Violet and Jobie are mouse siblings. They spend their days hiding in a house and stealing cheese from traps. Then one day the humans catch them. The kids don't want to kill the mice, and suggest taking the to a state park. It's so far that the mice won't return to the house.

Now these siblings have to learn to forage, hide from predators, and dig a safe home. They're lucky that a cat shows no interest in hunting them when they don't know how to run, and to encounter an older mouse named Zolian. Zolian is the most experienced mouse, and more than willing to teach Violet and Jobie how to survive. They will need it, as more predators than cats exist.

The novel has lighthearted moments while reminding one of Watership Down. Thankfully we don't have as much rabbit violence, and the rabbits in question alternate between being allies and neutral parties. When you're an adult you relate with the humans, because mice

I do feel the ending was a bit abrupt and set the stage for a sequel. I admit I felt sad and that the story was incomplete. I hope there is a sequel that resolves that plotline, since that felt unfinished.

Violet and Jobie in the Wild is a well written illustrated adventure story for middle grade readers by Lynne Rae Perkins. Released 30th Nov 2022 by HarperCollins on their Children's imprint, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. Paperback due out 3rd quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is an engaging and sensitively told story about a pair of anthropomorphic sibling mice who are trapped in a box by the humans who live in the house they call home and dumped in the wilderness of a park far away from the only place they've ever known. There are dangers aplenty for two small young rodents, but there are also adventures and friends to be found along the way as well.

The story is enhanced by the author's charcoal illustrations. They're full of small details which invite a closer look and they provide a nice counterpoint to the story. There are some slightly scary parts, but nothing too graphic or unpleasant. I found the ending bittersweet, but not a deal-breaker. It's a surprisingly grown-up ending for a middle grade book, but overall well done.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition as well as home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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This book was a cute story about two mice whose lives change and they have to learn to adjust. The mice learn a new way of living. Jobie even finds love. It is a story that one can read to learn that life does change and change can be good. There are things to learn when life changes, and it may sometimes challenge us. The story is also about family and how family is important even when we don’t live near each other.
I would suggest this book to children that like stories about animals. It give a nice message in the end,

This truly ingenious novel from Newbery winning author Lynn Rae Perkins, takes us on a fantastical journey from the perspective of two mice, Violet and Jobie, who have been found in a house and released into the wild. These two mice have entertaining and humorous adventures trying to find their animal instincts and survive in the wild instead of their cushy suburban home. The characters are lovable and relatable. This engrossing book flies through adventures, so even the most reluctant reader should be eager to finish this book. Highly recommend for any elementary school aged child!

Many thanks to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of Violet & Jobie.

This cute story is told from the perspective of two mice, brother and sister, who find themselves exploring the world in an unexpected turn of events. It's a sweet story with a nice commentary on the power of family.

A charming story about two mice, Jobie and Violet, who are captured by humans and set free outside. At first reminiscent of city mice visiting country friends, the story takes a refreshing turn as the mice quickly adapt with the help of an older mouse. Friendship, loss, and learning to be happy in the moment are explored matter-of-factly, yet gently. A sophisticated vocabulary (“discombobulated”; “coterie of upstart pines”; “final folderol”; “obliviously”) adds interests and makes this a great choice for read-a-loud or handing to an advanced reader. Reviewed from e-galley.

This well told story is about two mice, Violet and Jobie, who have grown up in a house with a large loving family. They are trapped one day and released out in the wild state park without any idea how to get home or survive in the wild. It's an exciting and compelling story that I think both kids and teachers are going to love.

The adventures and characters keep you on your toes. The story has some good twists and turns. Sometimes I was word about the conflict but felt like they were all addressed appropriately.

Oh how I love Lynne Rae Perkins' writing and the way she embodies the internal and external lives of her animal characters in her writing. This is a sibling story, as well as a "life throws things at you" story. The mouse view of the human world as well as the out-of-doors wildness is believable and engaging.

A very cute coming of age story of two mice, Jobie and Violet, and their adventures in the wild.

I read this story aloud to my children ages 3-15, and it was enjoyed by them all. Once or twice the story took a turn I was concerned about reading aloud to my children, but each conflict was handled very well. This story is a rare treat in a genre steeped in magic, and new ideals. The only drawback, if any, is that the story ended a little more abruptly than we would have liked, and it struck a slightly discordant note with some of the children. Personally, I thought the ending was handled well.

Thank you to HarperCollins, and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this arc.

Violet and Jobie in the Wild, by Lynne Rae Perkins is a fun story. Two house mice have to learn to live in the forest and along the way, meet friends who help them survive.

Most readers of this delightful novel, "Violet and Job in the Wild," may reconsider the fate of the mice they discover inside their homes. Perkins wrote this novel after a friend had told her about her conundrum with a mouse inside her house: if she relocated the mouse, would the mouse return?

This novel is about two mice who had been living comfortably inside a home and then get relocated at the woods, far away from the TV where they enjoyed watching a nature show that provided them with information about the world outside their home, far away from the soft sock drawer, and the easily accessible food.

Young readers between the ages of 8 and 12 will love this adventurous tale. In many ways, this is a novel that would be perfect for teachers/parents to read aloud because of all the author's comments, where she directly addresses the readers, providing wonderful opportunities to discuss the
what would you do, and why is this happening possibilities that are offered throughout the novel.

Violet befriends an elderly, wise mouse, Zolian, and Jobie falls in love, changing the dynamics of their endless togetherness, providing readers with a chance to see the mice grow as they learn to take risks exploring their new world.

Zolian teaches the young mice the importance of learning safety rules, such as, D.E.F: Don't Exit the Foliage. Violet tries to teach Zolian about the world with a television. Most importantly, they try to create the comforts of a safe home, while pondering the big questions of life, and what is more difficult: losing someone while they're still alive or when they die. This is a novel filled with love, joy, fear, bravery, and philosophical ponderings--unanswered questions for curious readers to contemplate.