THE ROSE COTTAGE TALES

Three rousing adventures sweep up homebody mice Nutmeg and Tumtum in their continuing role as unofficial guardians of human children Arthur and Lucy and amusingly immature military rodent General Marchmouse. Each escapade takes them afield—into the village, to the seaside, down the meadow to a stream—to find Christmas gifts, pursue villains or rescue the fame- and adrenaline-seeking General from his risky delusions of grandeur. Even when their world gets exciting, though, it’s still a cozy read. Mouse-sized vehicles operate smoothly; battles are chaotic, but weapons shoot sherbet powder and peppermint gas. Everyone always ends up safe, and feasts range from glazed ham and plum pudding to cockroach pie and roasted flies. Arthur and Lucy exchange notes with Nutmeg when circumstances require, but they think she’s “a Fairy of Sorts” rather than a mouse. The narrative progression depends too heavily on the connecting word “then,” and the scale of distance sometimes shifts. Nonetheless, if this volume feels a little more slapdash than the first, it still harkens charmingly back to The Wind in the Willows and The Borrowers. (recipes) (Fantasy. 6-9)