- a mouse caught in a storm is forced to live on an island alone
- he learns how to work hard for the first time in his life
- convo: champagne and wine mentioned, gets drunk once
- language: stupid, G*shamighty, gosh, shucks
Type: chapter book
Ages: 8-12
Author: William Steig
Abel goes through a few seasonal changes on the island, learning how to survive, defending himself from predators and gaining many new skills. The vocabulary of the book is more catered toward the 8-12 crowd, though a really good reader at a younger age would still enjoy it.
The story begins with Abel being quite proud of his nobility, social status and the like, but as his clothes become rattier and time goes longer on, his perspective begins to change (for the better).
I enjoyed the writing style. For example, instead of saying, “the boat sank,” Steig writes, “…like the piece of board that had just quit his company.” 🙂
Abel’s love and devotion for his wife shines through the whole book–it’s a lovely example of faithfulness.
Besides the language and drinking, this was a good story. Have you read it?