School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-In this suspenseful and thought-provoking tale, Alex and Alice, two orphaned mice, set off on a journey to find their brother, Alistair, who has vanished in the night. His disappearance may have to do with the fact that he's ginger-colored-an unusual (and sometimes persecuted) trait among mice. Since the story alternates perspectives (one chapter focusing on Alex and Alice, the next focusing on Alistair), readers are able to follow the siblings on their journeys. Along the way, all three mice uncover secrets about their family, particularly their deceased parents. They also learn of the struggle among the countries of Souris, Shetlock, and Gerander, and how this conflict may relate to the prejudice against ginger-colored mice. Narrow escapes and plot twists abound, with almost every chapter ending in a nail-biting cliff-hanger. The suspenseful tone and accessible, polished writing will doubtless keep readers turning the pages. The conclusion is thoroughly satisfying, yet it is clear that many more obstacles face these mice before their story truly comes to an end. Fans of Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series (Philomel) as well as action and adventure aficionados will devour this book and eagerly await the next installment in the series.-Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
First published in Australia, this first book in the Song of the Winns trilogy delivers a winning adventure in the mouse-story genre. When 12-year-old triplet Alistair, a mouse with ginger-colored fur, disappears from his house and lands unexpectedly in another country on top of Tibby Rose, a mouse who shares his unusual coloring, they embark on a search for his home while Alistair's siblings, Alex and Alice, sneak away to look for him. Watts effectively infuses these alternating twin journeys with suspense as the heroes meet circus mice, double-crossing secret agents, owls, and pirates. Along the way, they uncover the significance (and danger) of their ginger fur. Though colorful, the supporting characters are less developed than the protagonists. Readers will be thankful for the map of the region, as the geography feels somewhat jumbled; each chapter opens with a small, delicately inked piece of spot art from Francis. An intriguing thread about a secret resistance movement, clues about the mice's respective parents, and other questions left unanswered pave the way for the subsequent books. Ages 8-12. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.