1 Comment

Belated thanks for this piece. I was a big Lonesome Dove fan, and it’s one of my Mom’s favorite books ever (and she is by far the most voracious reader I know, reading one to two books a week).

Meanwhile, I too was a big Ramona and Henry fan as a kid (and loved reading the books to my kids; they’ve held up wonderfully), but I had totally forgotten the Mouse and the Motorcycle was hers. I too read Ralph’s story many times.

But looking back, it still might have been only my third favorite rodent book as a kid. Number one was definitely “Mrs. Frisby” of course, and “Ben and Me” was also a big favorite of mine. And now, though it’s obviously targeted at a slightly younger demographic, Steig’s extraordinary “Amos and Boris” would also be a top recommendation, although it’s difficult to compare books you discovered as a parent versus ones you read as a kid.

Expand full comment