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Mr. Maxwell's Mouse | 
 enlarge | Author: Frank Asch
Creator: Devin Asch
Publisher: Kids Can Press, Ltd.
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy New: $11.95
You Save: $7.00 (37%)
New (29) Used (13) from $4.28
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 106995
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 32
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 11.1 x 9.7 x 0.5
ISBN: 155337486X
EAN: 9781553374862
ASIN: 155337486X
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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Product Description
Mr. Maxwell is one contented cat. He has just been promoted. And what better way to celebrate than by going to his favorite restaurant, the Paw and Claw? He decides to live a little and order the house specialty -- a live mouse. When the headwaiter asks if they should kill the mouse, Mr. Maxwell says that isn't necessary. He knows the Paw and Claw's mice are bred for politeness! But this particular live mouse can't keep quiet -- would Mr. Maxwell like to add a little salt? Or order a glass of wine? Would he mind saying a little prayer before eating? My, what a bold and wordy mouse! Mr. Maxwell hopes the mouse doesn't give him indigestion ... Richly illustrated and full of surprises, Mr. Maxwell's Mouse is a David-and-Goliath story with claws, whiskers and tails.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Not what I expected...and wouldn't recommend April 30, 2008
My daughters, who are now 7 and 10, have loved Frank Asch's books in the past, so we thought we would enjoy this. The illustrations by his son are wonderful, but we did not enjoy the story. It seems to be a subtle, or not so subtle, commercial for a vegetarian lifestyle. The words used to describe the cat make anyone who would dare to eat meat out to be the villain. It's not enough that the poor "naked" mouse is served live on a platter to the cat at a restaurant, the mouse is left to somewhat bargain for his life.
I'm sorry if I missed the higher nuance of this story, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
 A twist to a story....or is it twisted? (In a good way) March 25, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
What a great book! How Frank and Devin Asch ever thought it up is beyond me. Although it is a cat and a mouse, the "cat" is a middle aged accountant, fussy and prim, celebrating a promotion at work with a special lunch. As his lunch stalls for time, he gets so nervous he guzzles his wine. Not what I'd consider prime kid fare. But it works.
Kids love to see an adult at the mercy of a child--which is how they see it when the mouse torments the cat into letting him go. Yet this is not a mean-spirited book. Both the cat and the mouse are treated with dignity and sympathy even though the story is funny.
The beautiful, almost black-and-white illustrations add to the gravity of this updated trickster tale.
A fun take on an old theme September 4, 2006
Frank and Devin Asch give new meaning to the term "Cat and mouse" in the delightful _Mr. Maxwell's Mouse_. The punctilious Mr. Maxwell visits his regular restaurant the Paw and Claw to celebrate a promotion. As a special treat, he asks for a fresh mouse for his lunch.
The exchange between diner and dinner is mildly humorous, as each seeking to gain something from the other (the cat his meal, the mouse his escape) under the veneer of polite restaurant conversation. The story itself is interesting and charming in its revisiting of an old theme, the artwork reminiscent of the 1920's. A fun book for younger children or those just entering school.
www.lazyreaders.com book club recommendation for April 2006 June 27, 2006
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A funny cat-and-mouse tale, as business cat Mr. Maxwell strays from his normal baked mouse at his favorite restaurant in favor of raw mouse. The entree requests a prayer before the meal and soon engages Mr. Maxwell in a distracting conversation. Mouse causes a commotion that lands Cat in the hospital, as this book almost reads like a Monty Python skit with its absurd characters, their polite habits and absolute silliness. If you are interested in more cool adult, young adult and children's books under 250 pages, visit www.lazyreaders.com.
Read Aloud Honor Book June 4, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Mr. Maxwell is a sophisticated, debonair Edwardian businesscat, who goes to his favorite restaurant the Paw and Claw to celebrate his promotion to Vice Manager of Efficiency Control. Instead of ordering his usual baked mouse, he orders raw mouse for his entree. The Paw and Claw prides itself on polite and plump mice, but the one served to Mr. Maxwell just can't keep quiet. Would Mr. Maxwell like to add a little salt? Would he like to say a prayer before eating? Would he like a fine glass of wine?
Devin Asch, son of the author, illustrates this macabre, dark comedy with artwork created in Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. The glossy illustrations alternate between detailed scenes of the restaurant and close-ups of Mr. Maxwell and the mouse. The facial expressions and body language add to the tongue-and-cheek quality of the text. White text against black panels fit the sophisticated tone of the story.
Children found the illustrations to be "elegant" and "distinguished" and appreciated the details, such as the cats' clothing. While sixth graders said that the story might be scary for young children, they found it to be entertaining and funny. A ten-year-old girl laughed at the idea of an animal talking to its food and "beamed from ear to ear" as the book was read. A nine-year-old burst boy out laughing when the mouse maneuvered Mr. Maxwell's tail on to his plate. He also compared the story to "Tom and Jerry" cartoons.
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