Book Nook - George the Mouse in a Log Pile House

In author Rebecca Atanassova and illustrator Alissa Hansen’s upcoming children’s book, readers follow an adventurous mouse named George searching for the place where he belongs. Inspired by the true tale of an English wildlife photographer and his wild mouse friend, George the Mouse in a Log Pile House reminds readers that friends come in all shapes and sizes, kindness connects hearts, and each new day holds a bit of wonder.

I had a chance to review a copy of the book, which is really cute. The illustrations are charming and sweet, with a classic look that will appeal to readers of all ages. 

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

Thank you so much for your interest in our book, George The Mouse in a Log Pile House! We feel George embodies what is good, kind and right in this world. We appreciate the opportunity to share and hopefully spark wonder in others. -Rebecca Atanassova 

How did a real-life encounter go from cute little incident to a children's book?

Nature photographer, Simon Dell, is the creator of George The Mouse in a Log Pile House, the social media site. Here is how that came to be. One day, after mowing the lawn, a wild mouse popped up and looked curiously at Simon. He offered the mouse a peanut, which the little mouse took. The mouse, whom he named George, came back day after day. Simon built a home, and then a village. George and his family settled in the village, and Simon shared the delightful and amusing mouse photographs with his followers. His site received worldwide attention, including People Magazine. 

Fine artist Alissa Hansen was a fan of the site and painted beautiful watercolor paintings of them. She and Simon became friends and collaborated on a calendar and other projects. Simon confided to Alissa that he had always wanted to have a children’s book about George The Mouse to share with his grandchildren, and he would love for her to illustrate it. 

All they needed was an author. That’s where I came in. I knew Alissa and loved her artwork. I actually approached her to illustrate one of my other books. She had just taken on this book project with Simon and flipped the script on me. She asked if I’d like to give writing George the Mouse a try. I studied the photographs on the site and the outline of events he gave me. Within about a week, had a manuscript. We spent three years in pre-production. Alissa worked with our art director, Christine Kettner, and I worked on revisions with our editors. We’re finally crossing the finish line and are so excited to share George with the world. 

How can imaginative stories inspire appreciation for nature?

I believe when you take something that comes from a child’s everyday world, that is familiar and accessible, and add a touch of whimsy, you open the door for them to take the next steps in their own play. They can dream up fanciful things happening in the world around them. Inspired by rich illustrations of flowers, trees, buzzing bumblebees, children may begin noticing these treasures as they are out in nature. When there is a humble and kind animal character, such as George, children will be able to connect and identify with him. Stories like these can inspire children to care even about the smallest creatures and their homes. 

Why is it important for kids and adults to maintain a sense of wonder about the world?

When I was in school, our choir learned a song called, “Look For the Joy!” “Look for the joy, in all that you see. A flash of lightning, the wings on a bee.” It goes on to say, that the moment passes, but “the joy lingers on.” The song thrilled me. It spoke of wonder.  

Wonder is an appreciation of the beauty and simplicity of the world around us with a pure heart and curiosity. It shows a gentleness and awareness that is often lacking in our busy world today. Wonder is the lens through which young children see the world. They are born with it. Sadly, I think it fades over time. Developing a sense of wonder is like getting back that extra “sense.” People often talk about having a “gratitude attitude”? Wonder is like this. It invites us to slow down, notice, appreciate, and remain curious. I think it might be getting lost in the rush of the day to day. I think wonder is a marvelous sense to try and preserve. I hope I never lose that way of seeing the world, because it brings me both peace and joy.