The Christmas Mouse

The Christmas Mouse by Miss Read is a short book that covers one Christmas Eve in rural Shepherd’s Cross during the mid-1950’s. In a small cottage lives the elderly Mrs. Berry, her widowed daughter Mary, along with Mary’s two young daughters. Starting early on the 24th we follow this small family as they make their preparations for Christmas and settle in to the warm and safety of their cottage on a rather stormy Christmas Eve. This particular Christmas Eve becomes a memorable one as Mrs. Berry plays host to two mice during the night. The first has scared her from her bedroom, and wrapping herself in a quilt, she prepares to spend the night downstairs in the parlour. Noises waken her in the middle of the night to find there is show more another intruder, about to help himself to their hard earned Christmas goodies. This second little mouse is actually a young man that Mrs. Berry is able to warm, feed and convince to return to his own home. Deciding that she needs her own bed, she now learns to tackle her phobia and help the small Christmas mouse that is trapped in her bedroom and trying to find it’s own way home.

This was a heart-warming read for Christmas, told in Miss Read’s gentle way. She brings back memories of a bygone time, her story is richly enhanced by her fresh and realistic descriptions. Her mention of the sharp tangy smell of the orange at the bottom of the stocking, or the sharp perfume of pine boughs in the house carried me back to my own childhood.

This was an audible book, read by Gwen Watford. Ms Watford has a mellow, beautifully rounded, very English voice that lent itself to this story perfectly. show less

One of my favorite books to read at Christmas time. This book is set in the Fairacre area but introduces new people. This book deals a lot with loss and grief but all in the context of a loving, supportive, cozy family.

One of my favorite passages: "When Stanley died, she had found her greatest consolation in prayer and the teachings of the church. 'Thy Will Be Done,' it said on the arch above the chancel steps, and for old Mrs. Berry those words had been both succor, support and reason. But, with the death of Bertie, Mary had grown hard, and had rejected a God Who allowed such suffering to occur. Mrs. Berry could understand the change of heart, but it did not lessen her grief for this daughter who turned her face from the comfort of show more religious beliefs. Without submission to a divine will, who could be happy? We were too frail to stand and fight alone, but that's what Mary was doing, and why she secretly was so unhappy. ... It was Christmas Eve, the time for good will to all men, the time to rejoice in the children's pleasure, and to hope that, somehow, the warmth and love of the festival would thaw the frost in Mary's heart."

Lots of other nuggets like this to enjoy wrapped up in a Christmas story. show less

One of my standard pre-Christmas books. This is a good reading and I'm now very familiar with the plot but a few dated and non-PC elements did jolt me out of the story.

Mrs. Berry is my new hero. Grimly determined to do the right thing, she surprises even herself with her own bravery in the end. Another charming English village tale from the able pen of Miss Read. Going back to my normal dystopian sci fi after this series is going to be jarring.

It's not a great book, but a lovely gentle read for Christmas