The Mouse of Amherst

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.

Elizabeth Spires lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Claire A. Nivola has illustrated several children's books. She lives in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts.

"[An] ethereal charmer." (Booklist)

"When the small mouse Emmaline moves into the Dickinson household, she accidentally reads some scraps of verse penned by Emily. Reading poems inspires the rodent to write her own lines on the back of Emily's paper, and to leave it for the poet to find. Thus the two become 'pen pals'. . . This diminutive little book, with its shy black-and-white line drawings and amusing plot, is an ideal introduction to Dickinson's poetry. It's also a strong advocate for the power of the written word." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Emmaline's newfound enthusiasm and interpretations of Dickinson's poetry will likely coincide with readers' own responses. A brief afterword with biographical information explains just how this clever novel unmasks the 'mouse.'" (Starred, Publishers Weekly)

"A sweetly written invitation to view life as more than crumb gathering and cheese nibbling." (The New York Times Book Review)