Mrs Frisby is a recently widowed field mouse, whose son, Timothy, has caught pneumonia. Spring is approaching and soon the plough will destroy their home. But Timothy is much too sick to leave. To save him, the Frisby’s cement block home must be moved to a safer location.

Mrs Frisby enlists the help of the local rats. These are sophisticated rats – they can read, write and use electricity, all because of their mysterious past in a place called NIMH.

In her quest to save her son, Mrs Frisby seeks counsel from a wise old owl and escapes the clutches of the farmer’s nasty cat, Dragon. It’s a thrilling tale, gorgeously told. Mrs Frisby’s experiences force us to see the importance of not judging based on stereotypes: she may only be a small mouse but she proves to be incredibly brave and instead of disease-spreading scavengers, here the rats are thoughtful and proud.

I first read Robert O’Brien’s book because I loved the film version. The movie is great fun, but instead of relying solely on science, the rats are given magical powers. The book is far more powerful for keeping their story grounded in its own reality.

Daniella Robertson is from Readings Malvern.