Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! by George Mendoza illustrated by Doris Susan Smith

This book was first published in 1981 with the title House by Mouse in the UK and Need a House? Call Ms Mouse in the US. The original publisher was Andre Deutsch in the UK and Grosset & Dunlap in the US. This new edition was published in 2022 by the Australian publisher Allen and Unwin. My friend recently lent me her two copies so in this post I plan to compare them. I do need to say I was not familiar with the original book. If you do by chance have the book from 1981 or the paperback from 1983, copies are selling for large amounts of money.

I'm trying to track down the history of this book. I did find this:

The text in the Australian version was much more straightforward, with simple description and no jokes. Interestingly, the gender of several of the animals changed between the two versions; in the American version, the bear became male and the pig became female—a much closer match, it seems to me, to gender stereotypes.  Slate, September 24, 2013.

I don't know how Allen and Unwin came to reprint this US classic book but it gives me heart that other wonderful books that are long out of print could come "back from the dead".  I have a Pinterest of books that are Out of Print and should be republished - hello Allen and Unwin - can you please take a look at this?

Whether simple or grand, Henrietta will find a solution, and she might just inspire future architects and designers to do the same. Kids' Book Review

About George Mendoza: A poet, screenwriter, travel journalist, novelist, and writer of children’s books, George Mendoza (1934–2018) established himself as a top author of his day, publishing over 100 books for children and adults worldwide. In 1968, he was awarded the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for his book The Hunter I Might Have Been. Ahead of his time in terms of packaging projects, his phenomenal energy, talent, and imagination were reflected in his many collaborations with celebrities such as Carol Burnett and Michel Legrand, renowned artists like Eric Carle and Norman Rockwell. NY Review of Books

None of the illustrations have been changed in the new edition - thank goodness - they are so charming and invite revisiting to explore all their tiny details. You can see nearly every page here. 

The text has been changed, though, on every page and I have to say I wonder why? I would love to read the two versions aloud to a child or group of children to see which one works best. I do prefer the original on some pages if indeed it is the original  - I continue to be confused.  The National Library of Australia list a 1981 edition of this book with Allen and Unwin as the publisher. The British library catalogue list a 1981 edition (House by Mouse) with the publisher Methuen (a Magnet paperback). 

The original UK edition listed each page as a series of 'chapters' but in this new book the page is called Henrietta's Portfolio. Allen and Unwin also changed the dedication!

Opening sentences UK: This is Henrietta sitting at her drawing board and working deep into the night, without even stopping to nibble at a cheese sandwich or drink a cup of coffee. ... All the animals want to live in a house designed by Henrietta, because she is the only mouse in the world who understands exactly what makes a squirrel or a rabbit, a caterpillar or a frog feel at home. In short Henrietta is a genius.

Opening sentences new edition: "Henrietta is a world-famous decorator, which means she is: an artist, a designer, a dreamer, a builder, a creator - all that and more too. You may have heard about Henrietta from your forest friends. Squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and all kinds of birds know her .... Sometimes she labours far into the night, without even thinking of nibbling on a piece of bread or cheese."

"For music loving Spider, Mouse designed a modern recording studio complete with performing platform. Then she wired his web to the whole thing and joined him in a jazz session certain to catch the ear of any unsuspecting fly or mosquito passing by"

"Spider's web becomes a musical dive with a magical tuned-up beat. 

Beware, flying gnats, moths and flies!

"Squirrel asked for a house in the tree-tops that would make him feel he lived in a space-ship"

"Imagine: Squirrel asks Henrietta to design a spaceship feeling in the branches of a knotty tree."

If you have a budding architect in your family or a child who is fascinated by how our homes are designed I highly recommend this book. I especially love the cross section illustrations, the rabbit's house, frog's pagoda house and the way nearly every house has a set of book shelves crammed full of books. 

Here is a companion book:

If I built a House

You might be lucky and find this book in your school or local library:

Eugene the Architect by Thibaut Rassat

"Eugene was an architect - a rigorous architect and, some would say, a bit eccentric. Actually most people thought he was a little bit crazy. He preferred to stay at home in his high, angular, dark house."

The key words from this text quote are angular and dark. Eugene likes things to be ordered, neat and tidy including his buildings. He designs structures with straight lines and perfect geometric shapes. Eugene might be described as a 'control freak' because he takes time to supervise the construction of his buildings every step of the way. 

Now the for complication. One evening a strong wind blows a huge old tree right into the middle of the third floor of the newest building which is under construction. The workers expect Eugene to order them to cut down the tree but instead Eugene climbs up into the tree where he makes an amazing discovery. The tree has beautiful angles and proportions. It is perfect. Eugene has discovered the wonder of nature. 

Eugene now sees the whole world in a very different way. He makes amazing changes to his building giving space to all creatures - animals and humans.

"He had created something special in every little corner. The children were sliding down the huge toboggan. The older folk were daydreaming on their new benches."  

He even included a library!

Publisher Blurb Penguin Random House: Eugene the architect designs buildings that are incredibly straight and orderly. He is very proud of his latest work–an enormous house with perfectly perpendicular walls and windows. One day he is surprised to find a tree growing in what will be the house’s living room. Instead of cutting it down, Eugene studies the tree, marvelling at the way its branches, roots, leaves, and trunk grow in elegant proportions. Suddenly, Eugene sees nature in an entirely new way–not as the opposite of precise order, but as something with its own type of perfection. Thibaut Rassat’s playful illustrations introduce young readers to basic architectural and geometric principles while amusing them with Eugene’s prickly personality and joyful discovery. They will come away with a new appreciation for architecture and for the unexpected twists and turns that make the natural world–and our life in it–so fascinating.

Many years ago I had a student in my library who was the son of a very famous Sydney Architect. One day this young boy asked to borrow some architecture books - we didn't have many but from then on when I saw new titles on this topic I added them to my library. Eugene the Architect is a book I would have loved to put into his hands. I have discovered the author himself is an architect who lives in Paris.  Here is a house designed by the father of this boy from my previous school which gives you an idea of his talent. This is a house in a suburb near me:

If your young reading companion is a fan of the Andy Griffiths 13 Storey Treehouse series this book might give them a different perspective about architecture and an appreciation of creative fun in design. You might also look for this treasure - If I built a House by Chris van Dusen. 

Here is the cover of the French (Canadian) edition - Mauvaise Herbe.

My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything has an extensive Pinterest collection of books about architecture. You might try to find some of these: