Started reading this with my kids, and then kept reading even when they were playing on the beach. They're now still 1/3 through, but I'm done! I read it as a child and loved it. But here's what's funny: I remembered it as a love story. And in actuality? Not at all! There's NO love story at all.

3 STARS

"Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma." (From Amazon)

Loved the movie version as a kid and then read it in school and liked the book.

I loved this book when I was a kid. I read it obsessively over and over (part of me wishes I still did this as an adult but then I remind myself how much there is to read.) I loved it so much I slept with it, another bit of the magic of childhood reading that I miss. And every time, I cried at the end.

I’ll attempt to summarize the story, hopefully without making it sound silly: this is about a widowed field mouse named Mrs. Frisby. Her son is dangerously ill when she learns the farmer who owns the field where she lives will be plowing and if her family doesn't relocate, they'll all die. She seeks help (along the way saving a crow from the evil farm cat who killed her husband and risking her life to consult the local owl), and eventually lands nervously at the doorstep of the local rats. They aren't ordinary rats though. They have escaped from a lab and have super intelligence. And they'll try to help Mrs. Frisby because her late husband did them a good turn once. They also have their own problem-the humans from the lab are looking to get them back.

Just writing about this book makes me want to read it again. I have fond memories of several books I read as a kid (Harriet the Spy, The Great Brain, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Westing Game) but this? This might just be my favorite.

I am very fond of extraordinarily handsome rats. <3 Even better than I remembered, and now I have to read the sequel to find out what happened to everybody.

Reread for our monthly classics readalong--discussion on the blog this Friday!

3.5 stars.
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is an original well written story for children. It emphasizes the value of courage and the importance of education as a mean for emancipation and freedom. The ending leaves some questions unanswered and leads to a sequel.
I found this novel really engaging and I think the author did a magnificent job generating empathy for what is an unlikely bunch of characters. But ultimately, I still prefer the more magical and gripping movie adaptation, The Secret of NIMH, the reason why I picked up the book in the first place.

I did not know this book existed until last year although I have been a fan of the story since I was very young. The film holds a very special place in my heart, and so of course when I discovered that it was an adaptation, I purchased the book immediately. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I greatly appreciate the differences in the stories, the realism and the more science fiction feel of the book versus the fantasy of the film. I love them both for different reasons. This book is truly a beautiful story, and it very easily became a favorite on my shelves. I do feel that the ending was wrapped up rather quickly, but it wasn't enough to take away from how much I enjoyed the rest of it.

I liked the way the rats were intelligent and i also like the part were brutus is guarding the gate. i also saw the movie.

I loved the movie and this book growing up, but I have to admit, I didn't remember much about the story other than that Mrs. Frisby was a plucky and courageous mouse who did what she had to in order to help her sick son and keep her family safe. I listened to the audio read by Barbara Caruso and I thought she was perfect for this story. Although some aspects of the story are a little out-dated (she's known as Mrs. Jonathan Frisby rather than by her own name, and some are not initially thrilled about females doing "dangerous' things), overall, the story has aged well and I enjoyed it very much! I don't remember liking the second two books as much way back when, so I may or may not check them out.

4.5 - I liked this WAY more than I thought I would.

This was a cute and engaging book. Recommended to me by a friend who said it was her favorite as a child, and I'm so glad she suggested it! The book was clever and fun, with lots of engaging characters and a rich vocabulary. All in all, I really enjoyed it!

The second time I read this, I tried it on audio. Barbara Caruso's narration was lovely and I really enjoyed listening to her.

{Rated G} I remember reading this when I was kid, but of course I only remembered bits and pieces. Reading this again, but with my 11year old son this time, was bittersweet. Such a great book!

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!! It’s a cute light hearted read and is good for all ages! The ending is pretty sad though