats on their new adventure; as an adult, I'd prefer they stay in their safe, comfortable home. ( )