The Mouse of Amherst

We just finished reading The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires.   This is another book I have read to the girls which I have never read.  It is the story of Emmaline, a mouse, who lives in Emily Dickinson's home in Amherst, Massachusetts.  It is about 60 pages and has no chapter divisions. We read it in two sessions.

I love Emily Dickinson.  When I was in college, I majored in American literature and wrote my thesis on the Biblical imagery found in Dickinson's poetry.  In this book, the mouse and Emily write poems back and forth to each other.  Spires does an excellent job of copying Dickinson's style.

However, this was not a very good book to read to the girls.  The language was beautiful, but they can't really appreciate that yet.  There is very little "action" in the plot.  My girls barely know what poetry is at this point, so two characters exchanging poems was a little slow.  They did enjoy the pictures and loved learning about the mouse's room.  But, Stuart Little is much more enjoyable - full of adventure and excitement.