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The Great Mouse Escape
A Word of Mouse Tail
Contributors
By Chris Grabenstein
Illustrated by Jennifer L. Meyer
Read by Emily Bauer
Read by Nate Begle
Formats and Prices
- On Sale
- Jun 16, 2025
- Publisher
- Hachette Audio
- ISBN-13
- 9781668649176
Price
$18.99Format
Format:
- Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $18.99
- ebook $9.99 $12.99 CAD
- Hardcover $17.99 $23.99 CAD
Buy from Other Retailers:
Talking mouse Isaiah is free from the experiments that left him with blue fur and a big voice, and living a picture-perfect life with his human friend, Hailey. But the evil scientists—and their evil talking cats—are hot on Isaiah’s trail. When they mouse-nap his friend Mikayla, it’s up to Isaiah and Hailey to rescue her.
Their search takes them on a cross-country adventure, where they face foes and make unexpected friends. If they can find Mikayla, they might even find a way to free Isaiah’s siblings and create a happy ending for all of the lab mice.
This endearing and whimsical tail tale from bestselling author James Patterson is a celebration of bravery and determination in all shapes and sizes.
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Praise for Word of Mouse: A New York Times Bestseller!A Parents' Choice Award® winner!Barnes and Noble's Best Book of the Month for Young Readers!An Amazon Best Book of the Month Pick!A Louisiana Readers' Choice Award Nominee!
A Utah Beehive Award Nominee!
A Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee!
A New York Charlotte Award Nominee!
A Texas Cy-Fair Horned Toad Tales Award Nominee!
A Indiana Young Hoosier Award Nominee! -
* "Patterson and frequent collaborator Grabenstein offers this charming tale of Isaiah, a blue (yes-bright blue!) mouse, and his effort to break his family out of a very bad place. Sutphin provides black-and-white spot illustrations that recall the great mouse protagonists of the mid-20th century. With smart witticisms to launch each quick-paced chapter, Isaiah is truly a mouse that roars."Kirkus Reviews, starred review
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* "Children's literature offers a long tradition of clever mice who accomplish amazing feats, and Patterson and Grabenstein's Isaiah seems destined to join them. Here's hoping this unique hero returns soon with further adventures."Booklist, starred review
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* "Though this story has strong messages of accepting differences, finding common ground and the courage to be yourself, and loving your enemies, it remains lighthearted and funny. Young listeners will love it."Booklist, starred review, audiobook edition
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"Brilliant, fast-paced, and loaded with wisdom, humor, and boldness, Word of Mouse is pitch-perfect in every way."The Times Herald
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"As Isaiah comes to recognize his own skills, courage, and self-worth, he emboldens others....Isaiah's friendship with a human girl named Hailey (it's implied she has albinism) further drives home the novel's themes of celebrating individuality and belief in oneself. Sutphin's detailed line drawings pair perfectly with this sweet tale."Publisher's Weekly
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"A fun, relatable tale with...a strong message about focusing on the things we have in common, not the ones that divide us. Word of Mouse will tickle the funny bones."Common Sense Media
BOOK CLUB GUIDE
- How do Isaiah, Mikayla, and Hailey all change and grow over the course of the novel?
- Why don’t Hailey’s parents believe her? Have your parents ever not believed you when you were telling the truth about something? How did that make you feel?
- Like Isaiah, Hailey looks different on the outside, which Isaiah says “always makes one an easy target for all those who fear differences and diversity” (pp. 44–45). Have you ever felt targeted about something that makes you different from your peers? How can you celebrate the differences of your friends and classmates—and yourself?
- Isaiah says, “Heroes, even make-believe ones, do what needs to be done when it needs doing” (p. 92). How would you define a hero?
- How does Isaiah help his new friends, Ethan and Buddy, and his adoptive brother, Gabriel? How do they help Isaiah?
- What qualities and skills does Isaiah rely on to travel from New Jersey to Chicago to San Jose?
- Do you agree with the statement, “Helping others is the best way to help yourself” (p. 318)? Why or why not?
- What does the novel say about family—both the family you’re born into and the one you find along the way?
- Why is it important to use your voice?
- Choose your favorite chapter opener quote from Isaiah and explain what it means to you.