Reviews

Rumie Goes Rafting:

“Photos of endearing plush critters bring to life the adventures of an impetuous young hero … Enticing and adorable.”- Kirkus Reviews

“Marentette’s debut picture book is playful, with charming photographed illustrations of realistic dioramas created with natural materials and found objects … Suitable for modeling and inspiring imaginative play, as well as ideas for those dreamy readers who like to insert themselves into every scene.”- School Library Journal

“The narrative itself is simple; the illustrations are anything but: the author crafted puppet models of mice-like creatures, designed and constructed their clothes, built small sets for them, then photographed each scene. The indoor scenes are like those from a dollhouse, if the house were a hollow tree full of charming details.”- Booklist

“In her debut picture book, Marentette uses plush mice set in the forest with natural materials and found objects to create the charming images which add whimsy and magical feel to Rumie Goes Rafting. The imagery speaks to children’s creativity and curiosity as they find possibilities with everyday objects around them. This story nurtures children’s sense of adventure while gently teaching the importance of patience and safety in all adventures.” – Canadian Review of Materials

“Rumie Goes Rafting is a valuable cautionary tale of the unpredictability of waters … young children will be inspired to create their own scenes with their small stuffies, build rafts to travel in puddles, and tell stories of sailing, and maybe flying, adventures.”- CanLit for Little Canadians

“So the real danger with models is movement, right? How do you make static figures look like they’re moving on a page? Marentette jumps right in from the title page. There you see Rumie running down a hill towards the water. If there’s any digital trickery at work here, I can’t see it. Then you open the book and boy, it’s lovely. You just can’t fake natural sunlight in the woods, can you? The book tells the story of impatient Rumie and her desire to take a raft for a ride with disastrous consequences. It does a rather delightful job of showing action in a seemingly static form, and I loved how Marentette handled the expressions on the characters’ faces. This one’s a keeper.” – SLJ’s A Fuse 8 Production, Besty Bird

The Stowaways:

“In the tradition of memorable mouse heroes, the Stowaways deliver page-turning, cliffhanging, heartwarming, first-rate adventure.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Not since Stuart Little has the heart of a valiant mouse beat quite so fiercely as that of Rory Stowaway in Meghan Marentette’s first novel, The Stowaways. It meets and exceeds all the expectations of a good mouse story, with a well-constructed and self-sufficient mouse world, a teeny-tiny hero set against impossible odds, and an adventure brimming with mystery that scampers from chapter to chapter.”—National Reading Campaign

“A fine debut that deserves a place alongside Cynthia Voigt’s Young Fredle (Knopf) and Richard Peck’s Secrets at Sea (Dial, both 2011).”—School Library Journal

“…this appealing book will quickly find its audience, fans of mouse adventure tales from George Selden’s The Cricket in Times Square (1960) to Robert C. O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971) to Kate DiCamillo’s The Tale of Desereaux (2003).”—Booklist

“…charmingly illustrated by Dean Griffiths… exciting, interesting, and really good fun. I hesitate to compare it to The Wind in the Willows, but it is in the same league; so read and enjoy…Highly Recommended.”—CM Magazine

“Like Arrietty of The Borrowers or Stuart Little, Rory Stowaway is a pocket-sized hero set against rather large odds… an engaging story which would also be a wonderful read-aloud book for younger children at home or in the classroom. The book’s endearing characters, exciting plot and the central themes of family and growing up would be fertile ground for classroom discussion.”—Canadian Children’s Book News Winter 2014