American Fancy Rat & Mouse Day
The CBC Holidays Series explores stories that relate to specific holidays so that readers of all ages can celebrate in the best way… with a good book!
November 12 is American Fancy Rat & Mouse Day, where we celebrate these loveable pet rodents. While their relatives on the street may get a bad rap, fancy rats and mice are house pets and are considered clean creatures with simple needs: a wheel or ball for exercise, some veggies or seeds to gnaw on, and maybe a friend of their own species to cuddle with at the end of the day. They are also intelligent, able to solve mazes and puzzles with their nose to find their favorite treat at the end. Whether you own a fancy rat or mouse or not, these books let us all enjoy the company of wonderful rats and mice today.
Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats: Urban Ecology, Community Science, and How We Share Our Cities, by Cylita Guy; illus. Cornelia Li (Annick Press) — Nonfiction, Prose, Animals, Science, ages 7-12.
The Cozy Home: Three-and-a-Half Stories, by Ame Dyckman; illus. Mark Teague (Simon & Schuster / Beach Lane Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Series, ages 0-3.
Flowers For Algernon, written and illustrated by Daniel Keyes (HarperCollins / Mariner Books Classics) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Teen.
Lulu the Broadway Mouse, by Jenna Gavigan (Running Press Kids) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Music / Art, Series, ages 7-12.
One Is a Feast for Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale, by Judy Cox; illus. Jeffrey Ebbeler (Holiday House / Pixel Ink / Peachtree) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Food, Holidays, ages 4-6.
The Palace Rat, by Lynne Marie; illus. Eva Santana (Yeehoo Press) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Physical/Mental Health, ages 4-6.
Scurry, by Mac Smith (Skybound Entertainment / Skybound Comet) — Fiction, Graphic Novel, Animals, Mystery / Thriller, ages 7-12.
The Sewer Rat Stink: A Graphic Novel (Geronimo Stilton #1), by Geronimo Stilton and Tom Angleberger (Scholastic / Graphix) — Fiction, Graphic Novel, Animals, Mystery / Thriller, Series, ages 7-12.
The Stowaways, by Meghan Marentette; illus. Dean Griffiths (Pajama Press) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo; illus. Timothy Basil Ering (Candlewick) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Action / Adventure, Food, ages 7-12.
What the Rat Told Me, by Marie Sellier; illus. Catherine Louis (NorthSouth Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Holidays, ages 4-6.
Celebrate American Fancy Rat & Mouse Day by reading a book!
List compiled by CBC’s resident holiday expert, Sommer Wissner. Check out other CBC Holiday book lists on our blog.
