K-Gr 2—Rollie, a field mouse with a yearning to see the world, leaves the comforts of his home in search of adventure. Along the way he sees two cows floating in midair and, later, a large tower with a doorplate that says "Wizard." Inside he meets an aging wizard who is losing his powers after fighting a Dark Magician for control of Muddmoor. Now he is worried about his kingdom being attacked again. The two become fast friends and the mouse begins reading all of the man's magic books. He learns about a fish that, when eaten, can give an individual magical powers and wisdom, and is sure that it can help Solarus. When he finds a magic salmon, he convinces it to go to the tower. The fish says that Solarus needs only to touch him, not eat him, to regain his powers. Then he vanishes. But Rollie has touched him, too, so Solarus appoints him to the position of Wizard Mouse. The mouse figures that his first order of business should be to do something about those floating cows. The oil-paint illustrations are lush and beautiful. The wizard is very lifelike and regal with robes of deep red and blue and a long, flowing white beard. The magic fish has gold accents on his deep colors, and the mouse is detailed and expressive. The illustrations make this a book to pore over.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI
Rollie, a small field mouse with big dreams, leaves home and discovers an ailing wizard. By finding a magical fish, Rollie restores the wizard's powers and protects the kingdom. The story has potential, but its resolution comes too easily. Lack of much conflict robs the small hero of any real achievement. Morrissey's luminous illustrations, however, are dazzling.
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