Eve TitusReseñas

This was an enjoyable story. A good introduction to mysteries as well as being an early chapter book for emergent readers.

Anatole the mouse rescues his dear friend Juliette, a pregnant poodle who was kidnapped. Fantastic illustrations by Paul Galdone.

First sentence: Miniature cats! Breathes there, in all the world, a mouse who is not stirred by those two words? Did the miniature monsters actually exist? Our leading mouse scientists were not certain, but they all believed the answer would be found in the Orient.

Premise/plot: This one was originally titled Basil and the Pygmy Cats. (It's being rebranded/republished as Basil and the Cave of Cats. On this one Basil and Dr. David Q. Dawson go traveling the world. There are two sub-stories--they are out to help a friend/ruler get his kingdom back AND to solve the so-called mystery of if miniature cats ever existed.

My thoughts: I thought this one was lacking in mystery, lacking as a detective story. It's like the series has taken a turn from being a detective story with a traditional detective and turned into a archaeological quest. This one was 99% world-building. That sounds like it would be a good thing. But imagine it more as an encyclopedia type of world-building. Readers are essentially getting a text-book education on mouse lore that is thousands of years old. Was I interested? Not really. It requires a LOT of suspension of disbelief. Like mice traveling the globe; mice ruling countries. It was just a little too much for me to really enjoy. I much preferred the idea of a mouse living in a mouse town in the cellar of Sherlock Holmes' residence.

First sentence: In all France there was no mouse more honored or respected than Anatole. He was very proud of his job as Cheese Taster at the factory of M'sieu Duval. Nobody knew that he was not a man but a mouse, not even M'sieu Duval, for he did his work after the others went home.

Premise/plot: Anatole is Vice President in charge of tasting all the cheese. (What a job!) But his job security--and his life--is threatened by the presence of an unexpected cat in the factory. The owner has a cat that is, well, stubborn. Anatole writes M. Duval and tells him the cat must go or he will. If the boss can't keep his cat under control, maybe just maybe Anatole can bell that cat!

My thoughts: These two Anatole books are AWESOME. I really loved both books. I adore the illustrations. Highly recommended.

First sentence: In all France there was no happier, more contented mouse than Anatole. He lived in a small mouse village near Paris with his dear wife Doucette and their six charming children--Paul and Paulette, Claude and Claudette, George and Georgette.

Premise/plot: Anatole is flustered, to say the least, when he learns that humans think of mice as vermin. He decides to 'redeem' the way things are--mice sneaking human food. He goes to a cheese factory prepared. He brings typed notes (flags, I believe). Extra-'Specially Good, 'Specially Good, Good, Not So Good, No Good. He will stick these flags/notes into each cheese he samples. He'll also write additional notes sharing his opinions. M. Duvall is surprised but ultimately pleased. He listens to Anatole's advice and his sales increase. Anatole has a gift for what makes a great cheese great. M. Duvall invites Anatole to continue visiting the factory and helping out. He even leaves extra snacks and treats. (Of course, he doesn't know Anatole is a mouse exactly). Anatole is therefore honorably able to provide for his family. It's a win-win situation...

My thoughts: I LOVED this one. I loved it so much!!! It is one of those that is practically perfect in every way. I loved the text, the story. I loved the illustrations. What a fun world Eve Titus created!

I really loved the five categories Anatole uses. I might even use those categories instead of stars. Maybe.

First sentence: The mystery of the missing twins could never have been solved by an ordinary detective. But Basil, of course, was far from ordinary.

Premise/plot: Basil and Dr. David Q. Dawson share a house with Sherlock Holmes. Basil, the great detective, is a mouse who learns from the best of the best. Dr. David Q. Dawson is his sidekick, his Watson, if you will. In this early chapter book--illustrated, of course, the two solve the case of two missing children--Agatha and Angela. This is a case that will put them in some degree of danger--particularly from owls--but they will stay on the case and follow all the clues...

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I think I would have probably loved it even more as a kid. It just LOOKS like a delightful, fun, animal fantasy. (And fortunately, it is nothing like Stuart Little.) As an adult, I do have a few questions as to how this mouse society works. The infrastructure between the human world and the mouse world--I've got questions. It makes sense that his mouse city would all be housed either in the basement or the attic of Sherlock Holmes' place, but, I'm not sure HOW he gets around to all the places he gets. And I think there's even trains? I don't know. The more I thought about this one, the more questions I had. But it was in some ways just a delight.½

Anatole, respected Cheese Taster in France. Anatole and his colleague, Gaston were afraid of cats. To keep his job and continue to support his wife and six children, Anatole need to find a way to deal with their fear of cats.

Read Titus' Anatole and The Cat to learn what happens.

I found it relaxing and fun reading this children's book. Encourages children to consider solutions to problematic situations.

Strong and positive read with good illustrations.

