Orris and Timble: The Beginning

Orris the rat has a peaceful life in an old barn. His treasures include a red slipper, a yellow marble, and a sardine can which features the slogan “make the good and noble choice!!”. Orris’ peace is interrupted when a young owl, Timble, gets caught in a mousetrap that has been nailed to the barn floor. At first, Orris is unwilling to help the owl in fear that it will attack him, but eventually, inspired by his sardine can, he frees the owl and the two become friends.

There is something very old-fashioned about this book from the sepia-toned pages, the page design and font choices, and the soft edges around the illustrations. Even the story, with its lack of technology and folksy expressions (“for the love of Pete”), has a timeless quality about it that adds a certain familiarity and coziness. The simple narrative with its obvious lesson is gentle and warm but has enough conflict and tension to keep things interesting. The text is to-the-point and succinct, with the occasional flourish (a description of the quality of light or how the sky looks) that contributes to the cozy atmosphere and informs the illustrations. The short chapters, simple sentences, and lots of pictures make this ideal for new readers.

The two characters, notably different, give readers varying perspectives and personalities. The rat is a shrewd curmudgeon, and the owl is young and naive, continually asking questions (“What’s a statue?”, “What’s a lion?”) that allow the rat to instruct the owl. The dialogue between the two is unexpected, full of non-sequiturs during their first encounters when the owl is scared while stuck in the trap; as they get to know each other, their conversations flow more smoothly.

The illustrations, done in gouache, coloured pencil, and graphite pencil, are soft and simple, showing key parts of the story in a variety of ways from full-page spreads to smaller vignettes among the text. The pops of yellow (the Owl’s eyes, the marble, a butterscotch) illuminate the otherwise dim pictures and also serve to metaphorically illuminate themes of knowledge and friendship.

Kate DiCamillo is a master of tender children’s literature, and Orris and Timble: The Beginning, a fable-like tale, is no exception. This old-fashioned story is sure to appeal to sensitive animal-loving children and the caregivers they share it with.