Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH | Kolbe Academy Catholic Classical Curriculum
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a thoughtful and suspenseful novel about courage, sacrifice, and the search for independence. When Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, discovers that her young son is too ill to be moved before the farmer plows the field, she must seek help from the mysterious rats who live beneath the Fitzgibbon farm’s rosebush.
What she discovers is far more than she expected. The rats are no ordinary creatures but the result of laboratory experiments that have given them unusual intelligence and a desire to build a self-sustaining community of their own. As Mrs. Frisby becomes involved in their plans, she faces danger, difficult choices, and acts of quiet bravery to protect her family.
With its layered plot, moral seriousness, and steady narrative development, this Newbery Medal–winning novel challenges students to follow complex events while reflecting on responsibility, freedom, and the proper use of knowledge. Selected for advanced readers, it supports careful comprehension, discussion, and expressive narration within our classical Catholic literature program.
Courses this book is used in:
- Literature 3-4:
- Online - Enrichment
Course this book was previously used in:
- Discontinued: Elementary Literature
- Materials for the discontinued Elementary Literature course may still be purchased while supplies last. To find available Elementary Literature course materials, click here.