Another simple story about an entrepreneurial French mouse, Anatole, this book is not! Titus and Galdone shift perspective to comment on the rise of technology in the workplace through the introduction of an untoward robot who attempts to take over Anatole’s job at the Duvale cheese factory. The robot in question is not actually bad at its job of tasting cheese (a surprising turn, but it would have been too simple a motif to have the robot just be incompetent at the job), but their prevailing theme is that even if machinery can technically replace human (or mouse) workers the artistry required for many of these jobs cannot be replicated. Not really a surprising motif coming from the French, who very much value artistic inclinations in the workplace, but one that is important nonetheless!

Titus ventures out of the Duvale Cheese Factory in this book to give Anatole and his family the adventure of a lifetime. The ever-enterprising mouse brings home a damaged kite with the idea to repair it and create an amusing toy for his children. How could he predict the disastrous results that occur when the kite is repaired and a wayward gust of wind blows the family high into the skies over Paris! Well, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to put a family of mice on a human-sized kite, but all is made well through Anatole’s bargain with a bird (for a partial rescue) and his sacrifice of the kite material to make parachutes to get his family safely to the ground. Only Anatole could turn this situation to his advantage - if the Parisian skies don’t daunt him, what more challenge can the rest of the world offer? I guess we’ll see when he jaunts off to Italy in the next book!

I'm no fan of mice in real life, but it was impossible not to be charmed by Anatole and his antics. French mice are clearly a cut above, as when Anatole overhears humans complaining about the theft of thier food by the mice he decides to go and get himself a respectable job. Of course, what better place for a mouse to find employment than at a cheese factory, where his keen sense of taste can be put to good use! I'm a bit shocked that the cheesemakers don't have the same complaints as the other human characters in this book, since Anatole is still putting his little mousey paws all over food meant to be consumed by humans, but clearly Anatole has figured out how to disguise his little nibbles. The cheese makers remain blissfully unaware of Anatole's true nature, Anatole gains respectable employment, and the people of France get an even higher quality of cheese - wins all around!

What better foe for our intrepid French mouse Anatole to face than a mouse’s greatest enemy: a cat! Anatole found the perfect job previously as a cheese taste tester for the Duvale Fromagerie, but life just had to throw him another curveball in the form of a ferocious feline. Well, maybe not so ferocious, since the story never shows the cat actively hunting Anatole and his assistant, but Titus brings across the great fear that Anatole feels quite well to add tension to the story. As per usual, Anatole uses his brains (and does not run away in fear as many mice would) to come up with a creative solution that will keep him safe from Duvale’s cat but not anger Duvale - belling the cat! Once again, Anatole rises above the expected and accomplishes what no mouse before has ever done and guarantees his continued success in his chosen profession!

Anatole / by Eve Titus; illustrated by Paul Galdone -- New York : Alfred A. Knopf, c1956, 1984. (32 pages) [50th Anniversary Edition] RANGE 3 -- PICTURE BOOKS

SUMMARY: Considered a classic in Children's Literature, Anatole first appeared in 1956. The story is about a mouse of action, a mouse of honor, a French mouse magnifique who decides to earn his food for his family by supplying advice to the Duval Cheese Factory on the quality of their cheeses after hours when everyone else has left for the day. The owner of the failing cheese factory takes his advice and soon becomes "the cheese factory" in Paris.

REVIEW: I remember this story from my childhood. Anatole was one of those that I read every so often. The character was lovable while the illustrations charming (Paul Galdone being one of my favorite children's illustrators).

FORMAT: The illustrations are by Paul Galdone, one of my top five favorite children's illustrators. The pictures are still in their limited color schemes with a double-spread of black and white illustrations and then a double-spread of red, white, blue, and black.

FAVORITE PARTS: The first sentence is memorable -- "In all France there was no happier, more contented mouse than Anatole." -- I also like his family -- wife Doucette and six children Paul and Paulette, Claude and Claudette, and Georges and Georgette. But my absolute favorite is Anatole in the cheese tasting room -- because I like cheese just as much as Anatole does.

NOTE: There are other stories available from the duo Eve Titus and Paul Galdone including ANATOLE AND THE CAT (#2), ANATOLE AND THE ROBOT (#3), ANATOLE OVER ITALY (#5), ANATOLE AND THE POODLE (#6), ANATOLE AND THE PIANO (#7), ANATOLE AND THE THIRTY THIEVES (#8), ANATOLE AND THE TOYSHOP (#9), and ANATOLE AND THE PIPED PIPER (#10), so enjoy them all.

NOTE: Older readers may enjoy the Basil of Baker Street Series by the same author and illustrator. The character is based off of Sherlock Holmes.

FURTHER FUN: 1) The story includes a few simple French phrases that can be read, discussed, and practiced. 2) Use the story with a cheese tasting program and let the children make little signs to say if they liked the cheese or not. 3) Have a discussion about jobs and what they may be able to do now to help someone out.

This book is really cute and makes me want to watch the movie again.

A 1958 Caldecott Honor book, the illustrations are uniquely rendered with only red, blue and white.

Anatole is a highly successful mouse. He is the head cheese taster at the factory of M'sieu Duval.

Able to provide a good life for his family, he also very much likes his job...Until, a cat shows up and not only threatens Anatole's job, but his life as well.

Anatole had the courage to realize he was important and valued, thus, if he was to stay, the cat had to go!

