Tumtum & Nutmeg by Emily Bearn

This week, Hope is the Word and I are both blogging about our recent chapter book read-aloud that we have finished with our girls. Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall is the story of two mice, Tumtum & Nutmeg Nutmouse, who live at Nutmouse Hall. Their humans, Mr. Mildew and his two children Lucy and Arthur, lead a sort-of pitiful life until the Nutmouses step up and take charge helping the children and keeping up around them home. The Nutmouses are simple folk - they enjoy a good meal, catching up on local mouse new, but certainly do not want to be involved in adventures!


In the first story, Tumtum and Nutmeg, the mice take on evil Aunt Ivy, the children's visiting Aunt. She abhors mice and is on a mission to rid the Mildews' home of these unwelcome pests. Book two is The Great Escape and in this story, the Nutmouses attempt to help their friend General Marchmouse out of a sticky predicament. (General Marchmouse is a quite a character himself). Book three again brings in General Marchmouse, a sunken boat and some pirate rats in The Pirates' Treasure.

My girls loved these stories. There was always the request for one more chapter and, while this is big book, we flew through it in record time. (I feel sure we will reread and revisit these characters soon, we loved them so much). The girls also loved the simple pen and ink sketches that were liberally throughout the stories. For my young chapter book readers, there were just the right amount of pictures to give them something to look at every few pages and keep them hooked into the story.

For Amy's thoughts on Tumtum and Nutmeg, visit Hope is the Word for Read-Aloud Thursday this week, too!