RAGWEED

“A mouse has to do what a mouse has to do.” So the golden mouse, Ragweed, tells his mother as he sets off to see more of the world. Rather than the fork to Dimwood Forest, Ragweed heads to the train tracks and rides the rails to Amperville. Mice of all descriptions terrorized by F.E.A.R--Felines Enraged about Rodents--become Ragweed’s new friends and soul mates. John McDonough’s relaxed pace invites the listener to imagine the mouse world and to savor Avi’s rich details. One hears the anguish of each decision Ragweed must make; the “like, dude” speak of Clutch and her fellow musicians; the dejection and vengeance of the cats, Silversides and Graybar; and the creative bustle as Cafe Independent comes to life. McDonough relishes each character of Avi’s fast-paced, clever, and engrossing tale of cat and mouse. A.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]