Violet and Jobie in the Wild

Starred review from August 1, 2022
Indoor mice accustomed to cushy conditions learn to survive outdoors in this endearing novel by Perkins (Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea). Brother and sister mice Jobie and Violet are happy living in a warm human home, where their biggest dangers are “the cheese game”—the spring-loaded contraption from which they wrest snacks—and the household’s two cats. When they are captured one day and left at a nearby state park, they’re thrust into a life that Violet has seen only on TV program Nature Magnificent. They fumble mightily, and often humorously, in their naivete, just barely escaping predators, until they meet kind Zolian, self-proclaimed as “the oldest mouse ever.” Zolian’s wise counsel (“D.E.F.: Don’t Exit the Foliage”) proves invaluable to their survival and growing confidence. And as days pass, and Violet and Jobie follow separate paths, each forming a deep bond, both come to appreciate the shared beauty and peril around every corner. Balancing funny notes with a newfound sense of wonder, nimble text cleverly imagines the details of moving through the natural world in a mouse’s body. Sprightly b&w pencil drawings add finely wrought detail to a narrative centering family bonds and new experiences. Ages 8–12.

Starred review from September 1, 2022
Mouse siblings Violet and Jobie live a cozy life in a human house where they are warm and comfortable, have plenty to eat, and sometimes watch Nature Magnificent on television. They like to play the "cheese game," where they use a pencil to spring a mousetrap and then enjoy its bait -- until one careless day, they find themselves trapped inside. The humans, a benevolent mother and child, release the mice in a distant state park, and the young rodents find themselves in a new environment that they are ill-equipped to navigate. The first night they sleep in a creature's den, with near-tragic results: "Because suddenly, [Violet] realized that's what the creature was: a fox. Thanks, Nature Magnificent!" Mercifully, they meet a wise old mouse, Zolian, who helps them learn to stay safe and also how to appreciate the world around them. Thoughtful Violet grows close to the elderly Zolian, while extroverted Jobie cultivates a large group of friends. When Jobie leaves to start a family of his own, Violet must figure out what comes next for her. The fast-paced plot keeps this gentle survival story moving. As in Perkins's Newbery winner Criss Cross (rev. 9/05), spot-art vignettes appear frequently, full of insights about life and the natural world along with imaginative and funny details about how the mice might get along in it. Violet and Jobie ultimately discover their own ways, leaving their adventurous stories behind to inspire future generations of wide-eyed rodents (and humans). Julie Roach

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2022
Mouse siblings Violet and Jobie live a cozy life in a human house where they are warm and comfortable, have plenty to eat, and sometimes watch Nature Magnificent on television. They like to play the "cheese game," where they use a pencil to spring a mousetrap and then enjoy its bait -- until one careless day, they find themselves trapped inside. The humans, a benevolent mother and child, release the mice in a distant state park, and the young rodents find themselves in a new environment that they are ill-equipped to navigate. The first night they sleep in a creature's den, with near-tragic results: "Because suddenly, [Violet] realized that's what the creature was: a fox. Thanks, Nature Magnificent!" Mercifully, they meet a wise old mouse, Zolian, who helps them learn to stay safe and also how to appreciate the world around them. Thoughtful Violet grows close to the elderly Zolian, while extroverted Jobie cultivates a large group of friends. When Jobie leaves to start a family of his own, Violet must figure out what comes next for her. The fast-paced plot keeps this gentle survival story moving. As in Perkins's Newbery winner Criss Cross (rev. 9/05), spot-art vignettes appear frequently, full of insights about life and the natural world along with imaginative and funny details about how the mice might get along in it. Violet and Jobie ultimately discover their own ways, leaving their adventurous stories behind to inspire future generations of wide-eyed rodents (and humans). Julie Roach

