Country life is not at all what City Mouse had thought it would be. He enjoys attending the jamborees, but cannot stand the food. And all of the peace and quiet is driving him crazy!
Country Mouse decides to head back to Mousetropolis with City Mouse to see what all the excitement is about. Mice are dancing everywhere. Gourmet food is for sale on every corner. But danger also lurks among the crowded streets.
Will City Mouse and Country Mouse ever find the lifestyle that they are looking for?
While I found Christie's illustrations to be whimsical and creative, I found the story to be greatly lacking in substance. The book is titled Mousetropolis, but the reader is suddenly transported to a country setting of unknown origins. The focus of the story is not the city of Mousetropolis, but on the characters of City Mouse and Country Mouse.
I also found the story to be too fast paced. I wish that the book would have been longer and that City Mouse would have tried more things while in the country than just eating and dancing. I feel like there is a great imbalance between the attention given to the City Mouse and Country Mouse characters. The text seems to focus more on City Mouse than Country Mouse.
The story also appeared to end very abruptly. While both mice have decided that they are "home," the reader is left to wonder why they made the choices that they did. Older readers may be able to make the connection regarding the decisions made by the mice, but I feel that younger readers will struggle with this aspect and become confused.
I did greatly enjoy some of the adult humor that was hidden within the illustrations. I love the wording on the city mouse clothing (Swiss, Sharp)! I also loved the illustration of the city mice on their cell phones and tablets. Too funny!
This story is appropriate for children ages 3 through 7.