The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Beatrix Potter |
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| Illustrator | Beatrix Potter |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Frederick Warne & Co. |
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Publication date
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December 1918 |
| Media type | Print (originally hardcover, but since printed in softcover as well) |
| Preceded by | Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes |
| Followed by | Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes |
The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse is a classic children's book. It was written and illustrated by the famous author Beatrix Potter. The book was first released in December 1918 by Frederick Warne & Co.
This story is based on an old Aesop fable called "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse". It's about two mice, one from the countryside and one from the city. They each visit the other's home to see what life is like. After trying out different ways of living, both mice decide they like their own home best! People really enjoyed the book when it came out. The character Johnny Town-mouse even appeared in a ballet film in 1971. The story has also been made into an animated TV show by the BBC television.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Timmy Willie's City Adventure
Timmy Willie is a mouse who lives in the country. One day, he falls asleep inside a basket of vegetables after eating some tasty peas. The basket is then carried all the way to the city!
When the basket is opened, Timmy quickly escapes. He finds himself in a big house. He slips through a small hole in the wall and lands right in the middle of a mouse dinner party! The party is being hosted by Johnny Town-mouse.
Timmy is welcomed by everyone. He tries his best to fit in and enjoy himself. But the loud noises from the house cat and the maid scare him. Also, the rich city food makes him feel sick.
After his adventure, Timmy returns home in the same vegetable basket. Before he leaves, he invites Johnny Town-mouse to visit him in the countryside.
Johnny Town-mouse Visits the Country
The next spring, Johnny Town-mouse comes to visit Timmy Willie. But Johnny doesn't like the country very much. He complains about how damp it is. Things like cows and noisy lawnmowers also scare him.
Johnny decides that country life is too quiet for him. He goes back to the city in the vegetable basket. The story ends with Beatrix Potter saying that she prefers living in the countryside herself.
How the Book Was Made
Beatrix Potter was very busy with her farm, Hill Top Farm, in 1917. She didn't have much time to write new stories. But in early 1918, she suggested a new tale. It would be based on a fable by Aesop.
Johnny Town-Mouse was special because it was the only book in her later years that Potter drew all the pictures for herself. She even sent six drawings to her publisher in May 1918. This was while she was also dealing with farm problems and a family funeral.
The last drawings were ready by August 1918, as World War I was ending. The book was finally published in December 1918. It has a special message at the beginning: "To Aesop in the shadows."
Pictures in the Book
The pictures in The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse show many things from Beatrix Potter's real life. For example, her farm horse, Diamond, was the model for the carrier's horse.
Johnny Town-Mouse himself was inspired by her husband's friend, Dr. Parsons. These two men even had a private golf course built! In the book's cover picture, Johnny Town-Mouse is shown carrying a bag of golf clubs.
The town mice in the story live in the house of a Mr. Bolton. He lived in Hawkshead, a village near Potter's home. Mr. Bolton received vegetables from Sawrey every week and sent laundry back. A woman named Mrs. Rogerson from Sawrey was the model for the housemaid in the book. Even the picture of the archway was drawn from a real place.
Timmy Willie's "herb pudding" was likely a real dish from the Lake District. It was made with plants like bistort, dandelion, and lady's mantle. This dish was popular in the area for a long time.
After Johnny Town-Mouse, Beatrix Potter's eyesight started to get worse. This made it difficult for her to continue painting.
Other Versions of the Story
Movies and TV Shows
- In 1971, Johnny Town-mouse and his friends appeared in a ballet film called The Tales of Beatrix Potter.
- In 1996, an animated version of the story was shown on BBC television. It was part of a series called The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends. Hugh Laurie was the voice of Johnny Town-mouse, and Alan Bennett voiced Timmy Willie.
- In 2018, Johnny Town-Mouse (voiced by David Wenham) appeared in the live-action and computer-animated movie Peter Rabbit.
