Redwall by Brian Jacques

Matthias enters the story on page 1, introduced as a "comical little figure" who trips and lands at the feet of the abbey's leader, Abbot Mortimer. Hence, the stumbling explanation of his plight posted above. From such an introduction Matthias seems an unlikely hero.

Oh and yes, Matthias is a mouse!

Redwall was written to be suitable for children, specifically blind children, and so has a very descriptive writing style. Jacques used words to paint pictures of the scenes, the creatures, and the action. This style gave the blind children the best chance to create the stories accurately in their imaginations.

I was not sure I'd love books written for children in this fashion, being a bit lacking in patience myself! But they captured my imagination instantly. Although Redwall hasn't made it to my list of Favorite Books to Re-read, that's only because I haven't finished reading the whole series yet! Surely when I get to the end, I'll be happy to pick up the first one and start all over again.

1.  Well, first off, I just love the way all the different animals have their own dialects. The moles go "Hurr, Burr" and love "deeper'n'ever turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot pie." The shrews are led by "Log-a-Log" who gets called "Log-a-Thing" by the hares, who generally speak like British country gentlemen, all "wot, wot," and "good old chap" and make fun of every "bally" thing, even the direst dangers. There are also the Sparras (sparrows) who shout stuff like "killee, killee, chop up all mouses, killee dead quickfast!" And in a later book there's some birds from the North Country who have Scottish accents - McTalon is one of my favorites! And all these funny creatures get along so well (at least the good ones do, the evildoers tend to fight among themselves a lot).
2. I love the descriptions of the amazing delicious food they serve at their feasts, and even at the homes of friendly creatures the brave ones meet on their quests. It's incredible how many types of drinks, pies, cakes, salads, and generally delicious foods they manage to make from the berries, fruits, herbs, plants, and nuts that would grow in an English countryside. Just reading the book makes your mouth water!
3. Even though the story is in some sense predictable - good triumphs over evil - there are so many twists and turns, riddles and unexpected friends appearing, that it's just a joy to read. The characters develop too. Some go from being a young "Dibbuns" to reaching adulthood, while the adults also age, usually quite gracefully.
4. The message of the story is undeniably good. Good is better than evil. Friendship and trustworthiness are valued. Care and compassion make for a better life. But when evil threatens those you love, your family, your home, you'd better fight to protect them, even at the cost of your life! And, yes there are deaths and not just the bad guys - true to life really
5. And finally, I guess I really love this story because its setting is so British! In many ways the characters and the countryside just seem so familiar, so real, so comfortable.

There are already over 20 books in this series! I've loved every one so far.

I can't show all 20 books here, so here are the next 3 in the series to get you going.