Reviews for Maggie The Military Rat (J/Book)
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Denniston’s debut picture book follows a patriotic rat looking for ways to help out around a U.S. military base. “Maggie P. Worthington was no ordinary rat. Maggie was a patriotic rat. A salute-the-flag rat. A military rat.” So begins the tale of an earnest American rat who proves too small to enlist, too ratty to work in the kitchen, and too small to write letters to soldiers on duty. But she’s just perfect for befriending Grace (who has light-colored skin and brown hair), the lonely daughter of an active serviceman. Denniston delivers a sweet story with just the right amount of repetition (“I’m no ordinary rat”) and variation (“I’m a ready-for-duty / serve-my-country / shake-and-bake / shoulder-to-cry-on rat”) to foreshadow and then make poignant the meeting of “military rat” and “military brat.” Murray deploys playful watercolor illustrations to capture Maggie’s determined and forlorn expressions, as well as her plucky, pintsized positioning in the world (the image of Maggie marching alongside the soldiers’ boots is particularly striking). Through the use of beige backgrounds, blank spaces, and blue tones, Murray conveys the sparseness of military life and a sense both of loneliness and futility. There’s also color, signaling hope, in Maggie’s ears, feet, and tail, as well as in Grace’s pants and the flag. Young readers will take Maggie to heart and march proudly alongside her. A beautiful, bighearted adventure, offering delight where it’s needed most. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
