Delphine and the Silver Needle

January 1, 2021

Gr 3-6-Delphine appeared one night as a young mouseling on the steps of the Chateau Desjardins (aka Cinderella's abode), wrapped in a cloth with a human-sized needle. Now grown, she has never quite felt like she belongs in the mouse community, though she took pleasure in her passion for sewing. Soon after Delphine sews an exquisite gown for the mouse princess, her mysterious origins catch up with her. The rats, who have had a treaty with the mice for the last 100 years, attack her in an attempt to steal her needle. Delphine's daring escape with the dashingly obnoxious Sir Alexander (Delphine does not need rescuing, thank you very much) is the beginning of a quest to find out who she is and how she fits into the ancient magical order of the Threadeds. Along the way, she awakens the magic in the needle and herself as she realizes not all in the order are gone. This anthropomorphic animal story offers a new perspective on the typical "Cinderella" story, while hearkening back to the "Redwall" series, complete with an abbey run by a badger. The mood of this fairy-tale adventure is both exciting and reassuring, and the fast-paced plot gives enough clues to keep readers guessing without making all the connections. This first installment ends on an exciting cliff-hanger. VERDICT A delight of a quest story that will fill the need of readers seeking a fractured fairy tale, talking animals, or just a quick-moving adventure.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury P.L., MA

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2021
A foundling mouse sets out to uncover the mystery of her origins and of the magical needle sized for humans that was left with her. Delphine's travels begin with a summons to the palace, where her growing reputation as a brilliant seamstress commands an order for a ball gown for Princess Petits-Oiseaux--and also gives her a chance to discover exciting hints about a vanished order of needle-wielding magic mice known as the Threaded and of an ancient war with the rats. Meanwhile, no sooner does Midnight, cruel king of the rats, learn that the needle they have been seeking for a century has been found than said old war suddenly heats up and turns into a deadly chase. Also meanwhile, only barely noticed by the animal cast but sure to snag readers' attention, certain events involving another seamstress, a pumpkin coach, a ball, a prince, and a glass slipper are happening above the floorboards in the parallel human world. That isn't the only sly touch in this bibbidi bobbidi debut, which is rich in clearly delineated character types, features plenty of brisk action, and is also, overall, more than a bit reminiscent in tone and setting to Brian Jacques' Redwall series (though with more focus on fashion than food). While this volume is mostly setup, heroes and villains alike end up on their marks, and plenty of loose ends remain to stitch up later. A charming series opener. (Animal fantasy. 10-12)

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April 30, 2021
Grades 3-6 For those readers who ever wondered, while watching Cinderella, about the life of the surprisingly agile and talented mice who inhabit the chateau, this is the book to hand to them. Moon vividly portrays a society for mice and other small creatures that parallels that of humans. Delphine was left on the mouse-sized doorstep of the house with nothing but a swaddle and a human-sized needle, and she grows to become a seamstress. She catches the eye of the princess and receives an invitation to the castle where she meets foppish noblemouse Alexander, who is intrigued by the legends of mystical tailor mice who used enormous needles to perform magic. Not a moment after Delphine discovers her needle might be the stuff of legends, she and Alexander attract the attention of King Midnight and his army of rats, and both flee, embarking upon a journey of discovery. This imaginative, exciting spin-off of Disney's Cinderella is a page-turning mystery that banks on the charm of complex, fantastical stories going on unnoticed right under the noses of humans.

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