Children’s Library Corner: Hickory by Palmer Brown

If you loved Abel’s Island by William Steig or Stuart Little by E.B. White, then you need to try Hickory by Palmer Brown!

We are welcoming back Ruhama for another edition of Children’s Library Corner. I love her choices for you to check out. Sometimes the books she chooses may be out of print, so walk–no, run–to your nearest library to find these hidden treasures. In the case of her choice this month, I know you can get it at Red Balloon Bookshop and Wild Rumpus. Especially with the Minnesota (and Wisconsin) temperatures starting to drop, this is the perfect time to start stocking up on great literature!

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Seeing good books languish on the library shelves makes me sad, so I’ve come up with a few pairings to get you to try some of these ‘older’ titles, triggering your memory with something that’s considered a classic. Today’s offering is: Hickory by Palmer Brown!

Amazon link

Hickory Summary

Hickory lives in a farmhouse clock with his family, but longs to know more about the world (note from Gianna: Hickory is a mouse. This is highly important to realize. I thought he was a little boy at first, and I was very confused how a little boy could live in a clock). One day he decides to do just that and moves out to the meadow. There he creates a lovely home and begins to explore the outdoors. He loves it there and even becomes friends with a grasshopper.

The Project Ideas to Pair with Hickory

Watch several videos of Rube Goldberg contraptions, and then play the game Mouse Trap, created by Hasbro.

Make a mouse ornament

There are several songs and rhymes throughout this story. Make a list of some of your favorites and share them with a friend.

Explore your own out-of-doors! Find a place you haven’t been (park, playground, woods, etc.) and see what you can discover. Keep a logbook of things you see and hear.

The Food Ideas to Pair with Hickory

Have a farm-house dinner: fried chicken, crusty bread, mashed potatoes, your favorite vegetable and a fruit cobbler or pie for dessert.

While in the meadow, Hickory learns about different flavors of things. See what kinds of herbs and plants you can place into categories: sassafras, thyme, mint, chives, dandelion etc.

Anything cheese!