In the end Anatole "bells the cat." The cat can longer cause fear.

Anatole, is a charming book with incredible illustrations. The way Galdone captured perfectly the little French town is magical. The illustrations are representative of what we are reading on the page and explain the humor to readers of all ages. A lot of the drawings are in black and white although the French flag colors are present as well. The rooftops and some clothes are red and stand out. Galdone include French nuances throughout the illustrations and I love how the mice are dressed and living the way we image life in France.
I could see using this book for a critical thinking discussion on prejudices or beliefs that some may have about others. We could break down what that looks like, and ways we could help.

Although this series is fun and entertaining, this one cleverly introduces some thoughtful concepts and facts. It has instances of compassion for the guilty, equal rights (for female mice), and thoughtfulness for those less fortunate. Performed by Ralph Lister, this series, though intended for children, can be enjoyed by all ages.

This series is intended for grade-schoolers, but adults who are familiar with the Holmes tales will appreciate them, too. The stories contain aspects of the originals, in this case, a falls, as well as puns referring to Doyle’s series. Well written and superbly narrated by Ralph Lister, this mystery series is quite entertaining.

Basil, the great mouse detective, heads west to capture the nortorious J. J. But like his hero Sherlock Holmes and his quest to defeat the nortorious Moriarty, sometimes the fight must continue on another day. The delightful series is marvelously narrated by Ralph Lister whose various voices add much to the telling of the mystery.

In this installment of this clever series, Basil is called on to explore a lost island where it is said miniature cats live. Could it be true? Leave it to Basil to get to the bottom of things! Though entertaining for children, this one also has a message and a moral. You shouldn’t fear the unknown and you should help others when you can.

Written by children’s author Eve Titus, Basil is a mouse possessing the qualities of Sherlock Holmes, whom he has studied at close range. In this mystery, Basil must save two mice sisters who were kidnapped. This series is delightful no matter what the age of the reader is, and the superb narration by Ralph Lister adds much enjoyment.

Very cute illustrations. Sherlock Holmes as a mouse... awww. If only Disney kept the same style when they were doing the Great Mouse Detective.

When a cat appears at the cheese factory where Anatole works, the mice must think of a way to avoid it. Anatole successfully puts a bell on the cat, which will warn them if the cat approaches.
Setting (Paris), cat-mouse relationship, language realistic. Human-like qualities of mice, mouse-human relationship fictitious. Good (mice) vs. evil (cat).
Medium: pencil, paint

Anatole is a mouse who goes into the human world at night to find food for his family. One night he overhears what humans think about mice and decides he will help instead of being a freeloader. He goes to the cheese factory and rates their cheeses, leaving notes on how to improve them. The cheese factory increases its sales. Anatole remains anonymous.

I enjoyed this story. It is fun. I like Anatole's solution and his comments on the cheese. I think the Disney movie, Ratatouille, is somewhat based on this book. The kids will enjoy it

Anatole is a most honorable mouse. When he realizes that humans are upset by mice sampling their leftovers, he is shocked! He must provide for his beloved family.

Oh, I am so torn on this book. It's a new edition of a classic set of stories, the books that inspired the Disney movie The Great Mouse Detective. I read and loved them when I was a kid and now they're back again! But will modern kids enjoy them?

Eve Titus wrote these books to introduce children to the great detective himself, and Basil is clearly modeled on Sherlock Holmes - although he's a kinder and more friendly version. Basil has learned his craft at the feet of the great master himself, having moved himself, Dr. Dawson, and their entire town into the basement of Baker Street.

When white mouse twins Angela and Agatha are kidnapped, Basil puts to use all the skills and methods he's learned from the great Holmes - but will it be enough to save them from the dastardly plot of the Terrible Three?

I was very happy that the publisher retained Galdone's original illustrations. The delightful black and white portraits show a miniature world populated by mice in the style of Holmes' Victorian time period. The flavor of the original language of Doyle's mysteries is woven throughout the stories in phrases like "Since he is a stay-at-home type, who has probably never been out of Mousecliffe, I deduced that he must depend upon the exploits of others for excitement. I won his good will with my imaginary adventures of the stout ship Pied Piper."

On the one hand, these are classic, sweet adventures full of delightful turns of phrase and adorable mice. On the other hand, they retain all their original Victorian flavor - including remarks that are no longer palatable or appropriate. References to "natives" etc. In addition, while the book is of beginning chapter length, the vocabulary is more advanced.

Verdict: I would put these into my unique category of "cozy read-alouds for young children." I have quite a few parents who enjoy reading chapter books aloud to their children and that is really the most suitable audience for these titles. The cozy nature of the stories makes them a good read-aloud without challenging children with the vocabulary and parents can skip over or discuss the outdated language as they feel is suitable for their children. I will admit that a certain amount of nostalgia plays a part in my decision, but as I do have quite a large audience for this genre I think I'm justified in adding it to the library.

ISBN: 9781481464802; Hardcover edition published May 2016 by Aladdin/Simon & Schuster (paperback edition also available); ARC provided by publisher