Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien

 

Anthropomorphic. What a mouthful! But many children’s stories are anthropomorphic. Simple definition: a literary device attributing human qualities to animals or objects. However, Robert  O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, an anthropomorphic story, is not merely fantasy. In my mind, it’s science fiction because many of the human characteristics of the rats originated with a science experiment in a mental health laboratory at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Synopsis

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse, seeks help from a band of odd-behaving rats who are extremely intelligent. As she becomes acquainted with them, she learns they escaped from the laboratory at NIMH. The rats help save her son’s life, and she in turn, is able to save theirs when danger hunts them down.

I suppose that’s more of a hook than a synopsis, but I don’t want to give a whole lot away. The book is too good. Read it and find out how the story unfolds!

Pros

1. Every plot detail has a positive message. Animal neighbors help animal neighbors. In cliché form, “one good turns deserves another.” That may sound dull, but with the continuous threat of Dragon the cat and the research scientists at NIMH, helpful neighbors risk their lives doing “good turns.” One particularly positive message: since the rats have gained so many abilities, they want to be able to live without stealing from others.
2. The villains (humans and cat) aren’t filled with demonic evil. The rats consider the lab personnel likable, but resented, for incarcerating innocent animals. And the experiments in the lab aren’t painful. The obnoxious kid is simply—obnoxious. An impulsive boy who likes to observe and get involved with anything that interests him. Human reactions to rodents on the loose is typical of humans. Even the cat is just being a cat.
3. While the rats are the heroes, they aren’t portrayed as perfect. Their relationships are real. When disagreements among them occur, they are handled without violence. How refreshing.

Cons

1. Amazon labels this a teen book, but I think middle-graders would love it. The end might prove upsetting for younger readers under age nine. (SPOILER HERE): While the rats escape from those who seek their deaths, success comes at a high price.
2. A warning about the movie, The Secret of NIMH: the plot focuses on Mrs. Frisby and her son more than the rats, a complete divergence from the book. As a result, the movie uses formulaic magic to bring about success in Mrs. Frisby’s quest, which Hollywood deems as necessary in children’s films. Not a fan. Worse, the disagreeable rat is violent in the movie.

Discussion questions

1. Why were the rats willing to help Mrs. Frisby when they had never met her before?
2. When you do something nice for someone, what good things might happen because you were helpful and kind?
3. If you could become the size of a rat, would you want to be friends with the rats from NIMH? If yes, how would you help them in their goal to have a safe place to live?

Conclusion

The Newbery Award winner of 1972, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH became an instant favorite of mine. After the movie was produced, Scholastic published the same book under the movie title, but the plot is the original version. Two NIMH books have followed written by O’Brien’s daughter, Jane Conley: Racso and the Rats of NIMH and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH. I’ve read Racso, so I know Ms. Conley was faithful to her father’s legacy by using many of the same characters and maintaining their original charm. Reviews of R-T indicate the same.

If you’re interested in an excellent readable article on the history of how O’Brien’s novel got its start, here’s the link: The Doomed Mouse Utopia that Inspired the Rats of NIMH.