
When a child is facing a big, scary move or feels overwhelmed by a new environment, this classic story offers a comforting and empowering perspective. The second book in the series follows the Clock family, tiny people called Borrowers, after they are forced to flee their cozy home beneath the floorboards. Now they must survive in the vast, dangerous English countryside, where a field mouse is a monster and an old boot is a temporary shelter. This adventure highlights themes of resilience, family loyalty, and the courage it takes to adapt to profound change. For children ages 8 to 12, it reframes anxiety about the unknown into a story of ingenuity and survival, showing that even the smallest person can find their way in a big world.
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Sign in to write a reviewContains a dated and potentially stereotypical portrayal of a Romani character.
The main characters lose their home and experience fear and uncertainty as they search for a new one.
The book's central theme is displacement and homelessness, handled metaphorically through the fantasy lens. The resolution is hopeful, as the family finds security and community. A significant issue is the portrayal of the Romani character, Mild Eye, which reflects stereotypes common at the time of writing (1955) and may be perceived as offensive by modern readers.
An imaginative child, aged 8 to 11, who loves detailed miniature worlds and survival stories. It’s perfect for a child feeling small, powerless, or anxious about a major life change like moving to a new house or town.
Parents should be prepared to discuss the dated and stereotypical portrayal of the Romani character. It offers a teachable moment about how representations in literature have changed over time. Otherwise, the peril is fantastical and the book can be read without much preparation. A parent hears their child say, “I’m scared of our new house,” or “I don’t want to move, everything will be different.” The child may be showing anxiety about change or feeling overwhelmed by new surroundings.
Younger readers (8-9) will focus on the adventure, the magic of the miniature scale, and the thrill of survival. Older readers (10-12) are more likely to appreciate the deeper themes of what it means to make a home, the cultural differences between the Clock family and Spiller, and the complex, perilous relationship between Borrowers and humans.
While many books cover survival, this book’s unique power comes from its masterfully executed shift in scale. It makes abstract concepts like resilience and adaptability tangible by showing them through the eyes of characters for whom a rainstorm is a flood and a cow is a walking mountain. This perspective is what makes the story so memorable and charming.
This second installment follows the Clock family (Pod, Homily, and Arrietty), miniature “Borrowers” who have been driven from their home under the floorboards. Forced into the open fields, they face immense dangers from weather, animals, and “human beans.” They temporarily make a home in an old boot and are aided by Spiller, a solitary, wild Borrower who is more adept at outdoor survival. Their journey involves near-disasters, a brief, frightening period of captivity by a Romani man, and an eventual rescue by a human boy, Tom Goodenough, who helps them find a safe new home and long-lost relatives.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.