The Deptford Mice facts for kids
Box set cover
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| Author | Robin Jarvis |
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| Illustrator | Robin Jarvis |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's, Dark fantasy |
| Publisher | Macdonald & Company Simon & Schuster Hodder Children's Books (UK) SeaStar Books (USA) |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) Audiobook E-book |
The Deptford Mice is a series of three exciting fantasy novels. They were written by British author Robin Jarvis. The first book, The Dark Portal, came out in 1989. The Crystal Prison followed later that year. The final book, The Final Reckoning, was published in 1990.
These books tell the story of a brave young mouse girl named Audrey Brown. She and her friends must fight a powerful evil. Their enemy is Jupiter, the cruel god of the sewer rats. Their adventures take place in the London area of Deptford. In 1989, The Dark Portal was a runner-up for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. The series first came to the United States in 2000.
Contents
The Deptford Mice Trilogy
Exploring The Dark Portal
A group of mice lives a peaceful life. They live in an old, empty house in Deptford, London. Their only worry is the mean rats in the sewers below. These rats worship a mysterious god named Jupiter. One day, a mouse named Albert Brown is pulled into the sewers. Dark magic from a grill in the basement draws him in. His daughter, Audrey, refuses to believe he is gone forever. She sets out to find him. On her journey, she learns the truth about the evil Jupiter.
Unraveling The Crystal Prison
The Starwife, the powerful queen of the squirrels, gives Audrey a command. Audrey must go to the countryside with a rat named Madame Akkikuyu. Akkikuyu used to work for Jupiter but is now harmless. She only wants to find peace. But when they arrive, field mice start dying. Audrey becomes the main suspect. No one knows that a dark spirit is causing these events. This spirit is secretly controlling Akkikuyu.
Facing The Final Reckoning
In the last book, Jupiter returns as a ghost. He wants revenge on the mice who defeated him. He is now more powerful than ever. Jupiter covers the world in endless winter. He gathers a huge army of ghost rats. These rats carry ice spears. The mice of Deptford don't know how to defeat him again. He is already dead. Even worse, their friend the Starwife has lost her home. Jupiter has also stolen her magical Starglass. He plans to use it to block out the sun. This would end all life on Earth.
Other Deptford Mice Books
Robin Jarvis has also written other books about the Deptford world. The Deptford Histories is another trilogy. It tells the backstories of important characters. These include Jupiter and Thomas Triton. There's also The Deptford Mouselets. These books are for younger children. They are much lighter and shorter. They have very little violence.
The Deptford Mice Almanack is also available. It's written as if it's from the animals' world. It describes their traditions and stories. It also tells what happens ten years after the main trilogy. The Almanack ends with a big surprise. Jarvis has said he plans one more Deptford Mice book. It will be set years after The Final Reckoning. He says it will be the most frightening story yet. He promises many battles and sad moments. The evil Lord Hobb will return. The ancient rat gods' Three Thrones will rise again.
Deptford Mice Adaptations
Audiobook Versions
In 1995, Macdonald Young Books released shorter versions of the novels. They were on cassette tapes. Tom Baker read The Dark Portal. Martin Shaw read The Crystal Prison. Jon Pertwee read The Final Reckoning. These were re-released in 2001.
Later, Blackstone Audio released the full, unedited audiobooks. They were available on cassette, CD, and digital. Roe Kendall read all three books.
Stage Play
In 2010, a London theatre company created a play. Tiny Dog Productions made the first official stage show of The Dark Portal. It was performed at The Space Theatre in London. It was also shown at the New Wimbledon Theatre in April 2011.
Images for kids
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