Tumtum & Nutmeg

Look at the cover of this book. Oh my goodness, how on earth can you possibly resist such a thing?! I absolutely could NOT.

See, here's the thing. Stephanie over at Olive Tree had talked about Tumtum and Nutmeg and I told her I thought the books sounded pretty cute. But then I went into our local Borders bookstore on an expedition and there - sitting innocently on the shelf - was a copy of Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall. I wasn't actually intending to buy anything on this particular expedition but these trips can include fun surprises.

I don't have a girl. I thought I'd pick up these books when I had a daughter of my own. However, there I was, standing in Borders, with two young boys to my name and no good excuse other than THE COVER ART ON THIS BOOK and Stephanie's recommendation in my head and.......somehow it ended up in my house. (I don't know, Jonathan! I just don't know!)

I dropped every other single reading "project" and book, tucked the kids in for their nap time and grabbed this little gem. This ranks among my "Crazed-about-Mysterious-Benedict-Society" reads. You should read that last statement to mean that this is not the last time you'll hear about Tumtum & Nutmeg from me. Oh no!

This particular edition includes three Tumtum and Nutmeg stories:

1. Tumtum and Nutmeg;
2. The Great Escape; and
3. Pirates' Treasure.

First, we meet the married mice who live in Nutmouse Hall which is located in the forgotten broom closet in Rose Cottage. (Oh, and they live in England which I think is perfection for these mice!) Tumtum and Nutmeg are the mice's pet names for each other. Tumtum got his name because he has one, and Nutmeg received her name due to her coloring. They decide to take care of the children who live in the house, Lucy and Arthur, who are languishing under the care of their rather absent-minded professor-ish father. The children think that their socks are being darned and their room cleaned by a fairy. Little do they know that it's a happy set of mice who are doing all the hard work and taking up temporary residents in Lucy's dollhouse.

The follow-up adventures of Tumtum & Nutmeg include an interesting cast of characters which include General Marchmouse, gerbils, and some dread pirate rats!

Cute. Delightful. Totally wonderful in every way. I DON'T WANT TO WRITE A REVIEW! I JUST WANT TO RAVE!

There are apparently two more books in the Tumtum and Nutmeg story. One is a Christmas one and one is called Seaside Adventures and is due to release in April 2010. (Jonathan. Avert your eyes!)

I finished the first three books in no time flat and then bribed my first born child over to the couch to bond with the mice. We nibbled our morning snacks while meeting up with the Nutmouses and we enjoy ourselves. We're reading at least a chapter a day and more if I'm allowed. That is correct, my friends! I finished the book, (as in - snapped it shut), and immediately started back at the beginning with my son. Hey! There are pirates in this book and the best way I knew to bribe him in was the promise of reading TO the pirate part by means of mice snacks. I don't care! He has to know the glories of these books!

Stephanie. I am entirely in your debt and I cannot fathom how I am to thank you satisfactorily in this lifetime (except to probably stop groveling at your bloggy feet, I am sure!)

LOOK AT THE CUTENESS:



LOOK AT THE TUMTUM AND NUTMEG WEBSITE!

I KNOW this is a pathetic post but sometimes we just must be pathetic and that's that.

So now my rough draft reading indoctrination scheme is as follows:

Toddlers (3ish to 6): Tumtum and Nutmeg
6 and up: Chronicles of Narnia
8 and up: Mysterious Benedict Society
10 and up: Strictest School in the World series

I'm not going to host a Tumtum & Nutmeg Reading Challenge or anything. Please don't make it come to that.

T-U-M-T-U-M and N-U-T-M-E-G

I'm linking this up to the I Read It! carnival at 5 Minutes for Books because I read it at Stephanie's recommendation. Have you read something that was recommended by another blogger and you want to share about it? (Nothing as fun as THIS particular book, I'm quite certain!) However good your read (or bad), feel free to come and join us in this carnival.



Maybe next month you can talk about how you read Tumtum and Nutmeg and you can mention how I harassed you into the book(s)! Wouldn't that be fun!? Hmm?!