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 13, 2023

Gr 2-5-Violet and Jobie are mouse siblings who have become accustomed to their cushy life indoors. With no lack of food and shelter, they spend their days watching the humans' television. However, when they are outsmarted by a trap and relocated to the woods, the pair suddenly needs to learn to survive-finding food, shelter, and safety from predators. With the guidance of a wizened field mouse named Zolian, the siblings learn to enjoy their new home. Infused with humor and touching character depth, this book provides a nuanced look at what it means to be home and to grow up. Readers who are drawn to the charming black-and-white sketch illustrations and the animal story will be in for a pleasant surprise at the heart and sophistication of the story that gives the book broader appeal. VERDICT Strongly recommended purchase for elementary collections and readers who enjoy the work of Katherine Applegate.-Monisha Blair

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2022
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* Mouse siblings Violet and Jobie have spent their entire lives in a comfortable human house, watching nature documentaries on television, enjoying plentiful snacks, and napping in cozy drawers. But when they're finally outwitted by a clever trap, the mice find themselves unceremoniously dumped into the woods, and despite the human's insistence that, as wild animals, they'll be fine, the bewildered mice are less convinced. What does a house mouse know about surviving in the outdoors? Though there are plenty of missteps and close calls, the pair miraculously survive and then thrive in their new forest home, mainly due to a chance meeting with a seasoned wild mouse, Zolian, who welcomes them to the forest community and takes them under his wing--er, paw--and expands their world. The story is an absolute charmer, punctuated by adorable artwork and imbued with chatty, cozy camaraderie and frequent funny asides. Though the tale doesn't shy away from the danger and occasional horror inherent in the natural world, it's always done with a gentle touch and balanced out with moments of affection and wonder. "Life is terrifying and also lovely," Zolian notes, and the story beautifully demonstrates this delicate balance in every aspect. A gem of a story that will leave readers eager to embrace a bigger life.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from August 1, 2022
Can losing the life they knew turn out well for a pair of mice? When mouse siblings Violet and Jobie are trapped and rehomed from their comfortable human habitat to the state park ("It's like paradise for them," says the human mom, reassuring her son), they are completely out of their element. The pair are slightly acquainted with the outside world, having seen some episodes of Nature Magnificent when the human family watched television. Fortunately, older, wiser mouse Zolian offers key advice and expands their appreciation of the wild world with a sense of fun. Newly aware of dangers they had never before faced, Violet is overwhelmed until Zolian offers some perspective: "There's always an owl," he says, "but there are ways to live so that you're not always afraid of the owl." As with all good survival stories, the mice learn by trial and error and by paying attention to their environment. There's the sourcing of food, recognizing dangers, and beginning to find connection and pleasure in what is now home. Perkins handles her unique blend of mouseness and anthropomorphism well, occasionally addressing readers with humor. Her art throughout is filled with lighthearted depictions of expressive mice. By the time Violet is carried off on an adventure all her own, the gentle lesson and expectation have been conveyed: Change is the norm, going "home" is an internal rather than external journey, and cherished connections may be impermanent yet nevertheless lasting. A marvelous heroic journey in miniature. (Animal fantasy. 7-11)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022
Mouse siblings Violet and Jobie live a cozy life in a human house where they are warm and comfortable, have plenty to eat, and sometimes watch Nature Magnificent on television. They like to play the "cheese game," where they use a pencil to spring a mousetrap and then enjoy its bait -- until one careless day, they find themselves trapped inside. The humans, a benevolent mother and child, release the mice in a distant state park, and the young rodents find themselves in a new environment that they are ill-equipped to navigate. The first night they sleep in a creature's den, with near-tragic results: "Because suddenly, �Violet] realized that's what the creature was: a fox. Thanks, Nature Magnificent!" Mercifully, they meet a wise old mouse, Zolian, who helps them learn to stay safe and also how to appreciate the world around them. Thoughtful Violet grows close to the elderly Zolian, while extroverted Jobie cultivates a large group of friends. When Jobie leaves to start a family of his own, Violet must figure out what comes next for her. The fast-paced plot keeps this gentle survival story moving. As in Perkins's Newbery winner Criss Cross (rev. 9/05), spot-art vignettes appear frequently, full of insights about life and the natural world along with imaginative and funny details about how the mice might get along in it. Violet and Jobie ultimately discover their own ways, leaving their adventurous stories behind to inspire future generations of wide-eyed rodents (and humans).

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)