cover image The Kingdom of the Sun and Moon

The Kingdom of the Sun and Moon

Lowell H. Press. Parkers Mill Publishing (www.thekingdomofthesunandmoon.com), $11.99 paper (316p) ISBN 978-0-9905130-0-1

First-time author Press creates a complex and absorbing world of mouse kingdoms set against the grounds of Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace. After a small, strong-willed mouse named Nesbit speaks out against the kingdom’s tyrannical ruler, the König, he is cast away to the treacherous Forest of Lost Life (one of the distant regions of the palace complex). Meanwhile, Nesbit’s more even-tempered brother, Sommer, is forced to join the Eagle Guard to defend the palace against a powerful army of approaching field mice. Murine, feline, and human characters commingle in an adventure filled with rich descriptions of a world lived within palace walls, beside corridors, and along labyrinthine garden paths. While abundant details about the mice’s mythology and lore can slow the pace, Press keeps the story scampering along with humor and persistent threats to Nesbit and Sommer in the form of owls, cats, and rival rodents. The author takes full advantage of the expansive backdrop and his diminutive protagonists as the brothers and their allies work to overthrow a brutal adversary and protect their homeland. Ages 10–up. (BookLife)