Jean Van Leeuwen facts for kids
Jean Van Leeuwen (born December 26, 1937) is a talented author who has written over forty books for children. You might know her from the popular Oliver Pig series or her book Bound for Oregon. She studied journalism at Syracuse University and lives in Chappaqua, New York.
Meet the Great Mouse Gang
Since 1969, Jean Van Leeuwen has written five exciting adventure novels about a group of three mice living in New York City.
The Mouse Crew
The leader of the gang is a brave mouse named Marvin. He likes to be called "Merciless Marvin the Magnificent." His two friends are Raymond, who is very smart and known as "the Rat," and Fats, who is sensitive and loves to use explosives. Fats' real name is Dudley, but he's usually called "the Fuse."
Their Adventures
The mouse gang first lived in the Bijou Theater. Marvin once led them on a daring mission to rob a cheese shop nearby, and they even lived there for a short time! In their second story, they moved into a dollhouse in the toy section of Macy's Department Store. All their adventures since then have either started or happened right there.
All the books in this series have titles like "The Great something-or-other." Most of their adventures take place in Manhattan. However, in the fourth book, the gang accidentally ends up in Vermont inside a care package!
- The Great Cheese Conspiracy (1969)
- This book was turned into an animated film in 1986. It was a Czechoslovakian movie called The Great Cheese Robbery (Czech: Velká sýrová loupež), directed by Václav Bedřich.
- The Great Christmas Kidnaping Caper (1975)
- The Great Rescue Operation (1981)
- The Great Summer Camp Catastrophe (1992)
- The Great Googlestein (Guggenheim) Museum Mystery (2003)
Oliver and Amanda Pig Stories
Jean Van Leeuwen is also well-known for her sweet and funny stories about Oliver Pig and his little sister, Amanda Pig. These books follow their everyday adventures and challenges.
- Tales of Oliver Pig (1979)
- More Tales of Oliver Pig (1981)
- Amanda Pig and Her Big Brother Oliver (1982)
- Tales of Amanda Pig (1983)
- More Tales of Amanda Pig (1985)
- Oliver, Amanda, and Grandmother Pig (1987)
- Oliver and Amanda's Christmas (1989)
- Oliver Pig at School (1990)
- Amanda Pig on Her Own (1991)
- Oliver and Amanda's Halloween (1992)
- Oliver and Amanda and the Big Snow (1995)
- Amanda Pig, Schoolgirl (1997)
- Amanda Pig and Her Best Friend Lollipop (1998)
- Oliver and Albert, Friends Forever (2000)
- Amanda Pig and The Awful Scary Monster (2003)
- Oliver the Mighty Pig (2004)
- Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day (2005)
- Oliver Pig and the Best Fort Ever (2006)
- Amanda Pig, First Grader (2007)
- Amanda Pig and the Wiggly Tooth (2008)
