Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse (Mouse Adventures)

by Torben Kuhlmann (Author)

Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse (Mouse Adventures)
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

One small step for a mouse; one giant leap for aviation.

These are dark times . . . for a small mouse. A new invention--the mechanical mousetrap--has caused all the mice but one to flee to America, the land of the free. But with cats guarding the steamships, trans-Atlantic crossings are no longer safe. In the bleakest of places . . . the one remaining mouse has a brilliant idea. He must learn to fly!

Debut illustrator Torben Kuhlmann's inventive tale and stunning illustrations will capture the imagination of readers--young and old--with the death-defying feats of this courageous young mouse.

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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

In a project that seamlessly blends elements of a picture book, comic, and novel, gifted newcomer Kuhlmann imagines that the world's first transatlantic flight was made not by Charles Lindbergh, but by an intrepid German mouse flying in the opposite direction, starting from Hamburg. Driven to desperation by the deaths of many of his compatriots in newly invented mousetraps, the mouse decides to head for America: "A huge statue greeted all who arrive there, whether human or mouse." Squads of guardian cats rule out ship journeys, and the mouse begins experimenting with flying machines. Kuhlmann makes every detail of the mouse's endeavor look and sound delightfully plausible, from his da Vinci-like working sketches to his plan to hoist his plane to the top of a tower by attaching it to the gears of the tower's clock. The fragility of his machine and the owls that watch him like sentinels at every step give the story constant tension: the owls' golden eyes are painted with eerie menace. It's all terrific entertainment, and the fame Kuhlmann imagines for the mouse when he finally succeeds ("The Transatlantic Rodent Hero" trumpets a billboard) inspires a future famous aviator--or so Kuhlmann claims. An exceptionally fine debut. Ages 4-up. (May)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 2-6--In this gorgeous sepia-toned adventure, a heroic little German mouse must escape the terrifying and fatal clutches of the mousetraps in his homeland. He decides to make his way to America. The notion of a sea voyage is quickly abandoned when he narrowly escapes the sharp claws of a hungry cat guarding the pier. Soon after, he is inspired by his flying cousins--bats--and decides to invent an apparatus to fly across the sea to the land of freedom. After several failed attempts and a close call with a formidable owl, the mouse succeeds--piloting a tiny aircraft, goggles atop his diminutive head, map in hand. His daring flight becomes famous in his new country and inspires a young boy named Charles Lindbergh. Kuhlmann's stirring illustrations are the true star here--capturing the darkness and danger of the creature's native land as well as the light and breadth of his transatlantic journey. Minute details in the intrepid rodent's facial expressions and body language will immediately draw in readers who gravitate to animal stories, while the careful attention to machinery and architecture will encourage repeated viewings. So strong is the visual narrative that the text is almost superfluous; this book can be enjoyed wordlessly. Back matter that includes a short history of aviation rounds out this rich offering. --Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

The sheer beauty of this book is likely to overwhelm the senses. Its greatest asset is its ability to enthrall on contact...Breathtaking and simple all at once, it's neither fish nor fowl: It's flying mouse. Not much like anything you've ever encountered at all. Certainly it was worth its trip across the ocean to reach us.—Elizabeth Bird "School Library Journal, A Fuse #8 Production "
Torben Kuhlmann
Torben Kuhlmann studied illustration and communications design at the Hamburg University of Applied Science, with book illustration as his main subject. In June 2012 he finished his studies by writing and illustrating the children's book Lindbergh--The Tale of a Flying Mouse. This was his first picture book, and within a very short time it became a best seller. It has now been translated into more than thirty languages. Further mouse adventures followed with Armstrong (2016), Edison (2018), and Einstein (2021), all of which have achieved cult status.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780735841673
Lexile Measure
820
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Northsouth Books
Publication date
May 01, 2014
Series
Mouse Adventures
BISAC categories
JUV002180 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Mice, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, etc.
JUV016150 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | United States - 20th Century
JUV041010 - Juvenile Fiction | Transportation | Aviation
Library of Congress categories
-
Parents Choice Awards (Spring) (2008-Up)
Recommended 2014 - 2014
IndieFab awards
Gold Medal Winner 2014 - 2014

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