The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail

The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
By Richard Peck
Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013. Fiction, 223 p

A small mouse lives under the stables of Buckingham Palace. He doesn't know who his parents are, or even what his name is. The other mice call him Mouse Minor but he wants to find out who he really is. It is the time of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and the small mouse decides he wants to ask Queen Victoria herself who he is. He knows his path to meet the queen will be difficult and dangerous, but with a little luck and a lot of pluck, he embarks on a journey that changes his life forever. Even though this is a story about a mouse, Peck includes a lot of historical detail about life during the time of Queen Victoria, and social structure of the queen's court. The fast paced action is peppered with plenty of humor. Murphy's black and white and color illustrations add charm. This is a good choice for those who liked Peck's Secrets at Sea.

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