Violet and Jobie in the Wild

by Lynne Rae Perkins

Lynne Rae Perkins (Illustrator)

“A gem of a story. ”—Booklist (starred review)

“A marvelous heroic journey. ”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A narrative centering family bonds and new experiences. ”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Newbery Medal winner Lynne Rae Perkins introduces Violet and Jobie, two house mice exiled to the wilderness, in an exceptional read-aloud and read-alone for fans of Skunk and Badger, Nuts to You, and classic animal stories such as Stuart Little. This thrilling—and funny!—animal adventure explores themes of friendship, family, bravery, and the meaning of home. Violet & Jobie in the Wild is illustrated in black-and-white throughout by the author.

Brother and sister mice Violet and Jobie live a cozy and comfortable life in a humans’ house, where food is plentiful, and the television is both educational and entertaining. In fact, Violet, tucked safely behind a book in the bookcase, loves to watch nature programs along with the young boy of the family. The boy’s mother, however, isn’t the biggest fan of mice.

When Violet and Jobie are caught in a trap, the young boy pleads with his mother to release them, and she agrees. Now Violet and Jobie find themselves in tall grasses, under tall trees, surrounded by all kinds of unfamiliar scents and sounds and creatures. In short, they find themselves in the wild. How will they survive?

This short, generously illustrated novel is packed with action, humor, heart, friendship, and surprises. Award-winning author Lynne Rae Perkins’s Violet & Jobie in the Wild will resonate with readers who love books about animals.

• ISBN10: 0062499696
• ISBN13: 9780062499691
• Publish Date: 27 October 2022 (first published 13 September 2022)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 26 February 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Greenwillow Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Violet and Jobie in the Wild is a well written illustrated adventure story for middle grade readers by Lynne Rae Perkins. Released 30th Nov 2022 by HarperCollins on their Children's imprint, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. Paperback due out 3rd quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is an engaging and sensitively told story about a pair of anthropomorphic sibling mice who are trapped in a box by the humans who live in the house they call home and dumped in the wilderness of a park far away from the only place they've ever known. There are dangers aplenty for two small young rodents, but there are also adventures and friends to be found along the way as well. 

The story is enhanced by the author's charcoal illustrations. They're full of small details which invite a closer look and they provide a nice counterpoint to the story. There are some slightly scary parts, but nothing too graphic or unpleasant. I found the ending bittersweet, but not a deal-breaker. It's a surprisingly grown-up ending for a middle grade book, but overall well done. 

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition as well as home use. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.